Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) recently brought students and staff together for a Mental Health Fair.
The events at Uxbridge and Hayes campuses earlier this month were held to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, an annual campaign aiming to challenge stigma and highlight the importance of good mental health.
Sparking open conversations
Local charities and organisations shared information, advice and resources with the HRUC community to help spark open conversations around wellbeing and connect students with wider support services.
This included:
- P3, a national mental health and wellbeing charity
- Kooth, which offers a range of therapeutic tools for young people;
- Spectra, an accessible sexual health service.
Also in attendance were West London Mind, Hillingdon Cove, Hestia Cove, and Carers Trust.
Healthy ways to manage stress
HRUC’s Sports Facilities and Development Officer Neema Littlejohn stressed the importance of physical activity for good mental health by organising a variety of fitness challenges, while open conversation was encouraged through the medium of arts and crafts.
This was particularly important at the beginning of exam season, when anxiety is typically at its highest, and offered both students and staff the chance to discuss healthy ways to manage their stress.
HRUC’s Student Support Team said: “Events like this are a reminder of how important it is to create safe, supportive spaces within education where mental health can be talked about openly and without stigma.
“A big thank you to everyone involved.”
The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, Action, encourages everyone to play their part in creating a society that prioritises good mental health.
