This April, the Exeter University Slow Food on Campus group along with the Students’ Guild was deservedly presented with the Slow Food Better Eating Award for their Community Garden project. The award recognises the dedication to improving procurement, food sustainability and choice in the food outlets of the student union for the benefit of its students. Green Impact Students’ Unions is an environmental accreditation programme with an awards element designed specifically for students’ unions.
Held in Manchester, the award was presented by Slow Food UK staff. The event featured a number of different ‘green’ awards at a reception, dinner and dancing event attended by 360 people.
The Exeter Community Garden project was spearheaded by the Students’ Guild, and some members of Slow Food on Campus actively took part in the project. The challenge and aim of the project was to find an empty field at the University and start a small allotment.
The Exeter Community Garden is not just a physical space to grow food, plant and improve the habitat, but an interchange of knowledge and ideas to harness for the good of Student Guild members and the wider community. The Exeter Community Garden was launched on 30 June 2011 by the Lord Mayor of Exeter Stella Brock with university staff, students and members of the local community on hand. By August-September 2011 the group was harvesting their first crop and sharing it with members. The University has suggested that when the Community Garden is able to grow substantial amount of vegetables they will buy the produce and introduce them to their catering outlets.
Congratulations to Slow Food on Campus and the Students’ Guild at Exeter for this accomplishment and good luck for continued success.
