University Mental Health Day

 News 

Bath Spa students and staff embrace University Mental Health Day 2023

Bath Spa hosted a number of events for this year’s University Mental Health Day (9 March), in a bid to make mental health a university-wide priority, and help destigmatise the topic within higher education and beyond.

Activities took place across the University’s Bath campuses. All were joined together with the common theme of helping students and staff to build better mental health, in order to create a change today, tomorrow, and for future generations.

The initiative encouraged the Bath Spa community to learn more, develop useful tools and techniques, and be inspired to incorporate mental health ‘building bricks’ into their everyday lives. Opportunities for students included:

• Interactive Lego stations to help them consider what their own ‘building blocks’ might look like for better mental health.
• Meditative art and colouring therapy.
• Creative positivity badge-making workshops.
• Support, guidance and advice from Bath’s Mind charity and The Samaritans.
• Talking sessions with a Student Wellbeing Services team member and the Chaplaincy team.
• Garden games with the Students’ Union.
• A chance to meet some of the University’s calming care dogs, Logan, Wanda, Bertie and Cassie.
• Complimentary hot chocolates.

In addition to the above, the following activities were also arranged for staff and students:

• Nature walks with Newton Park campus Grounds Manager, Penny Snowden.
• A self-belief talk and Q&A on ‘Maintaining Good Mental Health’ from James Shone, an inspirational partially-sighted motivational speaker and founder of the I Can and I Am charity.
• Yoga for all. As well as a separate session for men who, according to research, carry the burden of the years-long stigma around opening up and talking about their mental health.

Steve Parsons, Projects and Activities Coordinator in Student Wellbeing Services at Bath Spa University said:

“Now more than ever, it’s important that staff and students join together to get the nation talking about student mental health. Good mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. It's how the day feels to us, as well as our ability to do the things we need and want to, including work, study, getting on with people and looking after ourselves and others. Talking to students and staff about their mental health at these sessions has been invaluable, and I am keen to use their feedback to enhance our future activities and services, all year round.”

To find out more about the university’s mental health services visit the Student Wellbeing Services mental health pages.