BU community donations to support charity: The Big Give returns for 2024

Since 2013 BU students living in halls of residence have donated over 100 metric tonnes of unwanted stuff, raising £200,000 for The British Heart Foundation (BHF).

This is supported by The Big Give initiative, an end-of-academic-year campaign where Bournemouth University (BU) students can donate unwanted clothes, accessories, books, electrical items, and unopened non-perishable food to charity to help those in need, rather than letting it go in the bin.

This year we have worked with local charity PramaCare, a home care charity, and The British Heart Foundation to reduce waste and give back to the community.

Tim Reeves, University Account Executive at BHF said, "The British Heart Foundation is proud to work side-by-side with Bournemouth University as part of The Big Give initiative. Donations given by both students and staff have done so much to help us fight the challenge of heart and circulatory diseases through life-changing research."

This year is the second year that local charity PramaCare has been working with BU's Students' Union (SUBU) to provide on-campus donation bins and street collections to 30 streets which cover approximately 2000 houses in Winton with a high student population. Last year over 500 bags were collected with a fundraising potential of over £7000 for PramaCare.

Aaron Head, Head of Retail & Facilities at PramaCare said, "We are pleased to be back again for a second year working with Bournemouth University and SUBU saving items going to landfill whilst raising money for the charity."

SUBU's Vice-President Community and Welfare, Fatima Farah said, "This is a quick and easy way for students to contribute to the local community and create a local circular economy. Once donations have been collected over the summer, the charities are invited to sell the stock at a thrift shop pop-up sale on campus at the start of the new academic year in September."

Gillian Lewis, SUBU Community Projects Lead said, "We have also created a handy Big Give Booklet which contains useful information on where students can donate all their unwanted stuff in the local area, including larger furniture items, bicycles and old IT equipment.

"Whilst primarily for students and BU Staff, people in the wider community close to campus are also welcome to participate and make donations."

Students in halls of residence can donate from April to September. Street collections commence from Wednesday 8 May until Wednesday 10 July, with donation points in Winton car parks on Latimer Road and Cranmer Road. On-campus bins will be ready for donations from Monday 15 April until the end of July.

If you have any questions about The Big Give, please email [email protected].