Author Archives: Miriam Sandiford

SafeZone competition winners

Competition winners

Congrats to our SafeZone competition winners! They each won a £50 Coop gift card, and were chosen from a pool of students who registered on SafeZone at the start of the year.

Pictured are winners Dan and Roland, along with Mark, Head of Security, and Kelsey, Sustainable Travel Operations Coordinator.

What is SafeZone for?

SafeZone is a free and simple-to-use app for students and staff at the University of Kent. It’s main uses include summoning emergency help and first aid to your exact location on the Medway and Canterbury campus and support on the Canterbury Connected Routes between the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University.

You can use SafeZone:

in an emergency for urgent assistance from Campus Security
to get first aid and medical assistance for you or a friend
to receive notifications if there is an incident on campus that requires you to take action
to check-in when working late on campus
for general enquiries with quick access to the University of Kent switchboard.

SafeZone only shares your location when you request help, and when you do so this is only shared with the Campus Security team. The team will always call you when they receive an alert, so if you do press a button by accident, be sure to answer the phone so they know you are safe.

Download SafeZone and find out more on the University of Kent SafeZone guide

Connected Routes

If you are living off-campus or regularly walk into the city centre, make sure you have SafeZone installed to access the Canterbury Connected Routes. Any activation of SafeZone on the Connected Routes will give the University of Kent or Canterbury Christ Church University security control room your location, so they can offer you support.

Connected Routes have regular patrols from local services and university Street Marshals, increased lighting and CCTV coverage and are covered by the SafeZone App. There is also refuge points along these routes where you can wait for help to arrive in a safe space, you can find out more information on the Connected routes refuge points.

Find out more about Canterbury Connected Routes, and download a Connected Routes map here.

WorldFest Bitesize Fund for cultural events and celebrations

We’ve set up the Worldfest Bitesize Fund so you can apply for a financial award of up to £250 to help run a multicultural event.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the date of the event.

Examples of past events and celebrations we have supported include Diwali, Chinese New Year, Thanksgiving, Kent African Summit, Newroz, Holi, African Evening Gala, Discover Islam, Japanese Cultural Festival, Asian Fusion and a Thai Festival.

Open to all Kent Societies and students.

Find out more about how to apply for the WorldFest Bitesize Fund.

Register your interest in campus accommodation for next year!

Are you and your friends thinking about where to live next year? Take the hassle out of house hunting and worrying about deposits or rising bill payments by returning to live with us again next year either on our Canterbury campus or in Pier Quays, Medway.

You can register your interest now and gain access to our application pages 24 hours early when they open in mid-January 2023!

Any returning student can apply and we’re guaranteeing over a thousand rooms for our Canterbury and Medway returning students for 2023/24. Other benefits include:

Living with your friends – tell us in your applications and as look as you meet our guidelines we’ll house you together.
Pay no bills – all utilities are included (gas, water, electricity, heating and Wi-Fi) meaning there’s no unexpected bills or price hikes. Plus, you get to keep your sport membership for free for another year.
No deposit needed to secure your room – pay nothing until September 2023 for Canterbury campus accommodation and only an advanced rent payment for Pier Quays.
Quick and easy – to register your interest and you can submit for yourself or on behalf of a group You’ll then be ahead of the game when applications go live in January with your early access.

For Canterbury accommodation you can apply for any area except Turing College (which is reserved for new students). In Medway we also have phase 2 rooms available in Pier Quays which returning student applications are given priority for.

Find out everything you need to know on our returning student accommodation page or register your interest now.

Travel Plan Survey – win up to £150 on your KentOne card

It is that time of year where the Transport Team are working on developing a New Travel Plan and we want to hear from staff and students about your commute to and from the University and travel within the local area.

By completing the survey, you help us plan our future transport strategies, understand what current services are working well, what improvements or changes staff and students would like to the current transport options provided, and help us with our carbon emissions research.

Plus complete the survey for the chance to win £150, £75 or £50 on your KentOne card. Or if you’re based at Medway you can choose a voucher for the Deep End.

The survey closes 23:59 Monday 21 November 2022.

Students Survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/VJXA2S/ 
Staff Survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/YVTNS2/

Events roundup: 31 October – 6 November

Here’s a roundup of our top events this week:

Monday: Happy Halloween!

There’s some fun Halloween events on Monday including Halloween themed Zumba, Spookyoke at K-Bar, and a Halloween Escape Room at The Hub!

Tuesday: Addiction open lecture and help with CVs and cover letters

Join the open lecture about Addiction from Keith Humphreys, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Stanford University, California. The lecture is on the topic of ‘Addiction: What it is, how it happens, and how people recover’ and will be in the Moot Chamber of the Wigoder building. Free and open to all, book your place.

Need some help with your CV or cover letter? The Careers and Employability Service are running an interactive session covering the essentials of writing an effective CV and cover letter. The event is taking place in Darwin and will also be livestreamed.

Wednesday: Leading Routes workshop and Sustainability interactive session

Leading Routes aims to empower the next generation of Black academics. Join this session on accessing postgraduate research, open to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Lunch and refreshments will be provided for attendees.

Find out what Kent is doing about the Climate Crisis and your role in sustainability advocacy. You will begin to explore and develop the skills for sustainability – Global Citizenship, Cultural Awareness and Leadership.

Thursday: Waterfront Leisure tours and International Wellbeing Group

Based in Medway? Waterfront Leisure on Pier Road has recently re-opened its doors after an extended period of closure. They are keen to partner with the Universities at Medway, with an Open Day on Thursday 3 November where they will give tours for Waterfront Leisure and discuss discounted membership options.

On Thursday afternoon we have our International Wellbeing Group, an online weekly peer support group for international students at Kent with games, chats and support.

Saturday: Wild Wellbeing crafting and Bonfire Night celebrations

Enjoy some time in nature on Saturday and join East Kent Mind and the Kent Community Oasis Garden team for a craft session making leaf lanterns.

Remember remember the 5^th of November… There are multiple fireworks displays taking place on Saturday evening across Canterbury and Medway, including at Great Lines Heritage Park in Gillingham (free), and Tyler Hill in Canterbury.

Or if you’re not a fan of fireworks, head to KLT4 in Keynes for a Bonfire Film Night instead.

See more student events.

Opportunities

Share your experiences with disability and become involved in a campaign to raise awareness this Disability History Month (16 Nov- 16 Dec)
Apply for the Postgraduate Community Experience Awards – funding to help improve the postgraduate experience at Kent
Book your place at the Postgraduate Open Event, Wednesday 16 November
Enter the ‘Images of Calm’ photo competition

See more student opportunities

Postgraduate Community Experience Awards – event and project funding

What is the award for?

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) invites applications for funding from postgraduate students (of all levels across all of our locations) to run events or projects which have an interdisciplinary and/or external focus which will enhance the community experience of postgraduate students at Kent.

Successful applicants will be awarded up to £1500 to fund their project.

What is the criteria for entry?

Successful applicants will put forward:

A clear commitment to build community across a number of academic divisions/disciplines.
A broad interdisciplinary and/or external focus.
A detailed breakdown of the planning, implementation and budgeting of the event/project.
A new, innovative idea not currently in existence.

Proposals must also:

Be planned to take place within the academic year in which the applicant has applied for it.
Be based on the applicant’s main campus/centre, though external locations (up to 20 miles away) may be considered if vital to the project/event.
Be consistent with Kent’s regulations on data protection.

We particularly welcome applications engaging with the themes of wellbeing, internationalisation, career or research career development, and equality, diversity and inclusivity.

How can I spend the money?

Successful applicants will work on the project/event on a voluntary basis, with funding put towards materials/external assistance.
The GRC will assist with room bookings and small purchases of materials, but all other activities must be managed by the awardee themselves.
Applicants are encouraged to use Kent services such as Kent Hospitality and Design & Print Services in order to keep costs down.

Funding cannot be used for:

Serving alcohol unless part of a fully justified reception or dinner.
Supporting pre-existing projects.
Donations to charities, groups, or individuals.
Paying current students to participate or support a project/event. Small incentives may be possible, but the panel will favour voluntary support.

How to apply!

Once you have come up with a great idea to enhance the postgraduate community experience at Kent, you will need to think about how you want to make it happen. Discuss your idea with friends and colleagues, and make sure your supervisor is aware that you want to submit an application. You will need to provide a letter of support from your supervisor or School’s Director of Graduate Studies, so talk to them as well.

When you are ready, you will need to fill out an Application Form and email it to kentgrc@kent.ac.uk by the allocated deadline.

Application deadlines:

Opens Monday 3 October, closes Friday 11 November.

Read about previous winners

Clocks going back: plan your journey home (Medway)

Clocks go back on Sunday night. As it will get darker earlier, here’s some top tips to help you #StaySafe. Whether you’re going on a night out or you’re working late in town, make sure to plan your journey home.

Check bus services

Depending on how late you stay out, you might be able to catch a bus home. Arriva is the main bus operator in Medway. Find out more about bus services in Medway.

Booking a registered taxi

If you’re booking a taxi, make sure it is registered. You can tell if a taxi is licensed by checking if there is a licence plate on the front and back of the vehicle. They are usually positioned under or next to the vehicle registration plate. Drivers of licensed taxis will also be wearing an ID badge and you can ask to see this if it is not immediately visible.

Recommended walking routes on campus

If you’re walking across campus at night, we recommend you use the following walking routes that are fully lit:

Campus Security Walking Taxi service

If you don’t want to walk home alone on campus, you can call Campus Security on 01227 82 3300 and they can arrange for a member of Security to walk with you.

Look out for your friends and don’t leave anyone behind #StaySafe

Clocks going back: plan your journey home (Canterbury)

Catch the night bus

You can catch the Stagecoach Uni2 bus after a night out in Canterbury. It’s a 24 hour service (excluding Sundays, bank holidays, Christmas and Summer vacation). Learn more about Stagecoach bus routes and discounts.

Student safe taxi scheme

In Canterbury, we operate the student safe taxi scheme with Longleys Private Hire, a local taxi firm. The scheme gives students who find themselves in a vulnerable situation safe travel to their accommodation or another destination, such as a police station or local hospital. Students can request a taxi through the scheme even if they do not have the funds to pay the fare at the time of booking, as fares can be paid later on the Online Store.

We recommend you sign up to the scheme in advance in case you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to use it. Registration is quick and simple and all students who register will be entitled to discounted taxi fares on all journeys with Longleys.

Booking a registered taxi

Campus Security Walking Taxi service

If you don’t want to walk home alone on campus, you can call Campus Security on 01227 82 3300 and they can arrange for a member of Security to walk with you.

Canterbury Connected Routes

Connected Routes is a joint initiative been University of Kent, Kent Union and Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU). By joining up, we can offer support to you in Canterbury city as well as on campus. Any activation of SafeZone on the Connected Routes will give the Kent or CCCU security control room your location, so they can offer you support. Plus there are refuge points where you can go if you ever feel unsafe or need support. Find out more about the Connected Routes.

Look out for your friends and don’t leave anyone behind #StaySafe

BFI London Film Festival comes to the Gulbenkian

This November the BFI London Film Festival comes to campus at the Gulbenkian, with a season of screenings of films making waves at the film festival. These include Oscar tipped The Banchees of Inisherin, My Policeman starring Harry Styles, and Bros, the LGBTQ+ rom-com getting rave reviews.

The Banshees of Inisherin

Fri 11, Sat 12 and Thu 17 Nov, 19.00

Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, ‘The Banshees Of Inisherin’ follows lifelong friends Padraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship.

Book for The Banshees of Inisherin

Decision to Leave

Sat 19, Wed 23 and Thu 24 Nov, 19.00

A man falls from a mountain peak to his death. The detective in charge of the investigation, Hae-joon (Park Hae-il), comes to meet the dead man’s wife Seo-rae (Tang Wei). When she becomes a suspect, Hae-joon finds himself slowly developing an interest in her.

Book for Decision to Leave

My Policeman

Sun 20 & Mon 21 Nov, 19.00

A beautifully crafted story of forbidden love and changing social conventions, My Policeman follows three young people – policeman Tom (Harry Styles), teacher Marion, and museum curator Patrick as they embark on an emotional journey in 1950s Britain.

Book for My Policeman

Triangle of Sadness

Sat 26, Sun 27 Nov & Thu 1 Dec, 19.00

Two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Ostlund cements his position as contemporary cinema’s leading satirist with this savagely funny tale of class clashes and role reversals.

Book for Triangle of Sadness

Bros

Fri 25 & Tue 29 Nov, 19.00

Universal Pictures proudly presents the first romantic comedy from a major studio about two gay men maybe, possibly, probably stumbling towards love. Maybe. They’re both very busy.

Book for Bros

Call Jane

Mon 28 & Wed 30 Nov, 19.00

A housewife is overjoyed with the news of her pregnancy – until she learns it poses a threat to her own life. She has nowhere to turn until she meets an underground group of women who risk everything to provide people like her with a choice.

Book for Call Jane

Staff discounts at the Gulbenkian

New for this year, Gulbenkian have introduced a Kent Staff Membership. For only £10 you get:

4 free cinema tickets
20% off all films for 12 months
plus 40% of selected theatre for 12 months
and 10% off in the Gulbenkian Café………for 12 months
AND your discount can be applied for up to 6 tickets per event!

Visit the Gulbenkian site to buy you £10 membership.

Waterfront Leisure – tours and discounted membership (Medway)

Waterfront Leisure on Pier Road has recently re-opened its doors after an extended period of closure. Facilities include a swimming pool, gym, squash courts, a spinning room and members bar.

Waterfront are keen to partner with the Universities at Medway and offer a discounted membership to staff and students. There is an Open Day on Thursday 3 November with slots available for tours starting at 10.00, 14.00 and 16.00. They will also discuss membership options and discounts with those who attend.

If you are interested in taking a look, please sign up for one of the slots by following the Eventbrite link Waterfront Leisure Open Day Tickets, Gillingham | Eventbrite