Hop aboard a 'chatty bus' or design a bag to boost your wellbeing

Reflecting the ongoing effects of the pandemic on people’s social connections, the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is loneliness. According to the latest Government figures, 3.7 million adults “often or always” feel lonely in Great Britain – up from 2.6 million in 2020.

Students, meanwhile, may also be struggling with the disruption to their education caused by COVID, as well as coping with living away from home perhaps for the first time. In response, the University of Brighton has created a line-up of free events across Mental Health Awareness Week to encourage students to tap into a diverse range of wellbeing activities.

One of those is the ‘The Chatty Bus’, donated by Brighton & Hove Buses. This will be parked at the Moulsecoomb campus from 10am- 2pm on Thursday 12 May, offering interactive activities on board such as designing tote bags, as well as a mental health tombola. Representatives from Brighton and Hove Buses accessibility and communities will be there to share information, alongside Student Support and Guidance Tutors and the university's Wellbeing Champions.

There will also be further outings throughout the week for the university's popular ongoing ‘Walk my Dog' events, giving students a chance to take a break with some friendly canine company!

Patt Wrangles, Head of Student Wellbeing at the University of Brighton, said: “The last couple of years have been challenging for many people, in all sorts of different ways. We’re thrilled to be back on campus, learning and working together again – but this continues to be a period of adjustment for many, and some students and staff are still feeling the impact of the pandemic. 

“We’re now heading into what can be a particularly stressful time of year, so it's great to have the opportunity to take some time out to remember how important it is to look after our mental health and wellbeing.

“The work we do during Mental Health Awareness Week and throughout the year shows our dedication to supporting everyone at the University of Brighton to tackle loneliness and help them feel part of our community.”

Mental Health Awareness Week also provides a chance to spotlight the year-round work being done at University of Brighton - in particular the university's Centre of Resilience for Social Justice (CRSJ) and its social enterprise network Boingboing, established back in 2005. The CRSJ not only creates new opportunities for people to enjoy better lives both in Britain and abroad, but its research has led to systemic changes across social and education services to strengthen resilience in individuals and communities.

The Centre regularly collaborates with mental health support groups such as Young Minds and HeadStart. A typical example is a video coproduced with Young Minds for the Arts Connect programme run by Culture Shift in East Sussex, showcasing creative production with the Arts Ambassadors – a group of people with learning disabilities who work regularly with University of Brighton academics to bolster resilience and wellbeing research.

Watch a video about student wellbeing at University of Brighton, featuring an interview with Patt Wrangles.