Green Gown Awards 2021: Sustainability Champion–Staff-York St John University,Grounds Team- Finalist

The Grounds and Maintenance Team

We have really taken the initiative to support the community’s mental wellbeing through our allotments and biodiversity projects. The work has been on-going for the last couple of years but has accelerated during the pandemic as the link between nature and mental well-being became more apparent. We have also changed the way we maintain our grounds which has made York St John University (YSJ) a haven for wildlife.

The highlight of our initiatives this year is our work on biodiversity enhancement across all sites and the work on allotments at the Haxby Road Campus. During the pandemic, we waived allotment fees to enable allotment holders to access the plots without worrying about financial obligations. Having a space to retreat and to grow plants and vegetables has had a positive effect on their mental well-being. We also worked with students and the academic community on the refugee allotment project, which funded free access to our allotments for refugees, in partnership with Refugee Action York.

Top 3 learnings:

1. Play by each other’s strengths.
2. Tap into each other’s expertise.
3. Giving the champions the lead, brings the project to life and brings amazing results.