Don't ditch it. Donate it.

Red background image with white t-shirt icon

The Don't Ditch It project at Lancaster University is a sustainability initiative designed to reduce waste and promote a circular economy on campus.

Each year, between May and September, donation points are set up across the University, allowing students to donate unwanted clothes and household items as they move out of their accommodation. These items - including clothing, kitchenware, books, and more - are then redistributed to local and national charities or resold at a large discount to incoming students, preventing them from ending up in landfill. The project supports environmental sustainability and provides students with opportunities to gain valuable work experience by participating in its operations.

accordion

Donation hubs

The donation hubs are located at the Porter's Lodge in every college, except for Graduate College (Graduate students can donate at Cartmel or Lonsdale Colleges on South West Campus), and accept donations of:

  • Clothing, shoes and accessories
  • Furniture
  • Kitchen items
  • Books and stationery
  • Unopened cosmetics and cleaning products
  • Clean, washed bedding sets

We cannot accept donations of duvets, pillows, broken or dirty items, food, or knives.

British Heart Foundation donation bin on campus

British Heart Foundation

As part of the Don't Ditch It campaign, you can donate all year-round at one of our new British Heart Foundation (BHF) donation bins that are dotted around campus. 

BHF estimates that each donated bag raises £14 in money for their research and makes a real difference in helping to support a range of services. For example:

  • 10 bags could fund a full day’s BHF heart nursing care.
  • 100 bags could help find a cure by funding a young scientist for seven days.
  • 1,000 bags could help 40 young heart patients to gain independence.

What you can donate

The donation bins accept donations of:

  • Clothing
  • Shoes and accessories
  • Kitchen items
  • Books
  • Electricals

BHF cannot accept donations of duvets, pillows, broken or dirty items, food, or knives.

Donation locations

You can find a map of our British Heart Foundation donation bins on mazemap. They are located in the following areas:

  • Bowland Hall Avenue (near the Welcome Centre)
  • Lancaster Square Avenue (County College)
  • Furness accommodation
  • Fylde accommodation
  • Pendle Avenue
  • Graduate Avenue

  • Donation station

    The donation station inside ReStore is an easy and central point on campus for donations and recycling, with space for donating clean, preloved clothing, home, accessories, foodbank items, used bras, and a section to recycle used pens and whiteboard markers.

  • ReStore donations

    You can also donate items directly to ReStore during their opening hours - Monday-Friday 11am-5pm. Items donated to ReStore will be resold within the store and money raised will go to local charity, St John's Hospice.