Campaigns
Full details of the staff and student 25 by 25 sustainability campaign can be found here: 25 by 25 web pages
Fairtrade Week - March 2024
The University was awarded Fairtrade status for the 30th year last July. Contributing towards this achievement, Undeb Bangor, the Students’ Union, collaborated with University Catering and Residential Life to deliver a series of events to engage staff, students, and the local community in discussions about Fairtrade. These events emphasised how small changes in our daily lives can support small-scale farmers in developing countries. These efforts are part of broader campaigns like the Students’ Union’s Fairtrade Week (2-9 March), World Fairtrade Day (11 May), and Fairtrade Fortnight (9-23 September).
Student Volunteering Week - February 2024
Volunteers partnered with the Bryn Ifan project, working in partnership with the North Wales Wildlife Trust, to plant 2205 trees in their reserve down the Llyn Peninsula. 45 volunteers joined our beach clean with North Wales River Trust in Beaumaris, collecting 10 full bags of litter. Some of our student groups supported this, with volunteering projects Freshwater Conservation Club, Beach Clean and Out and About attending as well as Musical Theatre Society. 42 items were brought in to the Repair Café, of which 10 were diagnosed and 26 fixed! The Raising and Giving Group (RAG) and Guide Dogs Project came together to deliver a pub quiz and fundraise for charity. Wellbeing Projects, Connect and Wellbeing Buddies also delivered a successful day at the Welsh Mountain Zoo for students to enjoy and connect with others and nature.
Cost of Living Campaign - 2023/2024
Three Cost of Living events took place over the year with clothes swaps, a repair café and reusable period product giveaway .
• Repair Café - 34 repairs -
• Clothes Swap - 150 attended clothes swap, 131 took items from swap on 7th February
• Free jam giveaway by Hungry Dragons project, which uses surplus/left over food from local shops to create food items - 50 jams distributed
• Free reusable period products - 98 distributed
• Cost of Living Room with free toiletries, fancy dress, stationary, books - open all year round for students to pop in and out, donate or take ant items they want for free
• Promotion of £2 hot meals
Waste Awareness Week - October 2023
This Waste Awareness Week, the Students' Union worked with external partners, the University’s Housing Office and Campus Life to deliver a variety of activities to encourage students to think more about sustainable waste practices, as well as clean up the local area!
On top of a quiz night, talk from a waste management professional, leftover food evening, and clothing repair workshop, there was also a big litter pick (attended by 56) which covered the university campus and the local beaches to clean up our streets and make the campus a more pleasant place to wander. One of our cost-of-living events also happened as part of the week's schedule, providing students with an opportunity to swap or repair preloved items instead of throwing them away!
Hot Meals Project - 2023/2024
This student-led volunteering project aims to support the local community in the wake of a Cost-of-Living Crisis. Since, September 2023, volunteers have cooked 50-70 hot meals every Saturday and then serve them at Bangor City Council Hall for anyone who needs them. Over 10 University Sports Clubs have supported this project through volunteering alongside a regular team of volunteers and fundraising.
Sexual Health Campaign - 2023/2024
A new Sexual Health Campaign was launched to decrease the stigma around talking about safe sex amongst students and provide them with the right tools to practice sex healthily. Several products have been free from the Students' Union at all times, and events offering free HIV testing, and sexual health quizzes have taken place.
Sustainability Challenge - 2023/2024
The purpose of this is to encourage SU groups to function and buy items more sustainably for their week-to-week activities and sessions. Tasks that could be completed as part of the award include shopping more sustainably and participating in litter picks but also engaging in community events and posting social media posts bilingually. Three student groups Hedgehog Friendly volunteering project, Sub Aqua club and Endeavour society were aawarded a Sustainability Award and received a £100 grant to support next year’s activities.
Reclaim the Night - March 2023
To raise voices for safety and empowerment for all & stand against gender and identity-based violence and harassment, about 50 students and staff supported the march.
25 by 25 - Your Voice Event - February 2023
Following the launch of the 25 by 25 sustainability campaign, colleagues were invited to submit ideas and initiatives about how the University could reduce its carbon.
40 proposals were assessed by a panel of experts and presented at an informal lunch with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Edmund Burke.
Among the successful proposals to receive University funding is a pilot trial of the latest space sensor technology which aims to better understand real-time usage as well as atmospheric conditions and use of energy; a Business School research project to investigate whether the University should switch to a carbon-negative browser (instead of Google); fully secured bicycle storage on campus; discounts on hot drinks when students/colleagues use their own mugs; and to compliment this initiative funding has been given for 25 by 25 eco-friendly reusable travel mugs.
Fairtrade Fortnight – 27 February to 12 March 2023
Fairtrade Fortnight was organised in partnership with Residential Life and University Catering, with a calendar of activities. This consisted of educational talks and information, and a smoothie bike stall with locally donated products.
Volunteering Week - February 2023
In February the SU dedicated a whole week to volunteering, so everyone could have a taste of what volunteering at the Students' Union is all about. Throughout the week a variety of events connected students with volunteering projects and the brilliant partners and volunteers who make them possible. We teamed up with City to Sea, North Wales Wildlife Trust and The Marine Conservation Society to deliver interactive talks, a guided walk and a beach clean with a pollution survey. These were perfect for students with a keen interest in conservation or the environment to learn about volunteering opportunities and opportunities outside of the university.
New Sustainability campaign launched: 25 by 25 - November 2022
On the 3rd of November 2022 the University launched a new sustainability campaign for staff and students.
The '25 by 25’ campaign aims to reduce 25% of emissions by 2025. To achieve this the University will examine how it uses all types of power and fuel, the waste we throw away, the water we use and just about anything and everything that creates a greenhouse gas emission.
25 by 25…Your voice
25 by 25 kicked off its activities with an open invitation to all colleagues and students to offer their ideas on how to support this campaign, with ideas, thoughts and initiatives on how the University can reduce carbon footprint within our key target areas of Energy, Waste and Travel.
The ‘25 by 25’ logo appeared across our campus in the form of ‘clean graffiti’ which hopefully piqued interest in the campaign!
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Cost of Living Campaign - October 2022 to May 2023
A campaign helping students with a range of issues because of the cost-of-living crisis, was made up of various initiatives. Support in the following areas was provided: Financial advice and Student Finance applications, Access to free reusable period products, Access to cheaper meals and free food- £2 meals at Teras and Bar Uno, Cheaper or free clothing- Cost of Living Clothes Swap, Free repairs for small electrical items, textiles and bikes through our Repair Cafés , Warm spaces, Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Waste Awareness Week - October 2022
Fast Fashion Campaign - February 2022
This campaign centered around the environmental and financial impact of fast fashion. Students Union Clubs and Societies organised swap shops for members to swap clothes. 2 events were organised with Ty Gobaith to encourage students to buy second hand – especially at the annual summer ball and the awards season, and also sharing fancy dress costumes.
COP26 - November 2021
Reclaim the Night - October 2021
Students took to their local streets on the 27th of October 2021 to march against drink spiking. This aimed to challenge behaviours and to create a safer social space for students when on nights out.
Waste Awareness Week - October 2021
Waste Awareness Week is the University’s annual week-long waste campaign, which aims to increase awareness about waste reduction, reuse and recycling, and engage students and staff in resource efficiency events and activities.
We have waste visits in our Halls of Residences and in the community, as well as giveaways, a quiz and litter pick.
Be part of Bangor’s Resource Revolution! More information on Waste Awareness Week
Tackling Period Poverty and Period Dignity for all - January 2020
The Period Poverty and Dignity Pilot Scheme was launched in January 2020 by the Student’s Union, Undeb Bangor, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), and a Graduate Internship Project Officer was appointed to help manage the pilot scheme.
Its primary aim was to tackle period poverty by ensuring all students have access to free period products as a necessity. This included offering a range of plastic free, single-use and reusable products. Secondary to this, as part of a journey to achieving period dignity for all those who menstruate, it launched a campaign to educate, empower and inspire students on menstruation.
Read more about this project in the Period Poverty and Dignity Pilot Scheme Report 2021.
Update: Following a successful pilot, the University have continued with the educational program and supply of free products on site. Period products are available in a range of female, male, gender neutral and accessible and toilets across the Bangor and Wrexham campus as well as the two Halls Offices and shops on Bangor campus.