Local charity, Resurrected Bites, is fuelling awareness of food waste by discussing its global environmental impact with college students.

A volunteer from the charity, Polli Appleyard, visited the college to speak to learners about the work they do, poverty in the UK and how reducing food waste can alleviate this. 

27 learners attended the talk, including hospitality students for whom the event contributed to their course.

The guest speaker sparked a change in opinions amongst students, with 90% saying they would change some actions as a result of the talk. Two students were so inspired by the work done by the charity that they made requests to volunteer with the organisation.

Polli spoke about the charity’s ‘pay-as-you-feel’ community cafe, its food waste shop, food bank and food delivery service.

Polli commented: “Visiting Harrogate College to introduce the work and scope of Resurrected Bites was fantastic. The students were incredibly interested to learn about food waste issues and donated 83 food items to our warehouse.”

The guest speaking event was organised by the college’s Youth Social Action Apprentice, Florence Clarke Drayson, who is committed to raising students’ awareness of social issues and encouraging them to get involved in community projects.

Harrogate College has been putting sustainability at the top of its agenda, making it a firm priority for years to come. 

In recent months, the college has made a sustainability pledge and hopes to soon become a Centre of Green Excellence.

To mark its commitment to climate issues, the college recently hosted the launch of the first ever Harrogate Climate Action Festival, which saw hundreds of people come together to hear from sustainability-focused exhibitors.  

COP26

Last month, Harrogate College’s environmental champion, Holly Hansen-Maughan, headed to Glasgow to represent the college at the COP26 conference.

Over two days, Holly heard from panellists on a range of pressing issues, including the adjustment to off-grid energy production and consumption, driving green change and transitioning to the green economy. There were also key discussions concerning education, highlighting the part colleges need to play in adapting courses and skills to match the green revolution. 

Holly, who works at the college as a Partnerships and Development Lead, said: “During the event, the government vowed to put climate change at the heart of education as we prepare for the green industrial revolution. Therefore, colleges have a responsibility in preparing young people entering the workforce for the first time. 

“In order to adapt to this, we must teach sustainability and environmental awareness within our curriculum. At Harrogate College, we are dedicated to empowering young people by enhancing students’ understanding of environmental issues, which will be done through our Carbon Literacy Training. We also encourage learners to participate with environmental campaigns and activities through our enrichment programme.”

Local businesses lead the way

“Discussions at COP26 highlighted the importance of working collaboratively with local businesses to ensure young people are trained with the skills they need to join the workforce. The college works closely with a range of industries to deliver an employer-led curriculum which prepares learners for future jobs in the green economy.

“Our recently launched Employers’ Network gives employers the opportunity to influence the content of our courses, so that both students and employers are provided with what they need to succeed. This involves participating in quarterly discussion groups, allowing us to shape the skills and training of the future workforce. The Employers’ Network is now open for new members to join who receive multiple benefits in return. We also have upcoming networking and feedback events in February and June – you can take a look at the full range of events here.

“We aim to live our core values, including being a progressive institution, which we do by supporting students to develop the skills and knowledge to flourish in the changing world we live in.”

Read Harrogate College’s Sustainability Pledge here.