Welcome to December's edition of Sustainable Halls

Welcome to the final Sustainable Halls article for 2024! This December, we’ll be telling you about how to get prepared for the winter break. If you’re heading home, we’ll let you know how to make sure you’re not wasting energy while you’re away and where you can donate unwanted items. If you’re staying in Liverpool, we’ll let you know about some of the fun activities you can get involved with and some independent shops you can check out. 

Fancy winning big prizes and testing your festive trivia? Check out the Sustainable Halls Big Holiday Quiz! 🎄

Heading home? 

Before you leave, make sure to give your accommodation a good check over so it’s ready for when you return. 

• Switch off and unplug any electrical items and turn your lights off 

• Go through your fridge and make sure to eat, freeze or throw any perishable food items. Unwanted unopened long-life items can be donated to Fareshare, with donation points in Guild and Halls receptions and in the Sidney Jones and Harold Cohen library 

• Worn out batteries can be recycled in bins in Halls and Guild reception  

• If you missed the Guild’s Swap Shop on the 29th November, don’t fret! Give your unwanted clothes a second lease on life by donating them to the British Heart Foundation. Donation boxes will be available in all halls’ receptions from Wednesday 4th December 

Staying in Liverpool?

There’s lots you can still get involved with and check out in Liverpool over the winter break.

Volunteering:

• Kensington Fields Community Association are holding an Older Persons Community Meal on 12th December and are looking for volunteers to help prepare and serve food. You’ll be able to stay and join the meal too! More information can be found here. 

• The Whitechapel Centre are looking for Christmas Elves (don’t worry, no dressing up required!) to help sort donations and put together festive food parcels and gift bags. More information here. 

• If you want to support people facing social isolation and loneliness over the festive period, why not get involved with Omega or the Chatty Café scheme? 

Independent shops:

Liverpool has so many hidden gems, quirky shops and spaces to check out. Here are some of our top picks: 

• Defend Vinyl - A haven for music lovers in a city already world-famous for its music scene, Defend Vinyl is one of the top places to go for vinyl, CDs, and prints in the city centre. 

• The Retro Room – located on Lark Lane near Sefton Park, The Retro Room stocks a whole range of vintage and vintage-inspired clothing, accessories, art, and giftware which are sure to cater to any taste. 

• News from Nowhere - As a non-profit workers’ cooperative, News from Nowhere aims to be radical in everything it does, offering a variety of political literature, magazines, newspapers, and music 

• Pocket Café Bar - a fantastic place to go for seasonal food and drinks! A short walk from the city centre, Pocket is not just a café, but a multi-use space. You can pop along for a matcha latte and slice of cake, before getting stuck into one of their regular relaxing craft activities. 

For even more ideas of places to visit, check out the Independent Liverpool website for more local businesses and exclusive offers and discounts.  

Have a great holiday! 🎅🎄

Thanks for checking in each month with us so far, we hope you’ve learnt a lot! We’ll be back with monthly articles in semester 2, so have a great winter break, and we’ll see you on the other side.