Author Archives: Ronke Adeyemi

Walking buddies and JustCoffee

Stuck in your room and need to get out, but nobody is around to go for a walk? We can put you in touch with a walking buddy. This is a great opportunity to get out, meet another student and energise your mind! Find a reason to leave your accommodation, get outside and enjoy the fresh air with someone else.

Or you might like to have a virtual coffee or tea (or other beverage!) break with someone else but find that your usual network isn’t available. We’ll randomly match you with another student who’s looking for a coffee break buddy and email you their contact details so you can get in touch to arrange when to virtually meet.

If you’d like to take part and find a buddy, simply email wellbeingevents@kent.ac.uk from your Kent email address giving your mobile number and saying that you’d like to be matched for a Walking Buddy or Just Coffee and stating which campus (Canterbury or Medway) by midday on Friday, and we’ll randomly match you with another student to meet the following week.

For more information and to sign up, check out the Student Support and Wellbeing Events Calendar.

Please note: From 5 January 2021, England has entered a third national lockdown. You are able to meet with one other person from another household in a public place for exercise. Make you maintain social distancing (stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household.)

Statement on email sent 12.15pm – 14 January 2021

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by recipients replying to an email sent to some of our students on 14 January 2021. In order to minimise this inconvenience, the University’s IT department removed the ability of recipients to reply en masse to the email within a short time of the issue occurring. This means that if you had replied to the email after 14:00 your email would not have been distributed to the list. However, it is possible that many people continued to receive emails after this time. This is because of the volume of emails being sent before the list was frozen, resulting in the release of those emails over the course of the afternoon.

The University’s Data Protection Officer has had the opportunity to review the contents of the email, the manner in which the email was sent and the number of individuals affected by the breach.

They have determined that the data protection risk to individuals is minimal. This is because, apart from the email addresses of the individuals who replied to the mailing list before the list was frozen, no other personal data had been compromised, as the email distribution list was private. Furthermore, the email sent by the University was generic in nature which meant that its contents could not be used to deduce if the recipients shared any sensitive data in common with each other.

We have provided advice to those staff members involved in sending out the communication and have highlighted the availability of University tools the use of which can reduce the likelihood of the breach reoccurring. The University now considers the data protection element of the incident closed. If you would like to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (the body responsible for regulating the use personal data in the UK), please see the link below:

https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

Facilities on campus during lockdown

Canterbury campus facilities

From 11 January 2021, due to current national restrictions, all catering outlets, except for Rutherford Dining Hall, are closed until further notice.

For those students with Flex credits and those living in Keynes College and Becket Court with a Bed & Bistro catering package, all meals will be served in Rutherford Dining Hall until further notice.

You can find the opening hours for Rutherford here.

The Library Café is closed until further notice.

All sport and fitness facilities (with the exception of our Physiotherapy Clinic) will be temporarily closed until further notice.

The main Kent Union Plaza Co-op will stay closed until further notice, with the Park Wood Co-op remaining open to serve those still on site. You can see the availability of all the Kent Union services on their website.

Templeman Library opening hours

From Monday 11 January, Templeman Library’s new opening hours will be:

Mon – Fri 10.00 – 16.00
Sat -Sun closed

Please note that you now don’t need to renew or return any books, including document deliveries, till Friday 26 February inclusive.

See library and IT services COVID-19 updates.

Medway campus facilities

Drill Hall library will be open at the following hours:

Monday to Friday – 9:00 to 19:00
Saturday and Sunday – 9:00 to 17:00

The sports facilities are closed until further notice.

Pilkington is open between 8:00 to 16:00 for food and drink.

Looking after your wellbeing

There is a lot of support on hand for students over the Christmas period at the Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Canterbury

Students can contact the Canterbury Food banks for emergency food parcels. You can read more information about the food bank.

Student volunteers are on hand throughout the night if you just need someone to listen. The phone number to call is 01227 824848 or they have an instant chat function if preferred.

Campus Security staff are on duty 24 hours per day, 365 days per year and can always be contacted on their emergency number 01227 823333

Medway

At Medway, students have access to support through Medway Foodbank Vouchers (these can be obtained from the Medway Campus Chaplain) and Medway Street Angels. Please note that the foodbank itself is closing from the 23 December for 2 weeks.

For support with your finances, please contact GKSU Advice team to find out more about what support is available to you.

Please remember that the Medway Campus Chaplain is also available and can be contacted on MedwayCampusChaplain@gre.ac.uk.

Wellbeing

Student Support and Wellbeing continues to operate until 22 December and then will return on Monday 4th January. Wherever you find yourself over the vacation period, please find below some information to help you stay well and connected:

For expert information to help you through the challenges of coronavirus from Student Minds, check out the Student Space website which provides advice, as well as telephone, email, webchat and text support.

For 24/7 free online support from peers and trained professionals, all Kent students can access Togetherall.

If you’re having a difficult time and want to talk to someone, you can call the Samaritans free on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org.

If you would prefer to receive support via text message, Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope, simply text 85258.
Spending Christmas on campus? There’s lots happening for our on campus communities – for information on events, where to eat, meet, study, worship, walk and much more, check out the vacation webpage. Local GP surgeries (University Medical Centre in Canterbury, St Mary’s Island and in Medway) are operating according to normal opening hours apart from bank holidays, outside of these please use NHS 111.

Greenwich’s Wellbeing Hub provides resources to empower you to look after your mental wellbeing with practical tips on resilience and self-care. The University of Greenwich is also offering students Winter Care Packages that can be ordered here.

Remember, you can call Nightline to speak to a trained student volunteer about anything that may be troubling you. Greenwich students can access the London service on 0207 631 0101 or there are other online methods available.

More information, advice and resources will be posted throughout vacation on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts – check out @UniKentSSW.

Emergency support

NHS 111 is the NHS urgent help advice line. It’s fast, easy and free. Call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency.

For 24/7 free online counselling and peer support, all Kent students can access Togetherall for free.

Need to talk right now? Call the Samaritans free on 116 123

The university also offers a Wellbeing Page to provide links to Counselling Services, Self-help Resources, and ways to stay connected.

Facilities at Medway over Christmas

There will be numerous on campus facilities open during the Christmas break. You will be able to catch up on your studies at the library and pop into the student union.

Drill Hall Library

Drill Hall library will be at the following hours.

Monday to Friday – 9:00 to 19:00
Saturday and Sunday – 9:00 to 17:00

GSKU

The Student Union re-opens on 11 January. You will be able to pop into the Student Hub to speak to reception.

GKSU is now 100% online with the Student Hub being used for lateral testing. We are open 9:00 to 17:00. Students can email hello@gksu.co.uk or visit GKSU to talk to someone on our live chat.

Pilkington

Pilkington is open between 8:00 to 16:00 for food and drink.

Chaplaincy

The University Chaplaincy can be contacted via either of the following emails:
medwaycampuschaplain@gre.ac.uk OR medwayinternationals@gmail.com. On weekdays they can be contacted anytime between 9:00 to 18:00.

For more information, please head over to the GKSU website.

Facilities at Canterbury over Christmas

There are various campus facilities open during the Christmas break.

Templeman Library

From Monday 11 January, Templeman Library’s new opening hours will be:

Mon – Fri 10.00 – 16.00
Sat -Sun closed

Please note that you now don’t need to renew or return any books, including document deliveries, till Friday 26 February inclusive.

The Library Café, Group Study Rooms and booths are closed until further notice.

We are sorry that we currently can’t allow library access for visitors or external borrowers.

Catering facilities

Catering

From 11 January 2020, due to current national restrictions, all catering outlets, except for Rutherford Dining Hall, are closed until further notice.

For those students with Flex credits and those living in Keynes College and Becket Court with a Bed & Bistro catering package, all meals will be served in Rutherford Dining Hall until further notice. Please refer to these opening times and further information.

Woody’s

Although the bar and catering service will be closed, the student hub will remain open for the Parkwood shop and Study Hub.

Library café

The Library Café is closed until further notice.

Oaks nursery

Oaks will be open until 22 December when they close from 13:00. They will open up at 8:00 on 6 January.

Co-op at Main Plaza

Tyler Court

The reception is open over the Christmas break.

Chaplaincy

The University Chaplaincy will continue to be responsive throughout the Christmas period, so please email them at chaplaincy@kent.ac.uk or call/text 07970 438840 if you feel you need additional information or relevant personal support.

For traditional Christmas worship services with Christmas Carols (in person and online) why not explore the programme at Canterbury Cathedral.

Meanwhile, New Life Church is a partly campus-based ministry, led by our Pentecostal Chaplain and is offering online content.

St Thomas’ Catholic Church, Canterbury offers in-person and online services.

Please visit the University Chaplaincy website or email direct on chaplaincy@kent.ac.uk and sign up for their e-newsletter (a special Christmas edition will be sent out on 18 December). In addition, please contact them if you would like to receive a free copy of the booklet ‘Comfort and Joy’ (Christmas prayers and reflections, presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury). This can be delivered to you anywhere on Canterbury campus.

Charities to support over Christmas

These are the charities that the university are supporting over the Christmas period. Please feel free to donate if you wish.

Support The Salvation Army this Christmas 4 | The Salvation Army

Top 6 Charities That Help Children at Christmas Time (thespruce.com)

Porchlight

How to become an Age UK phone buddy this Christmas? | Metro News

Community Christmas Campaign: Volunteering and Events for Older People (reengage.org.uk)

The Times and Sunday Times Christmas Appeal 2020 | News | The Times

Here are some other charities you can get involved in.

Canterbury Homelessness

STAR refugees

There are also some letter writing campaigns for you to join:

Silverline

Postpals

How to study online effectively

We have put together some tips that help you to study effectively remotely.

Check out support available

Make sure you check out our online study support including the Online Learning at Kent: A Guide to Successful Study Online and you can speak to an adviser from the Student Learning Advisory Service.

Get into a routine and stick to it

Work out when you are most productive – are you a morning bird, afternoon person or are you a night owl?

Find your perfect spot

As draconian as it sounds, we are much more productive when sitting at a desk, so try and study there. If you are fortunate to have access to a quiet lounge or kitchen space then make use of that.

Get rid of all your distractions and that means your phone

The phone is by far the biggest time killer. I would advise that you turn off all your settings so you are not disturbed. If you find your phone too much of a temptation then just either switch it off or leave it in another room.

Create a study schedule

Set specific times for studying and for breaks. Start out doing periods of 30 minutes to study and five minutes for a break. When you know you have a break coming up, you will find it easier to focus on your studying. As you get used to this schedule, increase the study times to 45 and then 60 minutes. You could also try the Pomodoro technique. 25 minute intervals of work followed by a break.

Meditation

Recent studies show that meditating before you study can improve your reading comprehension, memory, concentration, stress and anxiety. There are some great apps that help you to meditate such as Headspace.

Noisy housemates

If you are lucky to have noise cancelling headphones, these can work like a dream. Or another idea is to work out when your house is the most noisy and quiet and organise your working hours around those times. If neither of these work then you might have to call a house meeting.

Support from other students

If you are feeling lonely and would like to meet up with your fellow student peers then we have a couple of schemes to give you the support you need.

Buddy Scheme

Kent Union are extending their Buddy Scheme to support those remaining on campus over Christmas. To ensure no student feels isolated over the vacation period, the Christmas Buddy Scheme gives an opportunity for anybody not returning home to pair up with other students, matched on their common interests and location. Buddies can meet virtually or in-person as part of a ‘Christmas bubble’.Buddies aren’t just for Christmas though and you might find a long-lasting friendship through the scheme.

Residential Life Assistants

The Residential Life Assistants will be staying on campus during Christmas. They are postgraduate student volunteers who host events and support initiatives within your College. They will be on hand to offer you support and organise events such as The Tw’Elf Days of Christmas competition and the Christmas Cookies baking event. You will be able to borrow baking kits and baking boxes, cooking books and jigsaws from the College and Residential Life team. They will also be hosting events via Zoom over Christmas. Please head to our calendar so you are updated on all their events.

How to stay safe on campus

We have some tips on how to stay safe on campus over the Christmas period while still
enjoying the festivities.

COVID

Due to COVID it is imperative that you follow the government guidelines:

Hands – please keep your hands clean.
Face – wear a face covering inside University buildings and where social distancing can’t be maintained. There are exemptions for a number of health and other reasons, please be respectful of those who are unable to wear a face covering.
Space – remember to socially distance from others.
Test – if you display any symptoms that could indicate Covid-19, self-isolate immediately, get tested, and let the right people know. Please read our procedure if experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 or have been advised to self-isolate.

We have some more tips on COVID and how to stay safe.

Personal safety

Your personal safety is important to us. If you are out on your own at night here are some tips:

If on campus, use our night-time walking taxi service by contacting Campus Security
Get a registered taxi – save some money for the end of the night, so you can be brought straight home – it’s much safer and easier
Get the night bus, the Uni2. Stagecoach provides a night bus and the route includes campus colleges and the local area.
Get a free personal safety alarm from Campus Security
Keep your valuables hidden – cover-up expensive looking jewellery, mobiles, keys, cash and cards
Stick to well-lit and busy areas. Avoid car parks and underpasses
Stay alert – don’t walk home on the phone or listening to music

We have some more information on how to stay safe at the Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Celebrating safely

The festive period is all about being merry but do exercise caution.

Don’t leave your drink unattended
Never accept a drink from a stranger or someone you don’t trust
If you feel ill, slightly drunk or wasted when you know you shouldn’t, your drink could have been spiked. If so, tell someone you trust and get to a safe place

Campus Security staff are on duty 24/7 and can be contacted on 01227 823333.

We have some tips on how to be merry and safe.

Free SafeZone app

The free SafeZone app gives you quick access to emergency services, first aid and the University.