Christmas arrangements

The Campus Security Team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Security office is based in the Cadman Building main entrance and they will be managing the access to University buildings and Halls of residence during the Christmas break. The team will manage and attend incidents and emergencies on Campus as the first response. The Security office can be contacted on 01782 294837. If the Incident is an emergency please call 01782 294444.

You can also download the SafeZone app in case you ever need help on campus; you can use it to get first-aid, security or safety assistance via your mobile phone or PC.

The ResLife Hub at Coalport will be closed during the following period:  

Friday 20 December 4pm – Thursday 2 January. 

Normal office open hours resume 2 January 2025 from 10am.  

For any post collections, please visit the office before they close for the Christmas break. 

The Residential Support Coordinators last shift is Sunday 22 December 2024, and they will return on Tuesday 2 January 2024. You can contact them via the Campus Safety & Security team on 01782 294837 or 01782 294444.

You can reach the ResLife team during open hours by calling 01782 294221 or by emailing reslife@staffs.ac.uk.

Please note, maintenance Issues must be reported via SOLVE.

For any emergency out of hours maintenance issues, please call Campus Security on 01782 294837 or 01782 294444.

The campus will be closed from 7pm on Friday 20 December and will re-open on Monday 6 January from 8:30am.  

You can find information about student support services, and have a look at the range of resources available to you particularly whilst the University is closed, by visiting the current students pages.

Your Students' Union, will be available by phone, email, and social media from 11am - 3pm every day including the bank holidays to signpost you and offer information to any of those random questions that might pop into your head over the holidays. 

If you are looking for help in an emergency or feel you need support urgently, you could try one or more of these options (open 24 hours every day unless otherwise stated):

• Go to the Accident and Emergency Department at a hospital.
• Phone the NHS Mental Health Access Service for South Staffordshire on 0808 196 3002 and for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin on 0808 169 4501.
• Phone the NHS Mental Health Access Team for Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire on 0800 0 328 728.
• Mental Health Crisis Line/Crisis Support (Newham) Tel: Freephone 0800 073 0066
• Phone 101 Police (non-emergency)
• Phone for an ambulance and/or the Police on 999  - (emergency only)

For information about options to consider immediately after a rape or sexual assault, you can visit NHS Choices. 

If you wish to contact a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in the Staffordshire and surrounding areas, you could contact:  

Staffordshire & Surrounding Areas 

• Grange Park - Staffordshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre.  Cobridge Community Health Centre, Church Terrace, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2JW.  Telephone: 0300 7900 166. Open 9am - 5pm weekdays. 
• The Glade Sexual Assault Referral Centre - for West Mercia, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.  Telephone: 0808 178 2058.  
• Rape Crisis England & Wales - rapecrisis.org.uk / Tel: 0808 802 9999

London 

• London Survivors Gateway - Tel: 0808 801 0860
• East London Rape Crisis (Nia) -  Tel: 08454512547
• Rape and Sexual assault referral centres - The Havens - Whitechapel Site - Address: 9 Brady St, London, E1 5DG  - Tel: 020 3299 1599 (General Enquiries)  Tel: 0203 3299 6900 (Urgent Help).

If you are looking for help with your wellbeing, you could try some of the options below:

• See our self help pages
• Contact one of the Sources of Support found here https://www.staffs.ac.uk/students/support/student-wellbeing-and-safeguarding/other-sources-of-support
• Contact your GP or 'out of hours' GP support.
• You can access the NHS 111 Service telephone 111 (24 hrs a day).

In addition to the services mentioned above, if you are looking for support outside of our opening times, or are having suicidal thoughts or finding it difficult to cope, you could also try:

Papyrus HOPELineUK

Telephone: 0800 068 4141 (24hr 7 days a week, including Bank Holidays)  Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org  Text: 07786 209697.

Shout - Shout provide free, confidential 24/7 text support in the UK for anyone who is struggling to cope or in crisis.  Text SHOUT to 85258

SANEline - 4pm to 10pm, 465 days a year Tel: 0300 304 7000

The Samaritans

Freephone 24/7 from any phone 116 123. Email: jo@samaritans.org.
Local Branches:

• Stoke and Newcastle: 15 Chapel Lane, Burslem, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 2AB. Telephone: 01782 213 555 (local call charges apply).
• Stafford: Garden Street, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST17 4DD. Telephone: 01785 24 33 33 (local call charges apply).

Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline

Telephone: 0808 800 2234 365 days a year (6pm - 2am weekdays, 2pm - 2am weekends)  Email: staffordshire.helpline@brighter-futures.org.uk  Text: 07860 022821 (no charge)

Dove Service

Bereavement and Loss Counselling. Contact details can be found on their website. Bereavement Counselling and Support | The Dove Service

OR view our Emergency and 24hr support page here

LONDON

Newham Talking Therapies - Office hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Tel: 0208 175 1770 Email: newhamtalkingtherapies@nhs.net

Stratford Advice Arcade - Office hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm. Tel: 0208 221 1995 Email:info@saaonline.co.uk 

Mind In Tower Hamlets and Newham - Tel: 020 7510 1081 Email: info@mithn.org.uk 

Mind In City, Hackney and Waltham Forest - Tel: 020 8985 4239 Email: services@mindchwf.org.uk

For specialist  sources of support not listed above, please see our Sources of Support and Self help pages. 

You can find information about student support services, and have a look at the range of resources available to you particularly whilst the University is closed, by visiting the current students pages.

Wellbeing

If you are staying at university for the duration or part of the end of term break, making some plans in advance will help to ensure it is as good an experience as possible.

Your university is likely to be quieter over the break. At least some university buildings are likely to be closed for part of the time and most staff will be taking a well-earned rest from work. It may also be that there are fewer students around and less to do with your time.

In addition, if you normally celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, it can be easy to feel worried or upset at the prospect of spending it alone or away from your family.

While these worries are perfectly normal, there are things you can do to increase your enjoyment of the break. Taking control of your time proactively can help you to get the most out of the break and feel more positive.

Keep busy

Maintaining a daily structure and keeping active will help to maintain your mood and energy levels. A lack of structure and vegging out can be fine for a day or two, but over time it leaves us feeling sluggish and down.

Having a plan for each day can help you to stay active. You may want to think about socialising with friends who are still around; spring cleaning your room, getting regular exercise or studying for next term. This will help you to feel you are achieving something each day.

If you are returning home for part or all of the break, you can find further support and things to think about here Making the most of your time at home. 

Library Spaces

Library Core and Library Centre for Health Innovation, Stafford are open over Christmas. Please check the opening times on the Staffordshire University Library website before travelling to campus as times are different to the usual opening times.

Research and study skills problems?

If you are anxious about work you are doing for an assignment or worried about forthcoming exams why not take action?

• Look at our self help resources
• Attend an online workshop
• Book an appointment with one of the team to get some individual focused help
• Check the help yourself videos

The Academic Skills page has a range of resources to help you manage your assignments, including breaking down into manageable chunks and help with your planning and time management. It also directs you to sources of research information which you may not be aware of. This can help improve the quality of your research and final assessment work.

There is lots of international student support for our students to access over the Christmas break. On our website, you can find visa and immigration advice (including information on travelling to Europe), as well as everyday essentials. You can also find a list of local amenities for students who may be staying in the local area during the Christmas closure. If you still haven't found what you are looking for, try visiting our Sharepoint, which has more in-depth information about navigating Staffs as an international student. Do not forget that you can contact the Student Support and Experience Team (International) in the New Year by emailing internationalsupport@staffs.ac.uk. 

The Students' Union will remain open as an information point for students throughout the Christmas break, including Bank Holidays.

A duty staff member will be available by phone (01782 294629), email, and social media from 11 am - 3 pm each day.