Campaigns & Initiatives

What are we doing at WU to ensure a Hedgehog friendly campus

• Providing suitable habitats that are accessible.

• Providing a safe place for them to eat and drink.

• Adding purpose-built hedgehog houses to keep them safe and dry.

• Ensuring we have a litter-free campus.

• Undertaking hedgehog surveys around campuses.

• Creating a hedgehog friendly campus group for staff and students.

• Creating awareness through social media, newsletters and events.

• Installing hedgehog crossing signs.

• Including hedgehog awareness on induction for relevant contractors i.e groundsmen to check areas for hedgehogs before strimming or using similar equipment.

The Big Hog-Friendly Lockdown Litter Pick Challenge

Last year WGU took part in the Big Hog-Friendly Lockdown Litter Pick.

Hedgehogs are covered in thousands of spines, making them vulnerable to becoming trapped in litter. Unfortunately, many hedgehogs die every year because of this. Taking part in the competition will clean up your community and save lots of animals.

WGU came 9th out of 22 universities, and together we’ve removed nearly 700 bags of litter from campuses all over the UK and made them a little friendlier for hedgehogs. Well done and thank you to everyone who got involved. 

Found a hedgehog who needs help?

Call Wirral Wildlife Sanctuary, open 24 hours - 01516255464 - Wirral Wildlife Sanctuary.

Are you interested in joining the Hedgehog Friendly Campus group? Email us at energy&sustainability@glyndwr.ac.uk.

Read our hedgehog friendly campus blogs - 

Facts About Hedgehogs - Lauren WGSU

WGU Hedgehog Friendly Campus 

A great webinar about Hedgehog Friendly Campus and what it is all about is now live here - Hedgehog Friendly Campus Webinar

Our talented graduate and artist, Olivia Horner, has designed stunning artwork for reusable Huskup cups, now being distributed to WU students. Inspired by our beautiful Communal Garden, Olivia's design features vibrant flowers, bumble bees, and hedgehogs against a neutral backdrop.

This initiative aims to reduce single-use cups on campus, aligning with our sustainable efforts. The cups, funded by Wrexham Students’ Union, are a step towards a greener future.

“I’m proud to have my design on these cups, encouraging sustainability at Wrexham University,” Olivia shared.

Join us in celebrating this eco-friendly move! Check out Olivia’s amazing work on her website and social media:

• Website and online shop
• Instagram 
• Facebook

Read the full article here: https://wrexham.ac.uk/news/articles/wrexham-graduate-designs-reusable-cup-to-encourage-reduction-in-single-use-waste/ 

Cycle scheme

Wrexham University Sport offers a cycle hire service for use by staff and students to travel between campuses and around Wrexham. (£10.00 for 7 days hire). There are currently 14 cycles available for hire (two of these are on the Northop campus) and can be hired for up to 7 days at a time.

There are many reasons why cycling to and around campus will be of benefit to you, besides its obvious environmental advantages:

• Keep fit - Cycling is a fantastic way to keep fit and can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Save money - Riding a bike is significantly cheaper than driving a car. Once you've got your bike it needs no fuel, insurance or tax...and it costs nowhere near as much to start with!
• Go faster! - Commuter challenges in other UK cities have shown that the bike is the quickest mode of transport in congested urban traffic.
• Stay young! - Regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to that of a person ten years younger. (Source: National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation, Sharp).
• Washing facilities - The University has showers available for use in the sports centre.
• Free and convenient parking - Ever see a cyclist looking for a parking space?! The University provides a large amount of cycle storage across campus...just find a space for your bike in one of the many facilities on campus and remember to lock it up!

How the scheme works

If you would like to hire a Pool Bike go to the reception in the sports centre. You will need to show your valid student/staff ID card and will be asked to sign a booking form, and you will need to read and agree to the terms and conditions of hire.  

You will then be given the bike, bike lock/keys and safety equipment, all of which are listed on the booking form you sign.

All campuses have facilities to store your bike and clean you up, with showers at the sports centre in Wrexham and Mitchelmore building in Northop.

No-one knows a city better than the cyclists who ride there every day – the best routes, the tricky junctions, and bike-friendly cafés. Share your knowledge about Wrexham routes here.

Wrexham University are a member of Wrexham Forest Partnerships which is a group of organisations from across Wrexham County that meet regularly to support WCBC Tree & Woodland Strategy. Wrexham University have signed up to the Woodland Pledge which supports woodland creation, conservation, celebration and commendation. 

Nearly 40% of journeys that are less than two miles are made by car. Short car trips create much higher levels of harmful emissions, as engines are not operating at their optimum temperature.

Many short journeys could easily be made on public transport making a surprising difference to your carbon footprint.

Train

Plan your journey

Bus

Wrexham buses

Flintshire Bus timetable

This year, Go Green Week was held 11th March – 15th March.

Go Green Week: University and Students' Union Promote Sustainability

Last March, the University and the Students’ Union joined forces for a vibrant Go Green Week, inspiring students and staff to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Building on their recent accolades—the Union’s Excellent Award in Green Impact 22/23 and the University’s 1st Class award with People and Planet—the event showcased behind-the-scenes sustainability efforts and aimed to recruit more participants.

Make a Pledge & Make a Difference

Throughout the week, the initiative encouraged everyone to make pledges for sustainability. The Pledge-Bola, stationed at various campus locations like Regent Street and Main Reception, invited participants to commit to actions such as having a weekly Vegan Day or using less water. Exciting prizes, including hampers and Huskups, were up for grabs.

Event Highlights

• Clothing Exchange: On Tuesday, March 12th, Glyn’s hosted a popular Clothing Exchange, where for just £1, participants could swap or take unlimited items. The event also promoted Plastic-Free Periods with free reusable sanitary pads and TOTM sample kits available across several campuses.
• Wipe Out Waste Wednesday: The campaign tackled food waste, highlighting that the UK discards 9.5 million tonnes of food annually. The Students’ Union’s Help Yourshelf Campaign introduced insulated lunch bags to help students save food and money. Additionally, Aramark at Plas Coch Campus demonstrated their food waste reduction efforts, offering recipe cards and free tasters like Coffee Ground Brownies and Banana Skin Bacon.
• Treemendous Plantathon: On Thursday, March 14th, students and the local community planted over 300 native trees at Northop Campus, in collaboration with Horticulture Wales. Free transport was provided to participants.

Educational Opportunities

A Wallacea Webinar offered insights into biodiversity research and climate change field training, encouraging broader engagement with sustainability initiatives.

Long-Term Sustainability

The event underscored that sustainability is a year-round commitment. Students were invited to join the Sustainability Society and consider running for the new Sustainability Officer role in the Student Council 2024.

Go Green Week was a resounding success, fostering a culture of sustainability and environmental responsibility within the university community.

To find out more, visit: https://www.wrexhamglyndwrsu.org.uk/main-menu/campaigns/go-green-week-2024

Did you know we became a Fairtrade University in 2018?

The Fairtrade Foundation commented on our application,

“Well done, you have provided us with an incredibly detailed set of policies that extensively illustrate your commitment to Fairtrade and the steps put in place to ensure that a high standard of ethical practice is maintained. We are impressed by your motivation and it is great to see the possible collaboration with Wrexham’s Fairtrade group”.

Fairtrade Certified Products at WU

Wrexham University sells Fairtrade products throughout all its catering outlets, including the Students Union, and offers Fairtrade products at all in-house and external meetings.

Each year for two weeks over February and March, Fairtrade puts a spotlight on trade through Fairtrade campaigns, Together with Fairtrade farmers and workers, campaigners and businesses up and down the country, they highlight the difference Fairtrade can make to lives and communities.

Fairtrade Fortnight Competition to Win Fairtrade Goodies

We run competitions to win Fairtrade Goodies, simply purchasing a Fairtrade item enters you into a prize draw to win some goodies.

In March we take part in Earth Hour.

Each year, Earth Hour, organised by WWF, takes place from 8.30pm until 9.30pm (local time). Every year millions of people, businesses and landmarks set aside an hour to host events, the Universities residents switch off their lights, go outside and make noise for the Earth hour movement.

WU currently have Tenovus Cancer Care Recycling drop off points around our campuses. The aim is to encourage staff, students and visitors not to throw away their unwanted items in a bid to saving the environment.

https://www.tenovuscancercare.org.uk/ 

Dropping your clothes in a Tenovus Cancer Care collection bin means that they will be given a new life. Recycling your old items will not only prevent those greenhouse gases from being emitted but also lessens the need for newly manufactured clothes, effectively cutting down on the environmental damage incurred in the textile manufacturing process.

In 2018 WGU started a food collection for unwanted tinned and packet food which is still ongoing today.

The food is donated to our local food bank as residents are departing.

We encouraged residents to get involved to drop off their donated food at our accommodation offices before they checked out of WU accommodation.  

The Foodbank relies on goodwill and support. They always welcome donations and use them to provide help to people in crisis. Over 90% of the food distributed by foodbank is donated by the public – that’s why your food donations are absolutely vital to our ability to give everyone referred to us a balanced and nutritious three day supply of food.

Our Wrexham Students Union are big on sustainability - check out their campaigns