When students go home for Christmas, an enormous amount of leftover food from people’s kitchens is thrown away. LUU has teamed up with a number of local charities and Leeds City Council so that unwanted food goes to those who need it, not to landfill.

Collections will be held on Wednesday 7th December at Hyde Park Picture House and Hyde Park Book Club from 11am to 4pm.

All the donated leftover food will be distributed to homeless charities and food banks around Leeds, including The St. Vincent de Paul Society and the North West Foodbank, giving those in need a much appreciated Christmas present. The Union will also be working with The Real Junk Food Project, an Armley-based organisation which has recieved unprecedented success and media attention in the past year for its pay-as-you-feel cafes.

There will also be an opportunity to donate any unwanted clothes and for empty glass bottles to be handed to Leeds City Council for recycling.

Jamie Ali, LUU’s Community Officer, said: “When you’re going home for the holidays, remember that LUU is around to help you get rid of your food waste in a sustainable way, which will give the worse off some extra food at this time of year.”

This collection day is part of the wider Leave Leeds Tidy Project, which aims to reduce landfill during the student changeover period.  Last changeover the project helped to divert an enormous 25 tonnes of unwanted items away from landfill and back to be reused by the Leeds community.

The eight recycling centres operated by Leeds City Council will remain open throughout December to handle the extra waste generated by Christmas packaging and gift-wrapping, and they will even compost real Christmas trees.

Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for the environment, said: “With the sparkle and fun of the festive holiday period, many of us don’t give waste and recycling a second thought.

“But at a time of year when we can create more waste than normal, it’s even more important that we make the most of the available recycling services.”

The council recommends visiting www.lovefoodhatewaste.com to make the most of your  family’s festive feast without days of cold meat sandwiches.

So make sure that any food you haven’t got round to eating doesn’t go to waste. Instead, this Wednesday, join LUU  to make sure it goes towards feeding people facing difficult times this Christmas.

Ian White 

(Image: handyanton.co.uk)