Pack for Good 2019

 News 

Departing students recycle unwanted items thanks to annual British Heart Foundation fundraising initiative

Wednesday, 22 May, 2019

Following last year’s record-breaking success, the Student Community Partnership (SCP) – a joint venture between the University of Bath, Bath Spa University, and Bath & North East Somerset Council – is once again supporting students to donate their unwanted items as they leave the city for the summer and help to raise essential funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in the process.

The BHF ‘Pack for Good’ fundraising campaign, now in its fourth year in the city, provides a convenient way for students from Bath’s universities to recycle any unwanted but usable items they no longer need, as they prepare to move out of their accommodation at the end of the academic year.

Last year’s generous donations raised more than £200,000 for cardiovascular research, with an incredible 14,000 bags worth of items including shoes, clothes, CDs, DVDs and bed linen being collected for donation.

Donating items is easy thanks to the eight temporary BHF donation banks that are now in place at key locations across Bath until mid-July, including a number at both universities’ campuses.

The SCP is committed to continuing the success of the campaign by helping students to pass on as many of their unwanted items as possible over the coming weeks.

Professor Peter Lambert, Chair of the Student Community Partnership and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at the University of Bath, said: “With recycling already increasing in Bath, the Pack for Good campaign offers another opportunity to recycle during the student move-out period and we will be encouraging students to make the most of it. The SCP would like to thank everyone who is helping to co-ordinate the campaign and making it possible.”

Enya-Jayne Battersby, Bath Spa University Students’ Union Vice President for Community added: "Pack for good is a really amazing initiative which allows both students and permanent residents of Bath to give back to the community, and helps the British Heart Foundation to raise money for its incredible work. It's not only a chance for people to declutter their homes and to help students reduce waste when they move, but it also promotes sustainability by passing on homeware and other useful items."

The collected items will be managed by local BHF stores and proceeds from sales will go towards funding life-saving research.

Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for Housing, Planning and Economic Development said: “The council is working hard to reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill and students can help by recycling their unwanted belongings. However, it’s not just students, we all need to think more carefully about reducing waste or reusing items, as well as recycling them.

“The Pack for Good campaign proved extremely successful last year and I’d encourage students heading home for summer to make the most of the donation banks across the city. Having consulted with residents these banks are in key locations and will be removed in mid-July.”   

For more information about the Pack for Good campaign and for a list of BHF donation bank locations, please visit www.scpbath.org.uk.