University of Suffolk in Ipswich officially opens campus allotment

Green-fingered staff and students at the University of Suffolk have celebrated the official opening of their very own campus allotment.

To date, the allotment, which is nestled between the university’s health and wellbeing and Students’ Union buildings in Ipswich, has produced over 47kg of fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Last week, Rosanne Wijnberg, chief operating officer at the University of Suffolk, cut the ribbon, which was made of donated T-shirts.

Praising the initiative, she said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has played a role in bringing this project to life and I am excited to see how this wonderful space continues to grow and thrive.”

The allotment is bursting with seasonal crops, including kale, potatoes, carrots, onions, broad beans, basil, tarragon, leaks, cabbages, rhubarb, courgettes and cucumbers.

Staff and students tend the patch regularly, giving them breaks from work and study to benefit their general wellbeing.

As well as being an allotment, the space is also used for open-air learning, while the Students’ Union and students use it as a space to relax.

The paramedic students like to do practical exercises there such as simulated reactions to bee stings and asthma attacks.

Justine Oakes, head of strategic estates management at the University of Suffolk, who founded the allotment said: “The allotment aligns perfectly with our commitment to the sustainable development goals, particularly in promoting responsible consumption and an awareness of food production.

“I am incredibly pleased with how this space not only enhances our community’s health and wellbeing but also serves as a living classroom for sustainable practices, showing how small, mindful actions can contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Communal tasks at the allotment include weekly and monthly volunteer sessions with jobs ranging from watering to weeding.

Plans for the future include nurturing the allotment so it continues to be an organic allotment and the creation of a society through the Students’ Union to look after it.

Thomas Heathwaite, sustainability coordinator at the University of Suffolk, said: “After a year-and-a-half of hard work, it is hugely gratifying to see the wellbeing allotment bursting at the seams with fruit and vegetables.

“It gives students and staff an opportunity to reconnect with nature, support their mental and physical wellbeing and take a break from their screens, all while they promote sustainable food systems.

“I am proud to say everything in the allotment was responsibly procured, including the compost, and now we even produce our own compost furthering its sustainability.

“I hope the allotment will continue to grow organically and hope that students and staff will continue to enjoy it.”

The University of Suffolk ranks in the top ten of UK universities for waste and recycling and was named Green Business of the Year 2023 in the Suffolk County Council Greenest County Awards.

It ranks top out of 119 universities for scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions between 2015/16 and 2021/22.