Lisburn SERC students get creative to tackle fast fashion and reduce waste

Students from South Eastern Regional College (SERC) campuses have been marking European Week for Waste Reduction this week, with a series of enterprises which promote upcycling clothes and buying pre-loved over fast fashion.
By Julie-Ann Spence
Published 29th Nov 2023, 12:17 BST
Updated 29th Nov 2023, 12:17 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Michael Holmes, Deputy Head of the Enterprise & Entrepreneurship team at SERC explained: “Students from our Lisburn Skills for Life and Work and Foundation Learning programmes organised a clothing drive to gather pre-loved clothing in the College for donation to local charities.

"Lisburn and Downpatrick Level 2 Traineeship NI in Retail students worked alongside numerous local charity shops creating seasonal window dressing displays.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Skills for Life and Work students at Lisburn Campus also got involved in sewing workshop delivered by local Lisburn Social Enterprise Sew Ready, where participants learnt the basics of hand and machine sewing.

Celebrating European Week for Waste Reduction at South Eastern Regional College are (L-R) Tessa Montague, Lecturer, Dearbhla Knight, Enterprise Team, Joanne Templeton - Lisurn & Castlereagh Council, Michael Holmes, Enterprise Team, Siobhan Purnell - Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, Richard Armstrong – Lisburn Campus Manager, SERC, Donna Ferguson - NI Hospice, Julie Warrington - Action Cancer and Fiona Cullen, Cancer Focus. Pic credit: SERCCelebrating European Week for Waste Reduction at South Eastern Regional College are (L-R) Tessa Montague, Lecturer, Dearbhla Knight, Enterprise Team, Joanne Templeton - Lisurn & Castlereagh Council, Michael Holmes, Enterprise Team, Siobhan Purnell - Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, Richard Armstrong – Lisburn Campus Manager, SERC, Donna Ferguson - NI Hospice, Julie Warrington - Action Cancer and Fiona Cullen, Cancer Focus. Pic credit: SERC
Celebrating European Week for Waste Reduction at South Eastern Regional College are (L-R) Tessa Montague, Lecturer, Dearbhla Knight, Enterprise Team, Joanne Templeton - Lisurn & Castlereagh Council, Michael Holmes, Enterprise Team, Siobhan Purnell - Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, Richard Armstrong – Lisburn Campus Manager, SERC, Donna Ferguson - NI Hospice, Julie Warrington - Action Cancer and Fiona Cullen, Cancer Focus. Pic credit: SERC

In addition, Level 2 and 3 Creative Media students from Bangor Campus designed and produced a series of short videos and posters for use on social media and display in the local charity shops.

Read More
Alpha Badminton Players collect special Mary Peters Trust Awards

Michael added: “Our activities to mark European Week for Waste Reduction culminated in a celebration event to mark the students’ hard work which brought together the students, representatives from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, local charities – Cancer Focus, NI Hospice, Action Cancer, British Heart Foundation – and funder, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, to share the amazing work of all the students involved and to enjoy a delicious vegan menu of pumpkin biriyani and jack fruit tacos produced by Level 2 Traineeship NI in Professional Chef students at Lisburn Campus.”

Related topics:StudentsLisburn