Green Gown Awards 2020 - Durham University - Highly Commended

Green Move Out and Student Volunteers

The Green Move Out all began in Collingwood College in 2005, where students donated clothes and unwanted items to the Air Ambulance Charity. Over the years it has grown and evolved, designed to reduce waste with little effort from the students, and support local charities whilst leaving Durham tidy.

We have been able to expand the scheme by working in partnership with County Durham Furniture Help Scheme, Durham County Council, the Police, and this year student volunteers. In 2005, students donated 52 bags, now over 4,000 bags are collected each year - now also including kitchen and homeware.

Covid-19 has thrown a lot of challenges at everyone, including the most vulnerable in our society. Given these new challenges, the Green Move Out would have only taken place for students living in our Colleges, if it were not for our dedicated Student Volunteers who delivered bags across the City for students to fill with items to donate.

Top 3 learnings: 

1. Continue to have Student Volunteers for future GMO, to deliver bags across the city.
2. Developing new opportunities to improve the GMO scheme with all our partners and students.
3. Embracing the challenges from Students - increased awareness and engagement, pushing sustainability at Durham.

Videos

• Video #1 (click to hide)