@ucweston This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and our HEART Team have been super busy planning and hosting an array of activities and events. To end the week with smiles and positivity, we invited our puppy pals in for walks and cuddles 😻🙌
♬ Home – Speed songs 🫶🏻
This week was Mental Health Awareness Week and, here at University Centre Weston, we have been commemorating the occasion with an array of exciting and awareness-boosting activities.
Each day has been filled with different events for our students to engage and interact with – from guest speakers helping with finance worries, to happy canine visitors to reduce stress!
The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is Anxiety, with the sessions and activities having a heavy focus on reducing stress and creating a calm and safe environment. This is something we recognise is important to do all year round, to ensure our students can feel comfortable and assured throughout their studies.
The Mental Health Foundation highlight the important of this year’s theme. According to their website, focusing on anxiety for Mental Health Awareness week will “increase people’s awareness and understanding of anxiety by providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem. “
The sessions were planned and facilitated by UCW’s incredible Welfare and HEART team, led by Jess Darby who tell us:
With the HEART Team available all week to offer guidance and support, we organised various activities to cater to different interests and needs.
We ran a Book Club, which provided a platform for students to engage in meaningful discussions about captivating reads. For those seeki
ng creative outlets, our creative drop-ins provided a space for self-expression and exploration. We were also fortunate to collaborate with Sacred Space Yoga, whose expert instructors led a gentle flow yoga session. This holistic practice allowed participants to find balance, reduce stress, and restore their energy.
Recognising the importance of financial well-being, we partnered with HSBC to offer on-site support and guidance. Students had the opportunity to address financial concerns and gain valuable insights into managing their finances effectively. To infuse positivity and growth, we organised a sunflower planting activity. And, of course, no mental health initiative would be complete without the therapeutic power of furry friends. We arranged for puppy cuddles, which brought smiles.
Thank you to everyone who took part in discussing, listening and raising awareness this week. Together, we are creating a community that values and supports mental health.
