It’s almost time for the winter break and just like you, our SU staff are taking some time away to enjoy the festive season and recharge for the New Year! This means that SU staff will not be available to respond to enquiries during closing hours and any messages sent during this time will be responded to once we return after the holidays.
The Students' Union building will close at 4pm on Friday 20th December and will reopen in the New Year at 9am on Monday 6th January. During this period there will be no access to the building.
The different departments of the SU are closing for the festive break and reopening in the New Year at varying dates and times. Please familiarise yourself with the different SU closure times and ensure you get in touch with any departments before they shut!
- The SU Bar will close on Friday 13th December and reopen on Monday 6th January.
- The SU Shop will close on Friday 13th December and reopen on Monday 6th January.
- The Sports Centre's final day of operating is the 15th December and will reopen on Monday 2nd January.
- The SU Advice team will be unavailable from 4pm on Friday 20th December and will reopen on Tuesday 7th January. *Please ensure that you get in touch with the SU Advice team as soon as possible if you need support ahead of their closing date.
- The SU Sports & Activities team will be unavailable from Friday 20th December until Monday 6th January.
*Please note that these dates and times are subject to change, however, we will update this page as frequently as possible to ensure you have the correct information.
We wish you all a wonderful winter break!
Please remember to be kind to yourself and those around you. If you are in crisis and need support, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the support services mentioned in this article below, including urgent support for mental wellbeing from one of the 24/7 charities.
If you are travelling home for the holidays, please read our SU Advice guide here.
We can’t wait to see you all again in the New Year!
If you are looking for a welcoming space this winter, organisations in Plymouth are opening their doors to the public again. This includes community organisations, charities, places of worship and libraries around Plymouth which are providing warm, safe spaces to spend time in. Many offer extras such as free wi-fi, refreshments and activities!
Where to find support over the holidays whilst the SU is closed...
Although the festive season is associated with fun and joy, it can often be a challenging time for people, for many different reasons. Student Space run by Student Minds’ can help to support you over the winter break with lots of information, tools, and articles on their website that may be helpful and relevant to students. This includes support for students who are staying in their university accommodation and for those who are travelling back to stay with family/friends over the break. View Student Minds' winter break support resources here.
Visit the Student Mind’s website here.
- SU Advice self-help resources
During term time, our SU Advice team are here to support you on a variety of issues and challenges that you may face during your time at university either in person, over the phone, or via email. Our Advice team will not be reachable over the winter break (see above for closing times), however, you can find a variety of practical, self-help resources on the SU Advice page on our SU website, including on the topic of wellbeing. You can also find links to external websites that provide self-help resources and suggestions for apps to download which support mental wellbeing.
- University of Plymouth online wellbeing resources
The University of Plymouth provides a selection of online self-help resources for University of Plymouth students via the Student Portal to support your emotional, physical, social and financial wellbeing. Online self-help resources offer you easy and immediate access to information and support tools, they can be accessed anytime from anywhere making it easy for you to seek information whenever you need it.
The University of Plymouth has partnered with Togetherall—a safe, online, peer-to-peer 24/7 global community moderated by clinical professionals to help individuals take control of their mental health anonymously through a wealth of resources and self-help courses for free. Find out more about the Togetherall service and available support over Christmas here.
- Urgent support services open 24/7 during the winter break:
If you need to speak to someone urgently about your mental wellbeing over the winter break, including on Christmas Day, the following support services are available to contact 24/7 for anyone in crisis:
- Shout - Text support line (open 24/7)
- Samaritans - Phone/Email support line (phone line open 24/7 - email support can take several days)
- Welsh Phone line & text support (open 24/7)
- Accessing food in Plymouth once the SU and University have closed for winter break:
Community Larder: sometimes, a little help can go a long way. Our Community Larder is here for those moments when you need it most. Funded by the SU, this initiative provides staple food items to students in need.
How does it work?
- Visit the Student Hub or the SU Advice Centre to discuss your situation.
- A referral form will be submitted on your behalf, and we’ll arrange a convenient time for you to collect a bag of essentials.
What’s in the bag? Items like rice, pasta, oats, milk, and tinned goods—everything to help you keep going.
Learn more:
*Please note, from Friday 20th December - Monday 6th January (over the winter break) collections will be available from the Student Hub instead of the SU. The Student Hub is open up until Christmas Eve and closed from 25th December to the 1st January.
Iif you are in urgent need of food support during 25th Decmber and the 1st of January then please take look at the Plymouth Food Aid Network...
The Plymouth Food Aid Network has a Community Food Access map with all the different charities, community groups, and organisations who are able to support people living in Plymouth by providing food. You can find information on how to access food via the Food Plymouth guide here.
Plymouth Foodbank can provide local people in need with food (please note: You will need to have a referral to get a food bank voucher to access this). You may want to consider downloading the Too Good To Go app, which allows people in the area to purchase a discounted bag of unsold food from local shops and eateries.
You may also want to check out the following links for additional places to access food and essentials for anyone at crisis point: