Coming together to help our people in need through lockdown

It's been a challenging period for everyone in the ANU community during the ACT lockdown, but particularly for many of our students in on-campus residential accommodation who have had to go into quarantine.

Director of Residential Experience at ANU, Susan Helyar, says the silver lining has been the people in our community who have helped support these students in need.

"In ANU halls, lodges, houses and residential colleges so many students, along with our staff, have stepped up either in their leadership roles, or as volunteers, to support the people with whom they share a home, by helping to provide food, other essential supplies and social connections," Susan says.

"This support was provided on very short notice and at high intensity for a sustained period."

It's not just those in the ANU community who have offered support to these students. The Hindmarsh tradespeople who have been standing down from construction work in the physics precinct during the lockdown have helped to pack food.

Student leaders and other volunteers have ensured the residents in quarantine have been getting a balanced diet, with veggie boxes, emergency snack supplies and desserts.

"They've even helped move 80 fridges from one end of campus to the other so that students with restricted access to their self-catered kitchen could store meals on their floor," Susan says.

"It has been heartwarming to see the gratitude and goodwill shown by students towards staff, student leaders and volunteers."