Healthier hearts thanks to UON

A national charity’s donation efforts received a heart-lifting boost thanks to the support of the University of Northampton (UON).

Packs for Good is an initiative from the British Heart Foundation (BHF). It provides a system for university staff, students or visitors to donate unwanted items for BHF shops to sell in their network of charity shops.

UON has supported the project since 2014 and, even though the pandemic closed donations for the bulk of 2020, since that time UON has helped collect items that have raised just over £74,000 for the charity.

There has also been an added environmental outcome, as the donations meant three tonnes of items intended for waste were instead able to be used again.

Emma Stone, Environment Advisor at the University, said: “This is a truly heartwarming example of how the University of Northampton community got behind a good cause that has led to many beneficial outcomes.

“COVID meant we had to stop collections this year, but we will be working with the British Heart Foundation soon to restart Packs for Good at UON with new collection bins when it is safe for us to do so.”