Sheffield University Students Get Gold for Green Initiatives

THE University of Sheffield Students' Union has won three top national awards for its work in creating a greener community.

The National Union of Students Green Impact Awards recognise students' unions efforts to make their working environment greener and change attitudes to environmental issues.

At an awards evening in Manchester, the University of Sheffield Students' Union received the Green Innovation Award for its waste food scheme, launched last year after University porter Billy Moynihan pointed out that food that had reached its use by date in the Students' Union shop at Western Bank could be given to homeless people on soup runs across the city.

Food collections from the shop are now being made daily and delivered to the Sheffield Jesus Centre in Broomhill on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and St Thomas Church in Crookes - who are taking it to the Eldon St Soup Run - on Saturdays.

The students also received the Molson Coors Water Stewardship Award for their work on removing bottled water from all Students' Union outlets and the installation of free water fountains throughout the Students' Union building. Re-usable water bottles are now also being sold at the Students' Union shop. This has been supported by the 'Freeasy' team. The Freeasy team are a group of 10 volunteers pursuing the social change of drinking tap water instead of buying bottled water from the Students' Union.

The students' work in all areas of the environment also saw them receive a Gold Green Impact award.

"This was a great night for the whole of Sheffield University's Students' Union," said President Thom Arnold.

'We are all extremely proud of the work that has been done and continues to be done to protect our environment both within the Students' Union and through the wider community with schemes like our food distribution programme.'

'The awards we received are a recognition of our dedication to environmental issues.'

To find out more about the Green Impact Award, please visit the Ethical and Environmental section.