Biocycle

What is BioCycle?

BioCycle is an original project set up by Southampton Hub to combat food waste in Southampton by using students to collect waste from student households and recycle it locally. All food waste collected goes to local allotments, who use the waste for composting and to support their local business.

All you need to do to support is to sign up to do cycling routes, sign up to have your waste collected or become part of our student committee!

Volunteer role

Our BioCycle committee will collate all the households who are contributing to BioCycle and draw up a cycling route for volunteers to go and collect food waste. The cycling routes will be allocated to volunteers based on availability and volunteer uptake.

The cycling routes will be allocated to volunteers based on availability and volunteer uptake. Once the waste is collected, it will be given to one of our committee members, who will be able to transport it to local allotments where it will be recycled.

All volunteers will need to provide their own bicycle, but BioCycle will be able to provide the equipment including the trailer, food waste bags, gloves and other necessary equipment.

Volunteering commitment

How often you want to biocycle is flexible and it should be fun, so there is no minimum number of times we ask you to ride with us! Cycling can be done any week you like. However, if you cycle more than 5 times, we return you the £10 you paid for your caddy!

Skills and employability

Teamwork outside of university setting, food handling training, bicycle maintenance, customer services, time management, organisation and target setting are all skills you will gain by taking part in BioCycle. This volunteering opportunity is excellent for anyone who wants experience working to combat local issues and in environmentally-friendly work.

Training and support

All of our programmes are supported by students and staff. As part of BioCycle, you will have the staff team (Catherine Taplin-Thorpe) to speak to.

The Coordinators and staff team will be leading on your initial training, as well as any issues with your volunteering.

Reasonable adjustments

BioCycle is committed to being an inclusive programme, and encourages all students to get involved. We can make reasonable adjustments to application processes, selection workshops, training sessions, your volunteering placement, and other activities on a case-by-case basis. We also provide ongoing support for the students we work with, so if you have particular accessibility needs, including if you want to disclose a disability or special educational needs, please do get in touch with Catherine at catherine.taplin-thorpe@southamptonhub.org and let us know how we can make the activity more accessible.

Why not volunteer with a friend?

Volunteering for Southampton Hub is social and you'll have the chance to meet many like-minded people, but why not ask a friend to sign up with you too?

Questions?

Email catherine.taplin-thorpe@southamptonhub.org who will be able to answer any questions and direct you to the BioCycle committee for any further help and support.

You can also check out other various projects over on our What's On page.

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