About
Gift it Reuse it (GiRi) is a flagship initiative enabling students leaving halls of residence to donate unwanted household items to incoming students. Delivered by the University’s Sustainability and Commercial, Residential & Campus Services teams, GiRi runs each summer and through pop-up free shops during the academic year. Launched in 2024 on Streatham campus, it supports the University’s Circular Economy strategy. In 2024,
8,554 items were donated, rising to 15,030 in 2025, saving thousands in student costs
annually.
Students drop off items such as kitchenware and small appliances at designated halls of residence collection points. These are sorted, cleaned, and PAT-tested where needed, then redistributed in ‘Free Shops’ at the start of term. The scheme promotes reuse, reduces waste, and supports students by providing essential items free of charge. It has received especially positive feedback from international students and their families, in addition to the university community more broadly.
Top 3 learnings
- We learned that making it really easy to donate is what gets students involved.
- We’ve noticed that good visibility (and free stuff!) make reuse feel normal and worth doing.
- We found you don’t need big budgets – just motivated people and teamwork.
What it means to win
Winning a Green Gown Award would be an incredible honour for our institution and a powerful affirmation of the impact that can be achieved through small teams and resourceful thinking. Gift it Reuse it was created and delivered with minimal resources, but its reach and influence have been significant -supporting students, reducing waste and embedding circular economy principles into university life. Recognition from such a respected and credible platform would not only celebrate the dedication of the students and staff involved, but also help raise the profile of sustainability across the university community. We hope it would inspire further innovation, strengthen engagement and demonstrate to senior leaders the value of low-cost, high-impact initiatives like ours. We’d be proud to share our journey with the Green Gown community - and even prouder if it could inspire others to adopt similar approaches!
Sustainable Development Goals
| 2026 | |
| Creating Impact | |
| Finalist, UK and Ireland |
More from the 2026 awards
Charles Sturt University
Restoring Nature, Inspiring Futures: 20+ Years of Biodiversity Leadership
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Finalist, Nature Positive
Green Gown Award Regions
Australasia
