Student Donations Help Raise £1 Million for British Heart Foundation
By Community Correspondent
Donations of pre-loved clothing, books and household items have helped generate more than £1 million for the British Heart Foundation, thanks to the success of the annual Student Moving Out Campaign.
The initiative, led by the Student Community Partnership (SCP), encourages students leaving their accommodation at the end of the academic year to donate unwanted but good-quality items rather than dispose of them. These donations are then reused or resold, helping to reduce waste while supporting a vital cause.
Running for over a decade, the campaign works alongside the British Heart Foundation’s Pack for Good scheme.
Bath & North East Somerset Council joined the initiative in 2015, supporting donation collections across the city.
Items donated by students are sold through the British Heart Foundation shop in Bath, with proceeds funding life-saving research into cardiovascular disease.
The 2025 campaign proved to be the most successful yet, raising almost £209,000 in a single year. This brought the total amount raised since the scheme began to more than £1 million.
Councillor Mark Elliott, Cabinet Member for Resources, praised the collaborative effort, saying the achievement highlighted the strength of partnership working between the council, universities and colleges.
He thanked everyone involved for contributing to the record-breaking year, noting that items donated at 15 temporary collection points across the city raised £150,675 alone. He added that the campaign supports the council’s zero waste strategy by promoting reuse and a circular economy.
The Student Community Partnership brings together the University of Bath, Bath Spa University, Bath College, Norland College, their students’ unions and Bath & North East Somerset Council.
Professor Cassie Wilson, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Student Experience and Sport at the University of Bath, said reaching the £1 million milestone demonstrated the commitment of students and partners to sustainability and community support.
Professor Rebecca Schaaf, Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor at Bath Spa University, said the university was proud to support an initiative that encourages sustainable behaviour while funding the British Heart Foundation’s important work.
Tim Reeves, University Account Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said the continued support from the student community helps fund vital research into cardiovascular disease, which remains the world’s leading cause of death.
