We know that many of you are feeling the pressure of the cost of living increasing, and we want to do all we can to support you during your time here.
There is plenty of information about the support available on our financial support, financial wellbeing and cost of living support webpages. If you'd like to chat to someone, you can always contact our AskBU team or SUBU Advice on campus, by phone or online.
SUBU Community Kitchen
Located on the second floor of the Student Centre at Talbot Campus, the Community Kitchen is open to all BU students and staff to use throughout the year. Its main purpose is to help those who are facing difficulties during the cost-of-living crisis and are unable to afford daily essentials such as food or sanitary products. It's equipped with hot water for hot drinks, food dispensers, crockery and cutlery, and a large table for both individuals and groups to sit around and enjoy food. There is also a microwave for you to heat your own food.
The unit in the Community Kitchen is stocked with surplus food from supermarkets. In addition, The Bread Bin Community deliver bread and pastries three times a week. And we aim to provide fresh, seasonal, chemical-free fruit and vegetables from our Community Garden.
We host regular monthly Supper Clubs, providing a free hot meal. Check out ‘What's on’ to sign up.
Other food support offered to students includes:
- Pantry Packs (to access, speak to SUBU Advice*)
- CLV hygiene, cleaning, stationery, food packs (to access, speak to SUBU Advice*)
- Supermarket vouchers (to access, speak to SUBU Advice*)
- Free breakfasts daily
- Free tea and coffee.
*The SUBU Advice team is located around the corner from the kitchen and is available between 10am and 4pm, Monday - Friday. You can also contact them by phone at 01202 965779 or by email.
Get involved
Whether you’d like to give your time or donate to us, we have a range of ways to get involved – and we’d love your support. Email [email protected] to see how you can support.
Think reusable
Bringing reusable cups and lunch to campus not only saves you money but also reduces the packaging waste associated with take-out meals. We promote the use of reusable items to minimise single-use plastic consumption at BU and encourage all students and staff to carry refillable water bottles, with several water refill and other communal access points located across our Talbot and Lansdowne campuses.
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Microwaves on campus |
Talbot Campus – The Student Centre: Ground floor (near Ground Up Café), first floor (next to SUBU Reception desk) and second floor (in the Community Kitchen) Lansdowne Campus – Bournemouth Gateway Building: SUBU kitchen area located in BG301. |
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Hot water taps |
Talbot Campus – The Student Centre: Second, fourth and fifth floors – all hot taps are located in the kitchen areas of each floor Lansdowne Campus – Bournemouth Gateway Building: SUBU kitchen area located in BG301. |
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Drinking water fountains |
You can find the locations of the fountains on the Talbot Campus map At Lansdowne Campus, the fountains are in both the Bournemouth Gateway Building and the Executive Business Centre. |
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Washing-up points |
Talbot Campus - Fusion Building: Ground floor |
Coffee discount
Anybody who uses a reusable coffee cup at Chartwell outlets on our campuses will enjoy a 30p discount on their drink. If you don’t want to bring a cup with you, you can also benefit from joining our returnable cup scheme, allowing you to use a fresh reusable cup every time, and benefit from the discount for a £3.95 joining fee. You can find out more about our coffee discounts on our BU webpages.
Discounted food items
The Student Saver Meal, which includes a sandwich, snack and drink of choice, is available to purchase in the Union Shop – the cheapest meal deal on Talbot Campus.
Dylan’s Bar also offers a Student Saver menu for those who are looking to eat out on a budget. They provide a range of hot and cold food, including pizzas, burgers and sandwiches, along with vegetarian and vegan options.
You can also pick up discounted food from BU and SUBU food outlets via the Too Good To Go app – this allows you to purchase food at the end of the day that would otherwise go to waste at a great price! You can also grab a range of food from Fusion Building and Bournemouth Gateway Building each day for less than £4 with their value meals on campus.
Download the Bournemouth Uni Food app (through the app store on your phone) for discounts and loyalty points, including 25% off your first order.
In the community
There is also community support available if you are struggling to pay for food, including the BCP Access to Food map, food banks, community fridges, social pantries and supermarkets.
