As this year's women’s history month draws to a close it’s important to make note of the amazing women that make our Roehampton campus sustainable for the preservation of our environment and community. At the RSU, we felt that there is no better way to celebrate our local sustainability heroes than ask the Hive Café’s manager Rosie English and her wonderful team what sustainability means to them and how we can invite it into our day-to-day lives.  

A Café with a Misson: 

Located near Digby Stuart Chapel, the Hive Café is the only independent outlet on Campus. The Hive Cafe makes an excellent job of ensuring that sustainability on campus remains accessible. Students don’t have to choose between affordability and their values – at the cafe a balance can be found as well as a calming environment and engaging community.  

From composting coffee grounds to prioritizing ethical suppliers and employing Roehampton students, at every turn the Hive makes choices dedicated to championing sustainability. By making a series of small, consistent choices, the Hive’s impact on sustainability over time only serves as an example of what can be achieved.  

We asked The Hive.... How can students be sustainable? 

According to Rosie: 

“One of the most impactful changes students can make is reducing food waste. Simple habits like shopping more intentionally, planning meals, or batch cooking can help ensure food actually gets eaten rather than thrown away.  

If meals are already prepared and stored in the fridge or freezer, it’s much easier to avoid ordering extra food and letting ingredients go to waste.  

When waste does happen, disposing of it responsibly is also important. Using the university’s food waste bins, compost facilities, and separating and rinsing packaging for recycling all help ensure waste is handled properly."

Inspirational Women through History  

We then asked Rosie, who inspires her to continue the message of sustainability. Her answer was Linda McCartney, and here is why: 

“She was a huge cultural presence who helped shift how people thought about plant-based food and those who ate it. By creating some of the first widely available meat-free products in supermarkets, she helped move vegetarian food beyond the idea of just grains and pulses. I admire her vision and creativity, but also the legacy her family continued after her passing through initiatives like Meat Free Monday. The idea that meaningful change can begin with small, achievable steps is a lesson that has stayed with me.” 

We Asked... Can Financial Sustainability and Environmental Sustainability Coexist? 

The Hive answered:  

“There’s a common perception that sustainable choices are automatically more expensive, but in our experience that isn't always the case. Many of the most sustainable foods—grains, lentils, beans, vegetables, and plant-based alternatives—are also among the most affordable, while being nutritious and versatile. 

Often the higher cost comes from “eco-friendly” branding on products people don’t necessarily need, which can encourage overconsumption in itself.  

At The Hive we focus on simple, thoughtful sourcing and menus built around ingredients that are both affordable and sustainable. This allows us to keep food accessible to students while still aligning without environmental and ethical values. In many ways, those goals support each other rather than compete. For example, we offer three £5 deals—coffee and cake, soup and a toastie, and a meal deal—all sourced with care while providing affordable options for breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon treat"

Final Thoughts: 

Whether you use the Hive or not, this female-led café is an excellent example of women leading the change for sustainability on campus. Their commitment to maintaining a balance between different types of sustainability provides an inspirational message that can be felt across the Roehampton community.