Christmas at Staffordshire University Calendar of University Events 2018
Calendar of University Events
A handpicked selection of our most popular activities.
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For full details of our events over the festive period, connect with us on Facebook - @staffsuni / @staffsstudenthub www.staffs.ac.uk/student-services/whats-on-christmas.jsp
2018 We have a range of events going on over the festive period to get you in the Christmas spirit! We have handpicked a selection of our most popular activities, for more information and for details on further events, see the student app or social media. Christmas Wish Campaign When Where Cost
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through December from 1pm - 3pm Student Hub Free
Get into the festive spirit by entering our Christmas Wish competition and decorating a wooden hanging decoration and sharing your Christmas wishes with the University. All decorations will be displayed on the Christmas trees around the university and best decorations will win a prize!
University Carol Service When Where Cost
Wednesday 12 December 2pm Stoke Minister Free
Join us in the spectacular surroundings of the Stoke Minister for a traditional carol service, led by Revd. Mick Williams and supported by the Christian Union and Students’ Union. Everyone welcome! 3
Calendar of University Events
Christmas Deckchair Cinema When Where Cost
Thursday 13 December 6pm LRV Free
Deck(chair) the halls! Come and kick back in the LRV and enjoy some quality Christmas movies to really get into the festive spirit. Refreshments will be available to purchase from the LRV with all funds going to the Donna Louise Hospice.
Sing-a-long with Mick the Vic Where & when Cost
Blackheath Lane: 29 November at 12.30pm Poulson House: 2 December 12pm - 3pm Shrewsbury: 10 December 12.30pm Student Hub: 18 December 12.30pm Free
Join us for a Christmas sing-a-long in the student hub, complete with mulled wine and mince pies. The ultimate activity to get in the festive spirit!
Christmas on Campus When Where Cost
Tuesday 25 December from 3pm - 6pm Ember Lounge Free
Are you staying on campus or in the local area on Christmas day? Enjoy a Christmas service led by Revd. Mick Williams, followed by food, games and festive films!
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2018
New Year’s Eve Get Together When Where Cost
Monday 31 December, 2pm – 5pm Coalport Free
Get ready to welcome in the year 2019 at Coalport with friends enjoy BBQ, plenty of cakes and music.
The Students’ Union will also be hosting a range of festive events to help you get your fill of merrymaking. For full details on events held by the Students’ Union, visit www.staffsunion.com/whatson/
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Community Events
Find out what is going on around the area.
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2018 Christmas time brings about lots of events and activities in and around the area. To find out what is going on around the area, have a look at the following links. What’s on Shrewsbury https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/see-do/ things-do-christmas-shrewsbury What’s on Stafford and Stoke www.enjoystaffordshire.com/whats-on We have also listed some events which may be of interest, so you don’t miss out! Winter Wonderland When Where Cost
15 November to 6 January Birch Terrace Car park, opposite Hanley Bus Station Free
Entry to this fantastic event will be made through a huge festive gateway, you will be greeted by thousands of beautiful lights, hundreds of meters wooden walkway, Christmas characters and real Christmas trees. Featuring a real ice rink, Santa’s Grotto, a Bavarian style bar, swing grill and a variety of festive eats and treats in traditional wooden chalets. Theme park style rides (only otherwise seen in London at this time of year) will light up the sky for miles. www.winterwonderlandstoke.com
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Community Events
Trentham Gardens Lights Switch On When Where Cost
28 November 6.15pm Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent Free
This marks the start of the festivities at Trentham with the Christmas lights switch on. A feast of festive fun will get the seasonal countdown under way when Trentham Shopping Village hosts its popular annual Christmas Lights switch on. The traditional start to Trentham’s celebrations, the Christmas Launch on Wednesday 28 November will see the extended Shopping Village sparkle with festive lights and come alive with plenty of seasonal entertainment too.
Mother Goose Pantomime When Where Cost
28 November to 6 January Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Adults from £21.50, concessions from £15
Don’t miss the next fun-filled, family pantomime, Mother Goose starring Shropshire’s favourite Dame, the egg-cellent Brad Fitt. With lots of audience participation, and spectacular special effects, the show will be brought to you by Evolution, the same creative team behind last year’s smash hit Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Last year’s pantomime was seen by more than 40,000 people and was almost completely sold out prior to opening. It’s Shropshire’s BIGGEST pantomime! Early booking recommended. www.theatresevern.co.uk/shows/whatson/mother-goose
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2018
Middleport Pottery Christmas Lights Switch On When Where Cost
1 December Middleport Pottery Entry is ÂŁ3 on the door. Includes free clay activities. No tickets required.
From 6pm until 9pm. The start of the Victorian Christmas programme. Join the team at Middleport for Christmas tales on the boat, traditional carol singers and period costume all in their beautifully lit Victorian pottery factory. Middleport Studios, Clay College and Burleigh shops will be open for some early Christmas gifts.
Christmas at Shugborough, Stafford When Where Cost
1 December to 23 December Shugborough Estate, Stafford Free
Marvel at decorations inspired by the adventures, travels and triumphs of the two brothers who built Shugborough. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/shugborough-estate
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Community Events
Dick Whittington Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto When Where Cost
7 December to 6 January Gatehouse Stafford Adults £20.00, Concessions £15.50
This festive season will see Dick Whittington and his trusty friend Tommy the Cat dancing, twisting and singing their way to Stafford in search of fame, fortune and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Be prepared for the most amazing show in town as Dick dons his guitar, King Rat takes on a saxophone and a host of incredibly talented actors/musicians strike up the band live on stage for some true rock ‘n’ roll. Popular hits set to feature in this year’s Panto include hits ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘Aint No Mountain High Enough’, ‘Dead Ringer for Love’, ‘Eye of the Tiger’, ‘Walking On Sunshine’, ‘Gimme Some Lovin’ and many, many more! www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk/en-GB/categories/panto
A Georgian Christmas When Where Cost
8 December The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, ST1 3DW Free
Discover the customs and traditions celebrated by the Georgians at Christmas. How did they decorate their homes before the introduction of Christmas trees and what were the festive sweet treats of the day?
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Stokie Christmas Market When Where Cost
9 December 10am – 3pm Hanley Community Fire Station Lower Bethesda Street, City Centre, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3RP Free
Traditional Christmas Market with more than 80 stalls all indoors. There will be brass band entertainment, Santa’s Grotto from 12:00, and refreshments including Staffordshire oatcakes and lobby. Get stuck into your Christmas shopping, with a large variety of Christmas and craft items plus local produce, such as jams, chutneys, beers and wines. All this plus Santa and a brass band in a pleasant and warm environment, in support of local north Staffordshire charities.
Lichfield Christmas Food and Drink Festival When Where Cost
8 to 9 December Lichfield city centre Free
Over the two days, expect over 160 amazing high end food, gift and drink stalls to tickle those taste buds and to solve any last minute Christmas present buying all around the Lichfield city centre. www.visitlichfield.co.uk/event/lichfield-christmas-food-anddrink-2018
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Community Events
Carols in the Square When Where Cost
12 December 5.30pm Shrewsbury Free
Celebrate Christmas in Shrewsbury at the annual Carols in the Square concert. www.originalshrewsbury.co.uk/see-do/events/carols-square
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A Christmas Carol Evening When Where Cost
14 December 5pm – 7pm Gladstone Pottery Museum, Uttoxeter Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 1PQ Free
Enjoy a festive evening at the museum. Spend an evening at the museum celebrating the festive season at our twilight opening. See candle-lit demonstrations of pottery skills and listen to a brass band and Christmas carols in the cobbled courtyard. www.stokemuseums.org.uk/gpm/whats-on page
Robin Hood Christmas Pantomime When Where Cost
14 December to 6 January Regent Theatre, Hanley Tickets from £13.90
Don’t miss the ultimate pantomime adventure Robin Hood starring Jonathan Wilkes as Robin Hood and Christian Patterson as Friar Tuck as it comes to Stoke-on-Trent. Join the most heroic outlaw of them all as the arrow-shooting hero Robin Hood strives to win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marion while he and his trusty band of Merry Men outwit the evil Sheriff of Nottingham in a show packed full of comedy, action, adventure and plenty of glitz and glamour! www.atgtickets.com/pantomimes/stoke-on-trent
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What’s happening this Christmas?
Don’t think you will be the only student staying at University during the festive period. 14
2018 Are you staying at University during the Christmas vacation? Then don’t worry – we have plenty going on to ensure you don’t get lonely, instead we will help you get festive! Don’t think you will be the only student staying at University during the festive period. Many students, both home and overseas, stay at University during the Christmas and New Year vacation. No matter where you are from or whether you celebrate Christmas, there will be a range of activities and events happening on campus and around the city and local area to keep you entertained. The build up to the Christmas period is a time in the UK when everything comes alive; towns and cities are decorated with lights and festive decorations. Christmas can also be the perfect opportunity to meet new people, experience Christmas traditions and even get involved in the local community as a volunteer. The festive period is a time for helping others, giving something back to the Community and helping those less fortunate than ourselves. This is where Staffordshire University excels, and we use Christmas as the perfect opportunity to do something good, kind and nice for others. There are plenty of ways you can get involved and share in this experience. Check out all the volunteering opportunities at www.staffsunion.com/getinvolved/volunteer
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Accessing support during the festive break
Don’t worry – there will still be some support on campus to help you if you need it. 16
2018 The UK festive activities can be a busy time of year – shops will be bustling and evenings tend to be filled with parties as people celebrate this special time of year. Be prepared and expect everywhere, including transport and towns/cities to be busier than normal. However, as the University and Students’ Union shuts down for the Christmas vacation, you may find the University is quieter than during term-time. Don’t worry – there will still be some support on campus to help you if you need it. When will the University close? The University will be closed from 5pm on Friday 21 December 2018 and will reopen as normal on Wednesday 2 January 2019. Staff will not be accessing emails during this time as this is a holiday period for them, so to help you whilst we are closed, we have put together some useful links just in case you need help - particularly if this is your first year at University. It’s normal for students to worry over the festive period as it can be quite a challenge working on your assessments. But don’t panic, you aren’t alone, there is online support available.
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Accessing support during the Festive break
Support with your assignments We have a wide range of learning resources and tools to help you study effectively and develop the skills you need to succeed. www.staffs.ac.uk/support_depts/library/academicskills ASK – Assignment Survival Kit ASK is a great assignment survival kit. It breaks the whole assignment task into smaller, more manageable steps and helps you with your planning and time management. It also directs you to sources of research information which you may not be aware of and should therefore help improve the quality of your research and final assessment work. www.staffs.ac.uk/ask Campus Life Control Team – Stoke and Stafford campus The Control team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Control office is based in the Cadman Building main entrance and they will be managing the access to and safety and security of the University buildings and Halls of residence. The team will manage and attend incidents and emergencies on Campus as the first response. The Control office can be contacted on +44 (0)1782 294837 or by email: stoke-lodge@staffs.ac.uk Reslife The Reslife Hub at Coalport will be open until 5.00pm on 23 December and will reopen on 2 January at 9.00am. The Campus Control team are available 24 hours a day over the Christmas and New Year period and can be contacted on +44 (0)1782 294837 or by email: stoke-lodge@staffs.ac.uk
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Library Opening Hours Outside the staffed opening times the buildings are open for you to access as detailed, but there will be no Library staff at the Service Desks to help you. Don’t forget though, if you have a query you can ring us 24 hours a day on 01782 295770 (Note that outside staffed hours calls are handled by an external agency). You can find more details about the support available by visiting www.staffs.ac.uk/ support_depts/library Access to the buildings and libraries is by swipe card entry system at all times. Please remember you must bring your student card with you in order to gain access, and to use the facilities such as selfservice book machines and MFD printers.
Thompson Library, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent Campus DATE
OPEN
STAFFED
Monday - Thursday
24/7
09:00 - 19:45
Friday
24/7
09:00 - 16:45
Saturday and Sunday
24/7
13:15 - 17:45
Monday 17 December - Friday 21 December
24/7
09:00 - 16:45
Monday 24 December
24/7
09:00 - 16:45
Tuesday 25 December - Tuesday 1 January
24/7
Self Service
Tuesday 2 January - Friday 4 January
24/7
09:00 - 16:45
Saturday 5 January - Sunday 6 January
24/7
Self Service
To Sunday 16 December
Christmas Vacation Opening Hours
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Accessing support during the Festive break
Blackheath Lane Centre of Excellence, Stafford Campus DATE
OPEN
STAFFED
06:00 - 24:00
Self Service
Public and bank holidays Tuesday 25 December to Tuesday 1 January
Shrewsbury Health Library, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shrewsbury Campus DATE Monday 24 December Tuesday 25 December Wednesday 26 December Thursday 27 December Friday 28 December
OPEN
STAFFED
24/7 with out of hours card
Self Service
Closed but access with out of hours card
Self Service
24/7 with out of hours card
Self Service
Monday 31 December Tuesday 1 January
Self Service Closed
Self Service
Please note: Opening hours may vary for Bank Holidays and during the Christmas period, please check with the library for details.
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Self Service Opening Hours The times when the buildings are open but the Enquiry Desks are not staffed are referred to as Self Service or Out of Hours Opening. The buildings are supervised by Campus Services staff (there is also a Student Rovers team on site at Thompson Library) and access is restricted to: • Current Staffordshire University Staff. • Current Staffordshire University Students and Alumni. • NHS users who have a valid Library Card and an Out of Hours Access Pass.
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Accessing support during the Festive break
Emergency Support 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): • Phone for an ambulance and/or the Police on 999. • Go to the Accident and Emergency Department at a hospital. • Contact your GP or ‘out of hours’ GP support. • You can access the NHS 111 Service telephone 111 (24 hrs a day) • Phone the NHS Mental Health Access Service for South Staffordshire on 0300 555 5001 and for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin on 0300 124 0365. mentalhealth.sssft.nhs.uk • Phone the NHS Mental Health Access Team for Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire on 0300 123 0907. www.combined.nhs.uk/ our-services/adult-community/access-team • For information about options to consider immediately after a rape or sexual assault, visit the NHS Choices web pages. If you wish to contact a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in the Staffordshire and surrounding areas, you could contact: Grange Park – Sexual Assault Referral Centre. Cobridge Community Health Centre, Church Terrace, Cobridge, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 2JW. If you want to access the service with Police support please report the assault by telephoning 101. If you are an adult and want to attend SARC without the Police, please call the 24 hour self-referral number on 0800 970 0372. The Glade Sexual Assault Referral Centre for West Mercia. Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. Tel: 0808 178 2058 Visit: www.theglade.org.uk
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In addition to the services mentioned opposite, 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 Open: 10am - 10pm weekdays, 2pm - 10pm weekends and 2pm - 5pm Bank Holidays Email: pat@papyrus-uk.orgm Tel: 0800 068 4141 Text: 07786 209697 Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline Open: 7pm - 2am weekdays, 2pm - 2am weekends Tel: 0808 800 2234 Email: staffordshire.helpline@brighter-futures.org.uk Tel: 07860 022821 Karma Nirvana is a registered charity that supports victims and survivors of forced marriage and honour based abuse. Closed Christmas Day (25), Boxing Day (26) & Tuesday 27 December 2016, Sunday 1 and Monday 2 January 2017. Open: Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm. Email: info@karmanirvana.org.uk Tel: +44 (0)800 5999 247. Visit: https://karmanirvana.org.uk/ Samaritans Tel: 116 123 (24 hrs every day) Email: jo@samaritans.org Visit: www.samaritans.org
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Accessing support during the Festive break
International Student’s Guide to a British Christmas International student’s may easily wonder ‘what is going on in the UK at Christmas? What are all these strange things everyone has become obsessed with? And how do I have a classic British Christmas?’ Student.Com has all the answers! To find out more check out their blog www.student.com/articles/an-international-students-guideto-a-brilliant-british-christmas Looking After Yourself During the Winter Months As you have probably already noticed, the weather has changed over the past month or so. During December, January and February it can reach temperatures below freezing. It is important for your health to dress sensibly for the cold weather. The media has recently reported that this winter could be one of the coldest winters in 100 years, and in some places in December and January, temperatures could drop as low as minus 10-15 degrees! Although it is enjoyed by many people, it can be dangerous to walk around in the snow and ice without the appropriate footwear. It is a good idea to make sure you have warm, waterproof clothing and accessories, for example: • A warm, waterproof coat with a hood. • Gloves and a scarf. • Boots or heavy shoes, with a good grip to stop you from slipping in icy weather. • Wear several layers of clothing not just one layer. • Heated hand warmers (they omit heat for about 40 minutes and can be re-charged in boiling water) Visit amazon.co.uk for details (search: Magic Gel Reusable Hand Warmer).
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Stay warm at home by: • Closing your curtains at dusk and keeping your doors closed to block out draughts. • Have regular hot drinks and eat at least one hot meal a day if possible. Eating regularly helps keep energy levels up during winter. Try to ensure that the rooms you live and work in are warm enough, and that you have plenty of bedding at night. Not all buildings have double glazing or central heating, and dampness can make you feel colder. On the other hand, be careful not to keep your room too hot, as gas and electricity can be expensive - and it will feel even colder when you do go out. If your clothes get wet, make sure you dry them out thoroughly before you wear them again. For more information and practical advice go to: www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer/advice
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Wishing all Students a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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