The college group includes Royal Leamington Spa College, Rugby College, Warwick Trident College, Moreton Morrell College, Pershore College and Evesham College.

Activities are set to reach thousands of students with all six of the colleges involved and set to welcome a range of national and regional organisations – including Samaritans, Pride, SOS, Barnardos, MIND, Kooth and many more.

Mental Health Awareness Week runs from May 15-21 and the theme for this year is ‘Anxiety’ and students at Royal Leamington Spa College created poems and art reflecting the theme.

Chloe Hunt, Level 2 Health and Social Care student, has written two poems on the subject titled ‘Anxiety’ and ‘My Foe’. 

Jo Jo George, a Level 2 Art and Design student, has also created a piece of art titled ‘Anxiety’ which is set to be showcased in libraries across the college group.

The Coventry & Warwickshire Mind Mental Health & Wellbeing Bus will be at Rugby College on May 15, with staff and students also organising a fundraising event using the motor vehicle department’s race car simulator, manned and organised by students. 

People at the college are being asked to donate a small entrance fee to local mental health charity Coventry and Warwickshire MIND – with the participant recording the fastest lap receiving a prize.

Evesham College is set to welcome leading construction wellbeing charity The Lighthouse Construction Charity to speak with construction students on May 16. 

The talk will be broadcast to construction students at other colleges in the group, with Iain Haines discussing his own mental health and the support Lighthouse provides to the industry.

Elsewhere in Worcestershire, Pershore College will welcome representatives from Worcester Theatres, who will be delivering a workshop for students and staff, the Wildlife Trust and a range of other organisations on May 17.

Organisations including digital mental health and wellbeing company Kooth, Samaritans and MIND will be delivering digital sessions to staff and students across the group as part of the wider activities. 

Judith Abbott, Specialist Support Lead for Mental Health at WCG, says that the college recognises the importance of supporting the mental health of staff and students across the group and this is reflected in the comprehensive plans for Mental Health Awareness Week.

“The health and wellbeing of students and staff across our colleges is our upmost priority,” she said.

“Our mental health coaches are always available to speak with students about their mental health and the college’s mental health first aiders are a first port of call for staff, but this national awareness week provides an opportunity to expand on that work.

“We have put together a wide-ranging programme which will take place across our colleges in Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

“It’s fantastic that the students have been engaged in the planning for the events, whether that is through organising their own stalls, writing poems or support fundraising activities across the sites.” 

To find out more about mental health support at WCG visit https://wcg.ac.uk/page/1666/mental-health-support