The Don’t Ditch It, Donate It project is back – for the 13th year in a now! Each year since 2010, between June and September, donation points are set up all around campus for students to donate their unwanted household items when moving out of campus accommodation. The project offers a live example of a circular economy, ensuring that items such as clothes, homeware, kitchenware, books and more are reused within the local community and diverted from the waste stream.

An average of 35 tonnes of donations are redirected and redistributed each year to our network of local and national charities such as Food For Thought, British Heart Foundation, Melbourne Food Club, or Skerton Food Club. Last year, British Heart Foundation collected around 5,340 kg of clothing items to sell in their charity shops, assisting in raising money for scientific research linked to heart and cardiovascular disease.

In addition to charities, we also partner with local businesses such as Relic Plastic, an upcycling initiative that turns plastic into new objects such as plant pots, soap dishes, coasters and more.

Finally, a portion of items donated over the summer is saved for our ECOShop at the start of the Michaelmas Term, where students can buy anything they need as they prepare for a new year at Lancaster. The ECOShop ensures the building of a circular economy right here on campus, where one student's items are reused on campus the following year. Money generated from the ECOShop goes straight back into the Don’t Ditch It project.

The Don’t Ditch It project is also a fantastic opportunity for students to gain valuable work experience and be part of a dynamic team striving to make a valuable change. This year, Green Lancaster appointed a team of nineteen students to run the project, including four supervisors who are responsible for managing the project, and fifteen team members, who help with operational tasks such as collecting and sorting donations.

So, what can you do? Get involved by donating! From NOW until mid-September, our five donation points on Northwest Drive, Furness Avenue, Pendle Avenue, and Alexandra Park Boulevard will be open 24/7. Find your closest one. There will soon also be donation crates available at Chancellor’s Wharf.

Here are some quick tips on how to donate:

1. Check what items we can and cannot accept
2. Find your nearest donation point
3. Put clean items in a bag, box or other container – there are bags in all donations points if needed
4. Drop off clean and bagged items in hypercages at the donation point

We can accept:

• Clothing
• Bedding
• Kitchenware
• Sealed non-perishable food, packets or tins
• Books
• Stationery
• Electrical items
• Household items such as coat hangers or décor

We cannot accept:

• Open food packets
• Open bathroom products
• Items in poor condition
• General waste
• Recyclable waste

Thank you in advance to everyone who will donate this summer or buy from the ECOShop at the start of Michaelmas Term 2023!