The University of Lincoln has raised £45,206 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) thanks to the generosity of students, staff and the local community.

In April last year, the charity placed clothing banks and donation boxes in and around University managed accommodation and in privately managed residences across the city. By September they had been filled enough to raise the equivalent of £40,096.

This coupled with £5,110 raised in 2017, brought the charity drive to its impressive total.

The initiative was led by the University’s External Residence Manager Amy Fairweather, who said: “We’re absolutely thrilled the scheme has been so popular. It’s a fantastic achievement and we’re very proud to be supporting the British Heart Foundation.

“The donation banks are located in various places along campus way and in the Cygnet Wharf reception so please get involved and donate if you can.”

The success of the campaign means that 25.8 tonnes of items have been diverted from the waste stream. It has saved the equivalent in weight of 4.3 elephants in waste going to landfill and 262.892 kgs of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions.

The cash total is based on an estimate that each bag of donations from a student could be worth as much as £14.

In the last year, the BHF has made an impact in Lincoln by awarding 17 defibrillators, 48 research grants, five Heart Start Schemes and providing 12,790 free Heart Health resource.