Spotlight On Wigan & Leigh College
Wigan & Leigh College have been raising awareness and highlighting sustainability with a weeklong ‘Green Week’ initiative.
Throughout the week, the college has hosted various fun activities, drop-in sessions, and information awareness events to promote a greener and more sustainable ethos to fit in with its sustainability agenda.
Daily themes included Meat Free Monday, Cycle to Work Tuesday, Car Share Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday and Recyclable Friday.
Activities have ranged from tree collections, where Wigan Council provided 800 trees which college staff were able to collect from different campuses to take home to re-plant.
Wigan Warriors star, Sam Powell joined our Vice Principal, Louise Brown and college partners Greenmount Projects to plant a tree at the front of the Parsons Walk campus before heading to Wigan & Leigh Hospice to contribute to the community with some further planting in their gardens.
The hospice visit was also the perfect opportunity to present them with a cheque for £500 from money raised from the recent Wigan 5K run where the college teamed up with Greenmount Projects to raise funds for the charity.
Staff have also been able to participate in a ‘grow your own’ and composting session with the floristry and horticulture team which saw employees planting courgette, tomato, and chilli seeds to name a few as shown how to make their own compost.
Students and staff have used pedal power across the college to blend fruit to make smoothies. They have found out more about the local areas’ guided walks and cycle pathways thanks to Wigan Council who provided information stations, highlighting their impact on people’s mental health and sustainability.
The college’s employer benefits platform has taken off and teamed up with Tusker Car Scheme which allows its employees to apply for a brand-new electric car which comes with benefits including maintenance of the vehicle including all servicing, fully comprehensive motor insurance, annual road tax, tyre replacements and roadside assistance.
A clothes exchange is taking place as part of ‘Thrifty Thursday’ where any unwanted clothes that are clean and in good condition can be donated and swaps/exchanges will take place and any remaining items will be donated to local charities.
Staff can also share unwanted gifts or useful items as part of ‘Recyclable Friday’.
Throughout the week there has been a big push on cycling to work in which the college has a cycle scheme for its staff. Awareness sessions and drop-in free bike repair workshops have been made available.
Electrical Installation students found out more about sustainable materials when they visited the Centre for Alternative Technology in Snowdonia. And a green week photography competition has been organised where students and staff can take photos to represent a way in which they play a positive part in helping to look after the planet.
Sustainable fashion workshops, climate change sessions, litter picking in the community, and demonstrations on how to use the recently installed EV charger points at the Pagefield campus have all played a part in a successful awareness-raising week.
