VP Wellbeing & Diversity: Priority 8

Making Food on Campus More Affordable & Accessible

Because honestly, who knew food was so expensive?

Here’s what I’m working on right now:

• Loyalty Cards in More Outlets - We’re expanding the loyalty card system to more food outlets across campus so you get rewarded for every bite. Imagine grabbing your regular coffee and knowing it’s earning you points towards free food - that’s the goal!

• Halal Meat & Fresh Produce at the Tuesday Market – So not so fun fact, I found out last year that the Muslim students on campus usually travel to Staines or Slough to purchase Halal Meat. I want to bring halal meat to Egham if not on Campus.

• TooGoodToGo Bags – We’re looking to introduce TooGoodToGo bags across outlets and even in the SU Shop. This means you’ll be able to grab discounted food that would otherwise go to waste - saving money and reducing food waste at the same time.

What’s happening behind the scenes?

I’ve been in regular meetings with the Commercial Team and the University, exploring the best way to set up a campus-wide loyalty system that works across multiple outlets. This takes some work - we need to make sure technology, payment systems, and rewards all talk to each other. The goal is to make every penny you spend work back in your favour.

I’m also continuing conversations about making raw halal meat available either on campus or at a reliable spot in Egham. This is something I know many of you have asked for, and I’ll have more concrete updates on this after Freshers’ Week.

Improving Local Transport

Because it’s 2025, and buses shouldn’t still be playing hide-and-seek.

Here’s what’s in motion:

• Better RHU Bus Timings - I’m working with different teams to realign RHU bus times with train schedules, so you don’t have to spend forever waiting around at Egham station. This will be a huge win for commuters and students.

• Bus Loyalty & Discounted Fares – Similar to food, we’re exploring a loyalty card or voucher system for frequent travellers. If you take the bus a lot, you should be saving money for doing so - not paying more.

• Commuter Student Vouchers – I’m also exploring ways to offer transport vouchers to commuter students to help with the cost-of-living crisis and make getting to campus a bit easier on the wallet.

Behind the scenes:

These conversations take time because they involve multiple stakeholders - the University, bus companies, and train timetables all need to align. But I’m committed to keeping the pressure on until we see real, tangible improvements for students.

Priority 8