After hosting a successful trial event for student parents at the start of term, Bedfordshire’s Students’ Union have organised another activity-filled afternoon for attendees and their children on Thursday 9^th December between 4:30–7pm.  

The event will be taking place in the Metro Bar & Kitchen at the Luton Campus and will feature pop-up craft tables to paint Christmas tree decorations and gingerbread men, as well as a soft play area for the children to enjoy, all accompanied by Christmas music.

Those attending will also be able to take advantage of the free tea, coffee and juice on offer, alongside mince pies and other seasonal snacks. All activities at the festive fun day are free to take part in and there will also be opportunities for Christmas-themed photos to be taken.

Beds SU Co-President, Laura Tamara – who is herself a mother of four, who balanced parenting while studying before working for the Students’ Union – spoke about why Beds SU decided to put on these events. She said: “We wanted to bring students with caring roles together in a social environment. Studying whilst balancing child care responsibilities can be demanding, so connecting with others who are in the same boat can be really helpful.

“Support of this kind is crucial and should be offered consistently to students throughout their studies. By offering social opportunities, universities like Bedfordshire can aid emotional well-being and create a sense of community.”

The SU previously hosted a student parent event back in October, running an active ‘play day’ , featuring a bouncy castle and children’s films which received lots of positive feedback.

Ruki Heritage, Director of Student Experience at the University, commented: “As a University, we are committed to lifelong learning and therefore events like this supporting student parents are really important. At Bedfordshire, we also have a Student Engagement Advisor who supports student parents, using their expertise to provide advice and to highlight support available on campus and providing student parents with a key contact if they have any concerns or queries.”