Warwick students turn donations into £6,351 for local community
The University of Warwick’s annual Donation Drive has returned for its third year, helping to reduce waste while supporting students and communities across Coventry and Warwickshire.
The Donation Drive gives students living in University accommodation the opportunity to donate belongings they no longer need when they move out. This year, students donated eight tonnes of belongings to be reused rather than going to waste, raising £6,351 for local charity Carriers of Hope in the process.
Donated items are collected, sorted and prepared for reuse, with belongings distributed through a number of initiatives. This includes the University’s Kitchen Kit Market, held during Welcome Week, where students can make a ‘pay as you feel’ donation for pre-loved kitchenware and household essentials. Proceeds from the market support Carriers of Hope. This year, 1,491 people visited the Kitchen Kit Market.
Carriers of Hope supports refugees, asylum seekers and other people facing hardship across Coventry and the surrounding area, providing practical help to people who are rebuilding their lives in the local community.
Dani Joyce, Director at Carriers of Hope, said: “Every year, we see the generosity of Warwick students making a real difference. The support from the Donation Drive helps us provide practical things that people need as they build new lives in Coventry, from household essentials to other items that can make a real difference to families settling into the city.
“We’re so grateful to everyone who has donated and supported the project. It’s wonderful to see people in our local community coming together to help others, and to give useful items a new home where they can be valued and enjoyed.”
Fran Nibbs, Sustainability Officer at the University of Warwick, added: “The Donation Drive is a great example of how giving things a second life can make a real difference. By keeping useful items in circulation for longer, we can reduce waste and make better use of the resources we already have, while helping those items go to people who can use them.
“Now in its third year, it’s fantastic to see the initiative continuing to grow. It shows what can be achieved when we make it easy for people to reuse, donate and pass things on, rather than simply throwing them away.”
Since the Donation Drive began, it has diverted 17.5 tonnes of belongings from waste and raised £11,453 for local community organisations. This year’s project was supported by more than 60 volunteers, who helped collect and sort donations and prepare items for reuse.
The Donation Drive forms part of the University of Warwick’s wider work to reduce waste and encourage reuse across campus. From student donations and the Kitchen Kit Market to the reuse of furniture, clothing and other materials, the University is continuing to look at ways to keep items in use for longer and reduce the environmental impact of what is bought, used and disposed of.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information please contact:
Stevie Connoll, Media & Communications Officer
stevie.connoll@warwick.ac.uk / +44 (0)7824 540791
About the University of Warwick
Founded in 1965, the University of Warwick is a world-leading institution known for its commitment to era-defining innovation across research and education. A connected ecosystem of staff, students and alumni, the University fosters transformative learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and bold industry partnerships across state-of-the-art facilities in the UK and global satellite hubs. Here, spirited thinkers push boundaries, experiment and challenge convention to create a better world.
08 October 2026