University of Gloucestershire graduates and current students have won awards in a worldwide design competition celebrating inspiring projects with positive social or environmental impact.

The Creative Conscience Global Awards aim to encourage, recognise and reward graduates and students across the world for developing socially valuable projects and campaigns that look to improve the lives of people and communities.

Ethan Lee, a 2022 product design graduand, was highly commended in the product and structural design category for creating the world's first high-end artisan lampshades from used cigarettes.

Ethan said: "My inspiration came from discovering that cigarette filters are the most thrown away plastic in the world, with 4.5 trillion being irresponsibly disposed of each year.

"Studies suggest that one cigarette filter can contaminate up to 500 litres of water through the release of toxic chemicals, so I made it my mission to develop a product using this toxic waste.

"Other sustainable lampshades on the market are typically made from paper, cardboard and wood which, although recyclable, don't reduce the amount of plastic entering the environment.

"I really hope the lampshade will help to change the way people view waste. The next steps consist of gaining funding to establish the most efficient and sustainable system to produce the lampshades, create a product line to suit different customer requirements, and to obtain a full legal stamp."

Lucy Donagh, who graduated from the university with a degree in advertising, won a Creative Conscience Gold award in the advertising category for a project about female sexuality, while 2022 advertising graduands Nicola Coombs and Harriett Smith won a silver award in the same category for a campaign promoting support for refugees.

Nicola and Harriet said: "Often refugees are thought to be uneducated and poor, but we want to prove this is not the case. Our campaign highlights that the majority of refugees already have successful careers when they arrive in the UK."

Alice Werrell and Hannah Freeman, both advertising graduates, were highly commended in the advertising category for their work in educating people about the symptoms of skin cancer and encouraging them to seek early diagnosis.

Lucy Rose and Elizabeth Eastwood, both advertising graduates, were highly commended for a campaign highlighting the obstacles facing women in the journalism industry.

Another advertising graduate, Abbie Perring, won a silver award in the motion graphics category for her project Key4Life, looking to help young people change their lives amid a rise in teenage knife crime.

Advertising graduate, Mary Kingcott, won bronze in the digital and technology category for a series of laptop stickers which encourage real-life conversation and action in fighting for justice against political, social and ethical issues.

Peter Elliott, currently studying for a BA (Hons) degree in illustration, was highly commended in the illustration category for a piece depicting the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, leading his people during the conflict with Russia.

Harriet Lewis (graphic design) was shortlisted for her project On Your Feet, based on cognitive behavioural therapy, which aims to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and stress.