Get Involved in Sustainability at Blackfriars

At Blackfriars Hall, sustainability is a shared responsibility and one of the most meaningful ways students can contribute to life within our community with long term impace. Whether you’re passionate about environmental action, social equality, or simply want to develop new skills, there are many ways to get involved.

Your ideas, enthusiasm, and leadership can help shape a greener, fairer, and more sustainable Hall for everyone.

1. Get Involved Through the MCR

The Middle Common Room (MCR) plays an important role in shaping student?led initiatives at Blackfriars. Sustainability?minded students can:

Join or Form an MCR Sustainability Subcommittee

Help coordinate sustainability events, share tips with fellow residents, or work with Hall staff on practical improvements.

Propose Sustainability Motions

Students can bring ideas to MCR meetings, such as waste reduction schemes, shared resources projects, or wellbeing initiatives.

Run Student Events

The MCR can organise clothes swaps, plant care sessions, “low waste living” workshops, reading groups, film screenings, and more.

If you’d like to take the lead, the MCR is an excellent platform to get started.

2. Set Up a University of Oxford Green Impact Team

Blackfriars Hall would warmly welcome students who want to work with us to create a University of Oxford Green Impact team for the Hall. Green Impact is a programme that helps colleges and departments take practical steps toward sustainability, guided by an accessible award framework.

Through Green Impact, you will:

• Work directly with Hall staff to identify projects
• Build skills in leadership, project management, and communication
• Collaborate with other colleges across the University
• Gain recognition for your environmental contributions
• Support the Hall’s long?term sustainability goals

We are keen to support a student led Blackfriars team and can provide guidance, data, and staff contacts to help you get started.

3. Help Us Create New Sustainability Initiatives

We are actively looking for student partners to help shape the future of sustainability at Blackfriars. This could include:

Developing new environmental programmes

• Energy saving campaigns
• Water conservation initiatives
• Recycling and waste reduction improvements
• Nature and biodiversity activities (e.g., small planters for our accommodation houses, micro?gardening projects)

Supporting social sustainability

• Creating opportunities for community building
• Supporting inclusion and wellbeing activities
• Encouraging responsible shared space use
• Helping new students learn about sustainable living

Piloting new student ideas

If you have an idea, big or small, we want to hear it. Whether it is a new behaviour change project, a resident challenge, or a creative educational campaign, we can help you turn it into something real.

4. Work With Hall Staff

Students are welcome to collaborate with:

• The Bursar
• The Accommodation & Accounts Officer
• The Junior Dean (Facilities)
• The Moderators, who coordinate sustainability at Blackfriars.

Your input helps us identify opportunities, understand student needs, and co?design sustainability improvements that benefit the entire Hall community.

5. Get involved with University sustainability events

The Sustainable Students Oxford (SSO) is an umbrella programme offering learning and action opportunities, support for students interested in starting their own initiatives, completing training and networking. The scheme is open to all students from all disciplines and degrees, empowering you to take a variety of environmental actions.

Join the University’s sustainability mailing list to learn about the upcoming opportunities.

The University of Oxford is committed to reaching net zero carbon and biodiversity net gain by 2035. For the University to reach these ambitious targets, we need everyone on board.  With over 26,000 students, our daily behaviours make a significant difference to the environment. So, what are your first steps for environmental sustainability?

6. Share Your Ideas

The best sustainability ideas often come from our students, and you can share your thoughts with us by:

• Speaking to the Junior Dean or Accommodation Office
• Attending MCR meetings
• Emailing the Bursary directly

No idea is too small, and every improvement helps.

Together, We Can Create a More Sustainable Blackfriars

Getting involved is easy, rewarding, and genuinely impactful. If you are ready to get involved, let us know.  We would love to work with you.