University of Leicester named as finalist in two Green Gown Award categories
The Green Gown Awards are a national accolade that recognise, share and celebrate the most impactful and innovative sustainability action across the further and higher education sectors.
The University of Leicester has reached the finals of these prestigious awards in two categories – Student Engagement and Tomorrow’s Employees – for its contribution to sustainability across the institution and the community.
The University’s Food Rescue Volunteers Society (FRVS) is a shining example of how collaboration between passionate students and the University can spark transformative change. Founded in 2023, FRVS students are on a mission to eliminate food waste and boost food accessibility on campus.
By tapping into the University’s robust support systems and fostering cross-departmental collaboration, the Volunteers not only help students and staff save money, but also support sustainable resource consumption across the institution.
During term time, FRVS collects food that campus outlets can no longer sell (due to best before and expiration dates) and delivers these to the Community Kitchen for students to take for free.
In their first year as a society (2023/24), they have 'rescued’ over 2600 food items from disposal, equivalent to the carbon emissions of driving 12,000 miles in an average petrol car. In addition to the environmental benefits of combatting food waste, the Society has also maximised their social impact by helping to tackle the cost-of-living crisis for students and staff on campus.
FRVS won three awards at the annual Students’ Union Awards presentation in May 2024, taking home the award in each category they were nominated for: Volunteering Project Award, Outstanding Contribution to Community and New Student Group of the Year.
They have also been successful recipients of SEED funding, which supports student-led sustainability projects, to help expand their work across the University.
For more information about the Society’s work, please contact su-foodrescue@leicester.ac.uk.
The Sustainability Enterprise Partnership Project (SEPP) module is an innovative, credit-bearing course, where student ‘sustainability advisors’ from various disciplines across the University collaborate with local businesses to tackle pressing sustainability challenges head-on.
This module exemplifies a holistic approach to sustainability education, fostering collaboration between academia and industry, and preparing students for future careers in sustainability.
The SEPP module collaborates specifically with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offer comprehensive sustainability audits, supporting the University’s civic commitment to fostering socially and environmentally conscious practices in the region. Students also receive Carbon Literacy Training, equipping them with the knowledge and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational level.
This enterprising module is earning rave reviews from students and businesses alike for its hands-on, real-world impact. Students initially work in groups and later individually, partnering with local businesses to analyse raw data and produce two key deliverables provided back to the businesses: a Written Industry Report (group project) and Detailed Implementation Plan (individual project).
Dr Sarah Gretton, Associate Professor in Natural Sciences and Director of the University of Leicester Education Academy, who also leads on the module, said: “This nomination acknowledges our sector-leading work in delivering research-inspired education, providing students with the opportunity to develop green skills using real-world data, whilst also supporting local businesses to become more sustainable.”