Supporting the community

Teams from across the University of Northampton have been making people’s household budgets stretch a little bit further over the past year.

2022 saw the highest rates of inflation in the UK for 40 years. The cost of daily essentials including food and household items required for basic living rose significantly alongside energy prices that increased throughout the Autumn and Winter of 2022-23.

To help lift some of this burden, University teams delivered a few initiatives:

Cost-of-Living Fair

Held in January 2023, stakeholders from across the town and county visited to offer advice and signposting to further support. Free hot food and drinks were included and there was a prize draw; prizes included supermarket vouchers.

Financial support

The Student Cost-of-Living Hardship Fund launched at the start of the year. 710 applications were received, with 461 that were successful and meant 198 students received £150, 70 students received £250, and 193 students received the maximum £450 award.

Food support

Free breakfast cereal for staff and students has been available across all University sites, along with free meal events for Christmas and Eid Celebrations.

£1 meal options have been provided on a weekly basis each Friday afternoon. Savings passed on to students and staff equates to £25,227.30. The Too Good To Go app has passed on approximately £2,318.20 in savings during the academic year.

Period Poverty

As part of the University’s continued efforts to support students and staff with the rising cost of living and tackling period poverty, we have extended our free sanitary products for students and staff on campus with new dispensers in toilets.

Dispensers have now been installed in the female toilets at Waterside, the Development Hub, and Innovation Centre. These products will also still be available in each of the Everyone (gender neutral) and Accessibility toilets on campus as part of our efforts to remove the barriers period poverty may present to students and their learning.

Since August this year, more than 8,400 products have been distributed to those who need them.

Pop Up Pantry

On Tuesday 5 December, we opened the doors to our first Pop Up Pantry. Situated in the post room building near the Engine Shed, the Pantry contains the following donated items to help tide people over during the festive period:

• Dried and tinned goods.
• Non-perishables.
• Soft drinks and UHT milk.
• Toiletries.
• Unwanted wrapping paper, cards, and non-electrical festive decorations.

So far, more than 270 items have been given to or purchased for Pantry stock, with donations coming from staff across all UON sites and local charity Go Dharmic.

Environment Advisor Emma Stone sums up a busy year: “The Pop-Up Pantry idea was formed as part of the initial Cost-of-Living Taskforce suggestions and was delivered by a collaboration of UON departments and the Students’ Union.

“It is wonderful to see the Pantry meshing so well with our wider student support systems and providing the sort of help for which it was intended.

“It was also heartening to see how this has helped one student in particular need of help who is being supported by one of our Student Support Officers. She is a single parent to four children and is feeling the pinch but the food, drinks, toiletries, and puzzles have made the next few weeks that little bit easier for her and her family.

“From the team and I, we wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”