Turning student leftovers into a warm welcome

09 Oct 2025

Colleagues across the University worked together to give incoming students a head start – while cutting down on waste at the same time

Over the summer, 50 kitchen starter packs were created from good-quality items left behind in halls by outgoing students. Instead of going to landfill, the items were collected and cleaned by a team of staff volunteers, before being passed on to new arrivals. Many of the packs were discreetly placed in bedrooms by the Residences Team, while hundreds of individual items also found new homes at the Spend Smart Fair during Welcome.

One of the students who received a pack said: “UniCycle Boxes made settling into student life so much easier. I was able to get most of the kitchen essentials I needed without the stress or expense.”

Emma Lewis-Kalubowila, Student Access, Success and Development Officer, who worked on this initiative in partnership with the University Residences team said: “Starting university can be daunting, but something as simple as having a kitchen basics like a pan, mug and cutlery set ready can make those first days feel that bit easier.

“The project also means hundreds of good-quality items have been given a second life rather than going to landfill – a small but meaningful step towards our sustainability goals. Above all, it highlights the power of colleagues working together across teams to make a practical difference for our students.

“Special thanks go to Emily Taylor, Dale Pullin, Lucy Caulfield, Roz Webster, Julie Butterworth, Emily Calder-Jones, Spencer Davies, Sophie Blake, Jabeen Akram, Pearlin Murmu and Eliza Stachowska, who are amongst the volunteers whose hard work made this possible.”

This initiative is just one of the many ways colleagues across the University are helping to support our students while building a more sustainable campus.