Thursday saw Pip Shaw, the Guild’s Student Living Officer, feed 1000 students pasta bakes. The initiative came from student feedback from the Student Priorities project.
Two hundred bags were given with ingredients to feed five students per bag. In addition to the food, the bags were filled with budgeting support, recipe cards, well-being information and some with washing up liquid to clean up after cooking.
The Student Priorities project focuses on improving Guild services by taking into account student priorities. One of those priorities has to do with Living Costs.
The Student Priorities project focuses on improving Guild services by taking into account student priorities. One of those priorities has to do with Living Costs. According to the Guild, students are interested in more affordable food on campus. Last year’s student-led initiative that is now taken under the Guild’s umbrella, the 2-pound meal deal, is an example of “positive steps” that the Guild is adhering to. The free food falls within the aim to ease living costs through an “increase of freebies and giveaways throughout the year.”
Other goals within the Living Costs priorities are increasing the promotion of existing financial support and how students can access it; having tailored financial guidance for students; introducing a ‘student exchange’ where students can swap and pick up free household items; introducing a campus food cupboard for students to pick up free essentials; scoping developing a free transport scheme to low-cost supermarkets and key locations in Exeter; and working towards a campaign to push for regulated rental costs in Exeter.
Student reception to the free food was well received, with all the food gone in less than 45 minutes.
“I’m glad to see more free food like this on campus,” one student comments. Other students compared this initiative to the 2-pound meal deal as real support from the Guild. Another student says “I hope more things like this will happen in the future.”
