Students' Union Sustainability Officer

 

Your Student Council needs you!

Do you have a particular interest in Sustainability and all things green? Do you want to make a change within our student community against the current climate crisis? The Sustainability Officer role is currently vacant… if you want to make a difference and be heard you can find more information about our student council here.

 

WGSU Sustainability Committee

The WSU Sustainability Committee consists of University Staff, Union Staff and Student Council Members. Students are always welcome to join this committee and are encouraged to join us and share new ideas on how we can make a difference within our University Community. If you would like to learn more and have your voice heard please contact our Committee Chair katie.taffinder@glyndwr.ac.uk

For more information, you can read the Committee's Terms of Reference here or you can contact our Committee chair Katie.taffinder@glyndwr.ac.uk

If you are interested in what the committee is working on please see the committee meeting minutes below:

Tuesday 5th of September 2023 Committee Minutes

Tuesday 10th of October 2023 Committee Minutes

Tuesday 14th of November 2023 Commitee Minutes 

Tuesday 23^rd of January 2024 Committee Minutes

Tuesday 27th of February 2024 Committee Minutes

Tuesday 9th of April 2024 Committee Minutes 

 

Sustainability Action Plan 2023/2024

Staff have been working on our SMART action plan for 2023-2024. We will keep updating our status on this though out the year but you can check where we are up to here.

Negative Sustainability Impact Report 2023/2024

We have identified the negative environmental impacts that we have as a Students’ Union, to help us develop and improve these in the future. Some are beyond our control (for example, the building we are in) however we realise we are not perfect and we can make changes and make a difference! Below are what we identified in 2023/24 and the progress we have made to date.

Negative Sustainability Report 2023-2024

Campaigns 

Help Yourshelf

 

The WGSU Sustainability Committee are proud to be able to continue with the Help Yourshelf Campaign for the second year running, for more information about our Essentials Cupboard, Meal Kits or Wellbeing boxes you can click here.

If you would like to get involved with fundraising or making a donation please contact carrie.bennett@glyndwr.ac.uk

 

 

Period Dignity 

In 2018, WGSU Launched their award winning campaign for  Period Poverty. For information about the original campaign please click here.

Over the years this campaign has evolved into our Period Dignity Campaign where WGSU supply period products for anyone who needs them across all Glyndwr Campuses including St Asaph, Northop, Regent Street, Wrexham Student Village, and Plas Coch. Along with disposable Products we also offer re-useable products such as pads and menstrual cups. When in stock, these can be found on Help Yourshelf. For more information please contact carrie.bennett@glyndwr.ac.uk

 

 

Cup Again?

Cup Again? Will be available for the second year running.. Keep an eye out for our special Graduation Festival Design!

You can find out everything you need to know about our Deposit Cup Scheme here..

We are so proud to be able to continue with this campaign and stop single use plastic cups and straws in our Bar and Lounge. 

Don’t forget you get 10% discount off all drinks ordered with your cup in Glyn’s Bar!

 

 

Against Breast Cancer Bra Recycling Scheme

At the beginning of 2022, we introduced a new scheme where staff and students are encouraged to drop off their preloved or unwanted bras to support Against Breast Cancer’s Campaign. Each year recycling for charity generates thousands of pounds that have been raised by people and organisations wishing to support research into secondary spread, the main cause of breast cancer related deaths. Recycling is a such a simple way to get yourself, your family, school, office, workplace or local community involved. Everyone can do it and we all benefit, we’re saving energy, raw materials and it’s good for the environment, click here to find out more.

 

 

 

 

Collaborations

Living Lab Fund 

You can apply for funding to launch a sustainability project! For more information click here  

Community Garden 

The Community Garden is a joint effort between the University, Students Union and our Green Champions.

If you have already visited, you may have seen Warren who is an Alumni of WU, who does a wonderful job looking after the garden, you can read his latest blog here. 

You can find the Garden on Plas Coch Campus with what3words here.

 

Have you ever wondered why there are certain plants in the communal garden? There are certain plants/herbs that help wildlife grow and you can find out more here…

 

People and Planet Accreditation 

Have you seen the news? WU have risen by 8 places in the People & Planet Green League to 28th out of all the Universities in the UK, topping the list for Staff and Student Engagement and being one of the first 4 UK Universities to have a fossil free ethical careers policy.

To see how WGU performed against other Universities you can check out the People and Planet Green League People & Planet University League | People & Planet (peopleandplanet.org)

 

Wrexham University Think Green Society  

The Think Green Society are always looking for new members, For more information on The Think Green Society click here.

Survey Updates 

It’s that time of year again, and we want to hear from you!

Click here for our quick 2 minute survey all about Sustainability and how you can get involved in events and campaigns going forward.

6 month Update

 We would like to thank everyone who has responded to our sustainability survey launched at the begininng of the academic year and would like to share our findings up to now... The survey is still open and we will review the results again over Summer. You can find our 6 month report here.

 

 

What's going on?

Team Quad 

In August, we joined University staff on a Nature Based Social Prescribing Project to transform some of our green spaces by tidying up, potting plants and painting furniture in preparation for the arrival of the brand new pods and equipment coming to campus to encourage students and staff to use our outdoor spaces and enjoy them. Luckily the weather was kind and #teamquad made a huge impact outside the Students Union Building and the Quad.. go and check it out!

      

 

Welcome Week 2023 

It was wonderful to welcome back so many students  on our campuses for the new year! During a very busy week we visited Regent Street and St Asaph along with hosting events on Plas Coch Campus. 

Due to the weather we had to host our Green Social Prescribing Wellbeing Event 'Mad Hatters Tea Party' indoors in Glyn’s but students still enjoyed a Nature In Art Session with Lydia and we took the opportunity to promote our Think Green Society and our Campaigns as well as giving out 40 Help Yourshelf Wellbeing Boxes to students.

      

Thursday saw the return of the Infamous Freshers Fair, over 1200 students came to visit this year with a huge 86 stall holders in the Sports Centre. As always, WSU were very aware of what we could give away that would be sustainable so 1000 students received a I love Wxm recycled tote bag. Over 60 Help Yourshelf Meal kits and 75 TOTM sample packs were also given out on the day! It was great to see Think Green promoting their society on the day along with 30 other socieites and sports teams! 

      

 

Go Green Week 2024

The Annual Go Green Week Campaign returned for 2024! With high levels of engagement from staff and students, we were delighted to work on projects with partners such as Aramark and Horticulture Wales and host the second Clothing Exchange with great success raising much needed funds for our Help Yourshelf Campaign, you can find our blog rounding up our events here.

      

      

 

Wellbeing Week 2024

To find out more about the services and support available to you as a student of Wrexham University, please find the Wellbeing Week Campaign page here, or if you would prefer to speak to one of our advisors email suadvice@wrexham.ac.uk

It was great to see so many get involved during Wellbeing Week, we hope you enjoyed it, you can find our clucking great blog rounding up the week here. Local charities, organisations and University Departments really got behind us to showcase what support is available for students and staff reminding us that it’s #okaynottobeokay and there’s help and support out there .

      

      

 

Collaborative Canal Clean Up with Chester SU

We joined our neighbours over in Chester for a Collaborative Litter Pick! The canal had recently been cleaned up so we concentrated on the student accommodation areas of the city. 10 bags of rubbish and 2 bags of recycling were collected!

The team at Chester joined us later for some snacks and a well deserved drink!

We look forward to welcoming Chester SU at our campus in the future when we do our next litter pick on Plas Coch Campus.

      

 

Communal Garden Revival 

   

In June, students and staff got together to bring the Communal Garden back to life. After a short closure due to building works, the garden was in need of some TLC.

Over summer, SU Staff will be here every Wednesday afternoon.. come along and say hello or get involved with the project,

Phase One saw a flower bed being cleared and repurposed as a Veggie Patch, we have tomatoes and sweet peas planted to get it started – all food grown here will be made available to students through Help Yourshelf.

The next coming weeks will see plenty more vegetables planted in the garden… watch this space!!