After just a few weeks in my role as Director of Student Mental Health and Wellbeing at Leeds Trinity University, I was thrilled to be invited to join the Feel Good February working group to help set goals and plan activities for the month and continue to promote the same attitudes as part of a longer term strategy once February came to an end. As a new recruit to the University, it was a great way to meet my new colleagues and get stuck into something exciting directly related to my passion for mental health and wellbeing.

Feel Good February aimed to renew Leeds Trinity’s focus on wellbeing and improve experiences for colleagues. The pressures many people are facing at present, both in and out of work, can have a significant impact on wellbeing, so we wanted to plan activities and sessions to help lift spirits and build on the sense of community at Leeds Trinity, which is one of its most praised values. We also wanted to include colleagues from across the University in discussions about what Leeds Trinity needs to prioritise to ensure further development when it comes to health and wellbeing.

Personal highlights for me included the exercise and hydration challenges (I can’t believe how little water I drank before!), being signposted to new resources and being invited to be a member of the expert panel discussion on topics including stress management, resilience, and organisational culture. Key messages shared by the panel included the importance of talking about our experiences and the benefits of peer support in recovery or when seeking to overcome challenges. We also explored the clear interdependencies between colleague and student mental health, and the opportunity we have to co-create our priorities with colleagues and students.

As an experienced Registered Mental Health Nurse, I took away a lot of new knowledge that I look forward to putting into practice, particularly a greater understanding of the impact long term stress can have on our ability to remain physically healthy. I was blown away by the level of expertise and passion that is held across our teams relating to health and wellbeing.

This has all been incredibly reassuring for me as a new employee, as I was quite nervous about leaving my previous employer for a new one. I had worked in the same NHS Trust since leaving college at the age of 18, so it felt like quite a leap of faith. However, my concerns have quickly subsided and that’s down to the people I have met. I haven’t quite managed to introduce myself to all departments yet, but I have seen some amazing practices and approaches being embedded to support colleagues and students. I think Feel Good February demonstrated great spirit and ambition, so I’m confident about overcoming any challenges going forward.

Regarding next steps, we will shortly be starting the co-creation of a combined Leeds Trinity Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for both staff and students; our first University strategy dedicated solely to improving and sustaining positive mental health and wellbeing. I’m really looking forward to working on this, and opportunities for colleagues to get involved will be available soon.

Tom Hurst is the Director of Student Mental Health and Wellbeing at Leeds Trinity University.