The Flavour Garden: A Year of Flourishing 30/05/2023 Can you believe it’s been almost a year since we embarked on an exciting journey with The Flavour Garden? Thanks to the University’s generous support, this student-led project has transformed the green space between Park House & The Square into a flourishing oasis. Our goal was simple yet ambitious: to grow a variety of herbs, plants, and ingredients right here on campus, not just for our own culinary adventures, but also to educate and inspire students about eco-friendly practices and sustainable living which we believe instils lifelong values that benefit both humanity and its environment. And what better place to start than right at our own university? As we approach the warmer months, we can proudly say that The Flavour Garden has been a successful addition to our campus greenery. It has become an eco-friendly space and a testament to our commitment to sustainability and our journey towards becoming carbon net zero by 2030. We’ve seen the likes of Tomatoes, Mint, Sage, Parsley, Thyme, Oregano and Chives all feature in our dishes across campus, boosting the flavour profile of each dish they’re used in. This year, we have gone one step further in the reduction of our carbon footprint by helping fulfil our student led programme to install Smart Plug sockets across our Bars & Dining venues. This ensures that no electricity is being used whilst the plugs are not in use and automatically times out electricity usage. Now more than ever, we are more conscious of our electricity usage as a whole department. Staff are required to ensure that all power sockets are switched off when not in use to help fulfil our sustainability target. But the effort does not stop there: we want YOU to be a part of our sustainable efforts! If you would like to work with us to help reduce our carbon footprint, we welcome all our enthusiastic students who share our passion for sustainability. If you’re eager to lend a hand and joining us in tending to The Flavour Garden or have some feedback, reach out to us via barsanddining@reading.ac.uk. Together, we can nurture nature, elevate our taste buds, and make a positive impact on our campus community.