During the first week of December, Fayaz Kareem - the Students’ Union Vice President Community and Welfare put on 5 days of activity and comms that all had a focus on mental health and wellbeing. The aim was to provide students and staff with an opportunity to do something that had a positive impact on their personal wellbeing. Whether that be taking a few minutes to write something on our gratitude canvases, grabbing a free herbal tea, taking part in a craft activity or chat to stall holders at our health and wellbeing services fair.

We had some great interactions with students and staff throughout the week and thoroughly enjoyed meeting lots of new people as well as seeing some Students’ Union regulars! Have a look at what we got up to during the festival below!

Bower Ashton students got creative during a Clay and Play session.

Peacful Pots came in to run another Clay and Play session which always proves popular! Students showed off their creativity making Christmas decorations, mini sculptures, pinch pots and more. 

Dr Abby Tabor from UWE’s Psychology department lead a seminar on ‘Building Healthy Communities’.

18 students attended the seminar and we had some great conversation surrounding belonging, vulnerability, and the student experience from the perspective of our international students. As well as working in groups to dissect some key ‘issues’ in the UWE and wider Bristol community.

Student’s let us know what they were grateful for on our Gratitude canvases!

We set up gratitude canvases across the three campus sites and in the Frenchay Library which students and staff were invited to write or draw anything they felt grateful for as a way of bringing the student communities together via a shared project/piece of art.

350 people attended our Health and Wellbeing Services Fair.

Student’s and staff chatted to our lovely stall holders, did some mindfulness colouring and shared what they do to look after their mental health and wellbeing.

We got people peddling for free vegan smoothies on the Green Team’s Smoothie Bike.

We made 21 smoothies in total and spoke to students about The Green Team and the festival as well as how they were finding their studies/upcoming exams and assessments and the importance of self-care during this time period.

The Students’ Union meeting rooms at Frenchay and Glenside were transformed into peaceful wellbeing rooms.

The Wellbeing Room was open from 11-3pm and included yoga mats and beanbags, colouring and journalling materials and calming mood lighting. 

Becky Risley, UWE’s Specialist Drug and Alcohol Practitioner, spent an afternoon at Glenside to answer our health care students’ questions and share her knowledge.

Becky set up in the lounge area of the Glenside Students’ Union and had hot chocolate, mince pies and sweets to give to attendees as well as drugs and alcohol information kits, resources and leaflets about UWE’s drug and alcohol support services. The Q&A was an opportunity for students and staff to ask any questions they may have surrounding drug and alcohol use and Becky’s career in the sector.

Our City Campus Co-Ordinator Jane foraged materials for a ‘Make Your Own Wreath’ craft session at Bower Ashton.

We gave out free herbal teas!

We gave out free herbal teas at Bower, Frenchay and Glenside throughout the week and shared some of the health benefits each tea included.

We shared some of our key wellbeing tips and techniques.

A massive thank you to the following people/teams for being involved in the festival and making it such a success; NHS Blood Drive, Vita Health Group, MindHarp, Terrence Higgins Trust, UWE Feel Good, Peaceful Pots, Chinese Community Wellbeing, MJ Andarcia, Becky Risley, Dr Abby Tabor, The Green Team, Jane Garrihy and Freya Gundry.