The team celebrate the end of term in style with a run of successful events.
SAUWS Environment Team celebrated the end of term and the beginning of our community gardens with three garden launch parties for the three community gardens. April 22nd saw the Riverside Community Garden launch party on Ayr Campus. This was quickly followed on May 1stby the Live and Living sustainable living and music event on Paisley Campus. Both events proved successful in engaging with students on campus and broadening our ever increasing circle of friends!
The Garden Party was organised to celebrate the launch and the progress of what has become anclose-knit community within the Ayr Campus. Students and staff from UWS and SRUC have joined forces to build an area of sanctuary on the grounds of the University. This provided a picturesque setting on a sunny April afternoon as students and staff alike congregated for a spot of lunch. A selection of homemade and sustainable food was provided courtesy of Transition UWS team member Chris Forster. Party goers enjoyedtomato soup, freshly baked bread and a selection of delicious cakes. With lunch taken care of, garden activities commenced led by project coordinator Melanie Hall. Team members worked together to plant trays of seeds, including cabbage, kale and peas, which we hope willprovide food for future garden events. If you’re around in Ayr over the summer and are interested in coming down to the garden, email melanie.hall@sauws.org.uk for details. Farmer tans guaranteed!
May 1st saw the launch of Live and Living, a new event from SAUWS Environment focusing on sustainable living with a music theme. Taking over Level 3 of the Students Union with a mixture of stalls, free food and live acoustic acts, the event was an opportunity to say a fond farewell to the successful Transition UWS project which has been led by Kristina Nitsolova, whilst celebrating the launch of the new Paisley Community Garden on campus.
In collaboration with Oxfam Music, a record fair offered the best in vintage vinyl and second hand CDs,and local, sustainable cycle gear retailers,Route Clothing, joined the event to showcase their products. The SAUWS Environment Swap Shop also made an appearance – this travelling pop-up shop collects unwanted items such as plates and cutlery and makes them available to students for free!
The event kicked off at 12:30 with a free lunch of locally produced food provided by Glasgow-based ‘Locavore’. As students and staff enjoyed lunch, first act of the day Losing Ground took to the stage. Delivering their blend of acoustic punky folk, the boys from Kilmarnock stormed through their set, warming things up for the amazing guitar maestro Danny Neo. The guitarist from Glasgow wowed the Paisley crowd with technique from another world, combining lightening-fast finger work with hypnotic percussive groove.
Check out Losing Ground live in action!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttebdG3lgHo&feature=youtu.be
Danny Neo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh682QgFBhA&feature=youtu.be
Live and Living proved to be an ambitious new event for the team and has laid the foundations for what we hope will become a firm fixture in the future!Plans are already being made for a repeat performance as part of Freshers2014… We hope to see you there.