Student Support and Wellbeing Service

Celebrating Connection: Our World Mental Health Day Pop-Up

counselling, Mental Health, Staff, Students Leave a comment
Last Friday, our university community came together to mark World Mental Health Day with a special pop-up event across both City Campus and St John’s Campus. Over 200 students took part, embracing the opportunity to focus on mental wellbeing, connection, and accessible support—not just for a day but every day.

This year’s World Mental Health Day theme highlighted the importance of making mental health support available during emergencies and crises. For our event, we wanted to show how everyday acts like kindness, self-care, and reaching out to others help us build resilience and keep us strong, regardless of life’s challenges. We were delighted to see so many students getting involved and sharing ways to look after themselves and their peers.

Across our campuses, our interactive activities created spaces for positivity and encouragement:

  • Positivity Postcards invited students to write uplifting messages for peers or take a card home to share with a friend or themselves, spreading kindness across campus.
  • Self-Care Lucky Dip offered practical tips and gentle challenges, inspiring students to discover new ways to nurture their wellbeing day-to-day.
Positivity Postcard, completed by students on campus, reading "Have a fabulous day being fabulous unique you"
Positivity Postcard
Positivity Postcard, completed by students on campus, reading "you can do it, keep going"
Positivity Postcard
Positivity Postcard, completed by students on campus, reading "the good times are always near"
Positivity Postcard

While 10 October is World Mental Health Day, the event reminded us that taking care of our mental health is a lifelong practice. Small actions—sending a cheerful note, pausing for self-care, or checking in with one another—add up to create a compassionate and resilient university community.

Remember, you never have to face things alone. The University offers confidential support through the Counselling and Mental Health Service, and the Student Support and Wellbeing Team. Appointments are easy to book via firstpoint. These services are here for every student, every day—not just during big emergencies, but whenever you need a little extra help.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at City Campus and St John’s for making World Mental Health Day such a success. Let’s keep building a campus where mental wellbeing is celebrated, and kindness is part of our daily routine.

Student Wellbeing Champions in front of our display of “positivity postcards” which students completed during the event.

If you’re looking for support, or just want to start a conversation about mental health, visit firstpoint to book an appointment or learn more about what’s available.