Free Shop helps new students settle in sustainably

The Free Shop will take place on Sunday 21 September from 4.30–7pm in the garden at 8/10 Endcliffe Crescent. Students can choose from thousands of donated items, including pots, pans, crockery, cutlery and clothing – all free of charge.

Run as part of the University’s Donate, Don’t Waste end of term waste scheme, the Free Shop redistributes items donated by students moving out at the end of term. It also makes use of surplus equipment from University catering facilities and from recent department office moves, ensuring that valuable resources are put back into circulation rather than going to waste. More than 11,500 kitchenware items have been redistributed through Free Shops since they started in 2021. Students sign a pledge to return the items they take at the end of the year so they can be passed on to new students the following September.

Andrew Woffinden, Contracts and Environmental Coordinator at the University of Sheffield helps to organise the Free Shop. He said: “The Free Shop is always one of the most popular events we run at the student residences. Students are often amazed at the sheer variety of items available – from saucepans and plates through to clothing and even some unexpected extras. For those arriving in Sheffield with limited luggage or tight budgets, it can make a real difference in helping them settle in quickly. The best part is that everything has been donated by other students or repurposed from University facilities, so there’s a real sense of community in seeing items passed on and put to good use.”

Donate, Don’t Waste is the University’s scheme to help students manage their waste and unwanted items when they move out at the end of term. It operates across the city in partnership with charities, the City Council and Sheffield Hallam University to encourage donations, improve recycling rates and reduce the impact of waste on local communities. Since 2013, it  has helped to divert almost 90,000 bags of reusable items from landfill – equivalent to more than £1.2 million worth of donations and over 700 tonnes of goods reused. 

James Merryclough, Sustainability Communications Manager at the University of Sheffield, said:

“The Free Shop and Donate, Don’t Waste are simple but powerful ideas – helping new students save money, cutting down on waste, and showing the value of reuse. The schemes are both great examples of the practical, community-based solutions we’re embedding across the University to deliver on our sustainability commitments.”