The team have built a relationship with the Sustainability Department at the University of Leeds, earning them recognition and helping them grow as a volunteering group. They work together finding ways to engage students with the Refill campaign, which is supported by Chilly’s, and encourage them to carry reusables, highlighting the availability of refills across the campus and promoting the Refill app to the student body.

Student Collective

Set up 3 years ago, the Refill Scheme has overcome various obstacles due to the pandemic, but the dedicated volunteers persisted with their mission and have now grown to 18 volunteers who are active on the ground on campus and across the city, promoting the Refill campaign and app to their fellow students.

Outside of the campus, the Refill Leeds Scheme is actively spotlighting Refill businesses and supporting them with becoming Refill Stations, working with residents and local businesses to encourage them to move away from buying single-use plastic and to choose to reuse instead.

A Vision for Leeds

In 2019 Leeds council declared a climate emergency, with a target of achieving net zero emissions for the city by 2030 . The fact that Refill has been adopted with enthusiasm from the city’s residents, especially the student population, reflects this commitment to doing better, and Refill Leeds plays an important part in reducing single-use plastic across the city.

Refill Leeds’ Top Takeaway:

“Small actions CAN make a big difference! Consumers are one of the biggest stakeholders and by stopping purchasing plastic and instead switching to plastic-free alternatives, we can force those in power to listen.” – Amy, Refill Leeds.

Chilly’s & Refill are working together to spread the Refill Revolution across the UK, providing communities with the tools they need to create lasting change in their community, including individuals, community groups, local authorities and governments.

Chilly’s has been working with Refill since 2018, and by 2022, had donated nearly £700,000 to support Refill in achieving its work, and some of this funding has been used to support some of the 400-strong network of local community and council-led Refill Schemes. The Refill campaign helps hundreds of thousands of people to take action where they live.

This series celebrates some of the incredible Refill community programs out there on the ground helping us to turn the tide on plastic pollution – these are our Refill Heroes.

Get Involved:

Get Involved:

Follow the Instagram @refill_leeds, to keep up to date and how you can get invovled. If you’d like to volunteer with them to help share the importance of the #RefillRevolution to the Leeds community, please get in touch through Instagram or email at refillleeds@gmail.com.

Alternatively, you can get involved with a Refill Scheme near you –
Refill Schemes | Refill | find a scheme and Join the Refill Revolution.

Download the Refill app here