Sustainability Hub

About

The Sustainability Hub supports students and staff in living more sustainably. It offers access to affordable, pre-loved items and encourages donation and reuse. Based at Frenchay Campus, the Hub is part of a wider initiative to reduce waste, lower carbon emissions and support students in settling into university life.

How it works

The Hub operates on a simple swap system: donate clean, good-quality items and receive tokens to exchange for other items. If you don’t have anything to donate, most items are still available for around 20p. Higher-value items such as monitors and other electronics are also stocked.

Available items include:

• Clothing, shoes and bedding
• Kitchenware such as crockery, utensils and kettles
• Small electrical appliances
• Books and study resources

Impact and benefits

The Hub is both environmentally and socially impactful. Between September 2024 and May 2025:

• 20,000 people visited
• 30,000 items were swapped
• 11.6 tonnes of waste were diverted
• 76 tonnes of CO₂ emissions were prevented.

This initiative supports new students, promotes reuse and contributes to the University’s sustainability goals.

Donate your items

If you’re moving or having a clear-out, please consider donating items to the Hub. Your contributions help new students and reduce campus waste.

What to donate:

• Clean, working household and small electrical items
• Clothing, shoes, and bedding

Donation guidelines:

• Items must be clean, bagged securely, and in good condition
• Please do not donate broken, sharp, or unsafe items

Outside the Sustainability Hub opening times you can use the donation drop-off points on Frenchay Campus.

Volunteer

Volunteering for the Sustainability Hub is a great opportunity to meet new people whilst enhancing your CV with some sustainability experience. If you would like to get involved, please email the Sustainability Hub Team at sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Other swap shops

City Campus: The Students’ Union community corner

Located in Room 0B001, this is a welcoming space for all things sustainable. It offers free tea and coffee (bring your own cup), a community larder, and swap stations for clothes, books, and art supplies – all running on a trust basis. Donations can be made directly or via the SU desk.

Opening times

• Monday–Friday
• 09:00–16:00
• Term-time only

Glenside Campus: The Students’ Union placement uniform swap shop

This swap shop supports healthcare students by providing free access to donated uniforms – helping reduce financial pressure while keeping usable items out of landfill. Many students now return uniforms after graduating, helping future cohorts and contributing to a circular, sustainable system on campus.

Opening times

• Wednesday
• 12:00–14:00
• Term-time only