Students embrace the Bristol Big Give Christmas campaign

This year’s Big Give Christmas campaign has already collected a fantastic 55 bags of donations since launching on Black Friday, 29 November. Over the course of 2019 the Bristol Big Give raised £344,000 for the life-saving work done by the British Heart Foundation, supported 12 local charities and prevented 196 tonnes of reusable items from going to landfill.

Ellen Bradley, President of the University of Bristol Foodbank Society said: “The Big Give Christmas campaign is a chance for Bristol students to join the wider community and support people in need.

“Dropping temperatures and the financial pressures of Christmas can make this time of year particularly difficult for many people in our city and we’re really excited to support the North Bristol foodbank by helping them put together their Christmas hampers.”

Food and items can be donated at British Heart Foundation donation points set up in student residential halls and around the Clifton campus.

Aside from unopened, packaged and in-date food, people are encouraged to clear out their closets and cupboards and donate unwanted clothing, books, electronics and kitchenware.

Rose Rooney, Sustainability Manager at the University of Bristol, said: “’The Bristol Big Give is a fantastic way to contribute positively to society by donating unwanted goods to charity.

“This partnership covers Bristol and we want to involve students and members of the public alike. It’s key that we all manage our precious resources, promoting mindful consumerism through buying second-hand first and then reusing and recycling as much as we can, to minimise our environmental impact.”

Bristol Big Give is a joint initiative from University of Bristol, the University of Bristol Students’ Union (Bristol SU), the University of the West of England, UWE Students’ Union (UWESU), Bristol Waste Company and the British Heart Foundation.

The Christmas Campaign supports the British Heart Foundation and North Bristol foodbank and will run until the end of January 2020.