In 2023 Green Lancaster's ‘Don’t Ditch It, Donate It’ project diverted 31.7 tons of student household items from landfill! These 26,000 items ranged from pans, duvets, food, books and much more being given to either charities or sold back to students on a pay-as-you feel basis at the ECOShop during welcome week.

This project extends beyond an environmental ‘re-use’ scheme to have a positive social impact through working with 54 charities this year operating locally, nationally and internationally. Here are some examples of our wonderful charity partner who do lots of positive charity work including International Aid that collected almost 7,000kg of items to either raise money or sent items directly to places such as the Ukraine helping families impacted by war; The British Heart Foundation utilise donations to raise money for research into heart disease; The Ripple Effect sending items abroad to refugees; Food for Thought working against food and hygiene poverty locally.

ECOShop acts beyond a great opportunity to buy affordable pre-loved items at a pay as you feel basis for the university community but also a chance to engage with the circular economy on a local level and challenge stigmas associated with secondhand items. 2,500kg were sold at ECOShop. In 2023 we developed our secondhand selection with both professionally washed bedding and kitchen ECOPacks that were able to pre-order before the big move in. 85 bedding packs and 327 kitchen packs (split into crockery, utensils and cooking sets) were sold. This was in addition to other student ‘must-haves’ from coat hangers, room décor, games with suggested prices as low as 50p!

There will be a one-day pop-up January ECOShop in Alexandra Square on Tuesday 16/01 10.30 - 3.30, selling from items collected during the end of Michaelmas term move-out period, pop down and get a bargain!