[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″ global_module=”322″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu global_parent=”322″ _builder_version=”3.0.106″ menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on” prev_background_color=”#000000″ next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″][et_pb_row_inner locked=”off”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”3.0.106″ title=”on” meta=”on” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”on” featured_image=”on” featured_placement=”above” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_layout=”light” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n
Most of us are\u00a0probably familiar\u00a0with the concept of advent calendars,\u00a0where we receive something each\u00a0day during the countdown to\u00a0Christmas.\u00a0But\u00a0what happens if we flip the idea around and use it\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>give\u00a0<\/span><\/i>back\u00a0to the community instead?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Every year,\u00a0<\/span>Manchester Central Foodbank<\/span><\/a>\u00a0launches a\u00a0<\/span>\u2018Reverse Advent Calendar\u2019<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in early November to\u00a0facilitate\u00a0the collection of essential items during one of their busiest\u00a0periods.\u00a0Being a crisis service, their goal is to support people when they need help the most. Outside of Christmas and\u00a0other high-demand times, the\u00a0food bank\u00a0<\/span>supports\u00a0over 1,500 people a month and accept donations all year around.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the spirit of the University\u2019s Social Responsibility commitments, a team of researchers in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH) joins the\u00a0food bank\u2019s\u00a0efforts by encouraging staff from across campus to\u00a0participate\u00a0in the campaign.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Among the organisers was\u00a0<\/span>Zac Sandy<\/span><\/a>, Research Technician, who coordinated the initiative by liaising with the food bank and spreading the word to get as many people involved as possible. Others included\u00a0<\/span>Nisha Nair<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Research Fellow and Environmental Lead for the School of Biological Sciences),\u00a0<\/span>Louise Flanagan<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Research Associate)\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Joan Chang<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Research Fellow), who helped with organising collections around campus and bringing all items together for the pickup day.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Similar to\u00a0traditional advent calendars, The Reverse Advent Calendar\u00a0also\u00a0listed one item for\u00a0each of the 30 days leading up to December,\u00a0ranging from\u00a0tinned foods to\u00a0hygiene products.\u00a0Staff could\u00a0then\u00a0refer to the calendar\u00a0and\u00a0bring\u00a0the specific items\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0collection points in several Faculty buildings.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While the calendar\u00a0served as a helpful\u00a0shopping list, staff were welcome to donate as many or as few items as they wanted.\u00a0This made it easier for more people to\u00a0take part, as even\u00a0donating just one item made a meaningful contribution to the campaign.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The\u00a0calendar was carefully curated\u00a0to\u00a0avoid\u00a0overwhelming the food bank with commonly donated items, such as pasta and rice, while ensuring they received enough of the rarer items, such as toothpaste.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By the end of the month, the team collected a total of\u00a0<\/span>262<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>kg<\/span><\/b>\u00a0of items.\u00a0This\u00a0made up\u00a0<\/span>37<\/span><\/b>\u00a0three-day meal packages,\u00a0totalling\u00a0<\/span>333\u00a0<\/span><\/b>meals.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While this is an annual campaign,\u00a0last year\u2019s success was\u00a0certainly\u00a0unparalleled, thanks to better promotion across wider audiences.\u00a0There are already plans to continue running this initiative next Christmas, and\u00a0likely for\u00a0many years to come. As Zac commented, receiving the total weight of items from the Manchester Central Foodbank gives them a goal to try and beat every year!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0interested in contributing to the campaign,\u00a0keep an eye on your\u00a0usual\u00a0communication channels towards the end of the year\u00a0for\u00a0details\u00a0on how to donate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you have ideas on how to advertise the campaign more widely across the University, please reach out to\u00a0<\/span>Zac Sandy<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>srbmh@manchester.ac.uk<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_nav _builder_version=”3.0.106″ in_same_term=”off” show_prev=”on” show_next=”on” prev_text=”Previous” next_text=”Next” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_avatar=”on” show_reply=”on” show_count=”on” background_layout=”light” header_font_size_tablet=”51″ header_line_height_tablet=”2″ custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_use_icon=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_size__hover=”null” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover=”null” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover=”null” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover=”null” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover=”null” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover=”null” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover=”null” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover=”null” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover=”null” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover=”null” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover=”null” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover=”null” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover=”null” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover=”null” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover=”null” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover=”null” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover=”null” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover=”null” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related posts” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\nThe \u2018Reverse Advent Calendar\u2019\u00a0Campaign<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
How\u00a0the campaign worked<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
How to get involved<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Related<\/h1>\n
Related posts:<\/h3>