In this post Martha Cattell (Living Lab Research Assistant) caught up with Ruke Ejegreh who received funding along with other students from the London Campus who are part of Encantus YSJ. Here Ruke talks about one of their projects WinterKind.

The Friendly Living Fund is a micro-grant fund at York St John University, set up in a partnership between the Living Lab and YSJ Student Union, for student projects tackling the cost of living and contributing to climate resilience. Applications are now open for Round 2, until 9 Feb!

We applied for the Friendly Living Fund because it aligned perfectly with our desire to address real, everyday challenges faced by students in York St John University and the wider community in a sustainable way. The fund gave us the opportunity to turn WinterKind from an idea into a practical project that supports international students with low cost winter clothing from durable/quality donations while also reducing waste and environmental impact.

WinterKind is an Enactus YSJ project focused on tackling clothing insecurity in London starting with our London campus through the collection, redistribution, and upcycling of donated clothing.  We hope to also upcycle some of the donated items to quilts for people experiencing homelessness. We have created an initiative that was both compassionate and practical; one that supports individuals experiencing cost-of-living pressures while promoting sustainable consumption and reuse within our community.

What have you learnt so far from delivering your project?

Delivering WinterKind has taught us the importance of collaboration, planning, and adaptability. Working with partners, coordinating volunteers, and managing logistics showed us how much impact can be achieved when students work together with a shared purpose. It has also helped us grow in confidence, leadership, and project management. Most importantly, we have learnt the value of community as the people around us are always willing to support our project in any capacity possible.

WinterKind addresses the cost of living by providing access to free or affordable clothing for those who need it most. At the moment, we have received over 400 clothing donations, sold about 25 low-cost winter wears to student, given out over 20 winter coat donations to students for free courtesy of our partners and are in the process of producing 8 clothing donation bins, thanks to the Friendly Living Fund. This will be instrumental in scaling the project reach and impact. At the same time, it supports climate resilience by reducing textile waste, encouraging reuse, and promoting more sustainable behaviours around consumption and disposal.

The Friendly Living Fund is important because it empowers students to actively respond to social and environmental challenges within their own communities. It provides the financial support, trust, and platform needed for student ideas to grow into meaningful, real-world projects with lasting impact.

Absolutely! We would strongly encourage other students to apply, whether individually, as part of a group, or through a society like Enactus, in our case Enactus York St John (YSJ). The fund offers an incredible opportunity to gain hands-on experience, make a difference, and contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive university community.