A student smiling, wearing a woolly bobble hat in front of a large window.

WinterFest

Make the most of your winter break

Decorative festive image with copy stating "WINTERFEST @ UWL. COMMUNITY - STUDY - FUN"

Find out how you can get the most out of your time over winter break - whether it's developing skills, making new friends or getting the support you need.

Future You: professional development

Woman sat in the library writing with a stack of books next to her

Study Skills Development

Over the winter break, students can access the Study Skills Development Sharepoint page. With over 35 different guides available, students can use this site to develop their academic writing and study skills.

To access this material, please log in using your student details and view the Study Skills Development Sharepoint page.

Two students using macbook laptops in a cafe area

Career development activities

These activities have been created by the UWL Careers team. Each element consists of 4-8 smaller tasks which you can work through at your own pace:

Complete the skills questionnaire via the Student Hub and access your own bespoke development report and course.

A student, wearing a blue top, working at a computer, looking towards the screen

Practice video interview

This video enables you to practice a competency-based interview.

Visit our webpage to complete the interview. You will receive AI driven feedback and then press review to get feedback from a careers adviser.

A student sitting in a cafe next to her laptop and holding her phone.

Linkedin Learning

Linkedin Learning allows you to engage in self-study on a wide range of professional and academic skills. It also allows you to track your progress, and the platform will recommend other resources you may find useful based on the training you have engaged with.

These short videos are curated from LinkedIn Learning and are 3-7 minutes in length.

Develop your study skills

This section brings together information, support and guidance for your academic studies to supplement the information you receive within your modules.

Community and wellbeing

Your wellbeing is important to us and we want to make sure you feel supported during the winter break. We have put together the below wellbeing resources and community-based activities you can engage with over this period.

Six Student Experience Facilators staff members standing in the library with orange tops on.

Come and have a chat

If you are experiencing a challenge* or just fancy a friendly chat, our Student Experience Facilitators are here for you! On the days the Paul Hamlyn Library is open (refer to our campus opening times over winter break page), you can find a Student Experience Facilitator on the first floor of the library.

*Student Experience Facilitators can signpost you to appropriate support and take your details down to share with the relevant team who can support you on their return from the Winter break.

4 students walking outside UWL

Wellbeing support externally

Your wellbeing is important to us so we have made sure you have support available to you 24/7. We have provided free access to Togetherall which provides you with resources, courses and a safe peer-to-peer platform to enable our community to get support and feel better.

Sign up to Togetherall for free using your UWL email address and get 24/7 anonymous online support.

Student Space is offering one-to-one support for whatever challenge you are facing through your university and post-graduation journey. Whether it is your mental wellbeing, your studies, money, housing or relationships, you can reach out to one of their trained volunteers for free and confidential support.

A student helping another student on a laptop.

Report + support

The University of West London is committed to promoting and providing a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff. We take reports of bullying and harassment, discrimination, hate crime or abuse/sexual misconduct seriously.

Our online Report and Support tool enables anyone to report concerns anonymously and/or receive support from an adviser. This site has been created to provide information and resources around various forms of harassment and abuse.

Report and Support cannot provide an immediate response to urgent concerns or ongoing incidents. If there is an immediate risk of serious harm to you or anyone else please call the emergency services on 999.

A group of students sat around a table, writing notes, while one is texting on her phone.

Urgent support

Need to talk to someone? 

  • Samaritans - open every day throughout the year. 

Need medical help? 

  • If you need medical advice, you can book an emergency GP appointment with your GP surgery.​ 
  • ​If you need urgent medical advice, call the NHS 111 (England & Wales) - T: 08454 242424
  • If you need immediate medical help or attention, call 999 or visit Accident & Emergency (A&E). 
Several hands on top of each other in a circle

Volunteering opportunities

During the winter break, you can make a difference to your local communities and make new friends by volunteering. Volunteering is also a great way to develop your skills and CV for your dream career. Check out the opportunities available to you below:

  • Food bank volunteering - Hounslow Food Box

    External opportunity
     
    Hounslow Food Box relies on volunteers to help package, organise and distribute food to service users. Those contributing can directly impact the families and local people the food bank supports. Winter is a time of particularly high need, where you can have a big impact with volunteering.
     

  • Shelter from the Storm

    External opportunity

    Shelter from the Storm is a current emergency shelter service which provides beds, food and facilities for people experiencing homelessness. The hostel relies on volunteers to support service users as well as keeping the space clean. Volunteers are welcome to join in teams to help on a cleaning day to make a difference to those needing support.

  • Tackle Loneliness - Great London Friendship Group

    External opportunity

    The Great London Friendship Project tackles loneliness among young adults through community events, befriending initiatives, awareness campaigns, and social change advocacy. The organisation helps young adults in their 20s and 30s connect, build life-long friendships and make amazing memories in the process. 

  • Conservation and gardening at Boston Manor Park

    External opportunity

    Boston Manor Park is a treasured green space between Hanwell and Brentford, which is home to meadows, woodland, ponds and the much-loved walled garden. Learn about conservation, biodiversity and gardening by getting involved in weekly volunteering every Tuesday from 10am to 12:30pm.

  • Tree planting with Trees for Cities

    External opportunity

    Help create a greener, more biodiverse London by getting involved in tree planting over the winter months. Trees for Cities will provide all the tools and equipment you need as well as guidance and a free hot lunch for volunteers.

  • Donation sorting with Little Village Charity

    External opportunity

    Whether you are an expert organiser or just looking for a way to give back to the community, Little Village welcomes you to help support families with babies and children under five living in poverty across London.

Fun activities

London in the evening as the sun is setting with Big Ben in the background.

Things to do in London

Spending your winter break in London? You are in for a treat! The city truly sparkles in the winter, offering a range of activities to make your holidays vibrant and memorable.
Whether you are looking to explore London with friends or enjoy some solo adventures, London has something for everyone.
The UWL Students' Union has a fantastic list of indoor and outdoor activities for spending your winter break in style.
A skyline of the city of London, showing high rising buildings and the River Thames in the forefront while the sun rises.

Key places to visit in London

Student stories

Amy, BA (Hons) Actor Musicianship student, tells us about five great things to do in Ealing.

Image of a pile of old books with different coloured spines. There are four stacks of books in the photo.

Books and films

Fiction and topical books

As well as academic books, Perlego and LibSearch, also include fiction and topical books for you to read. Have a look out for Perlego’s ‘Year in Review’ selection (coming soon on Perlego) for some title suggestions and have a look through the London Fiction Collection titles to see if there are any you would like to borrow from the physical library or read online (where available).

BoB film suggestions

International students

International students on Tower Bridge

For some of you, it may be your first winter in the UK, away from home, but don't worry! 
We know being away from home can be a bit overwhelming, but we are here to make it a wonderful experience for you. 
 
We have dedicated this entire section for our international students to make sure that you have everything you need to know to help you enjoy this break, even if in a new country.

We hope it will inspire you as you head towards the end of the year and that you know how to reach out for support if needed.

  • International tips for enjoying the winter break in London

    Feeling homesick is a common experience for many international students. It's natural to miss home, your family, your favourite food and familiar things when you are in a new country. To help you navigate these feelings, your VP of Education, Ayan, went around and asked students to share how they manage homesickness, providing practical advice and reminding you that you are not alone this winter. Tips on coping with homesickness are shared in UWLSU's latest blog post.

    Discover our top tips from our international students and get inspired by what they plan to do this winter break in UWLSU's blog post.

  • Wellbeing management online course

    If you are interested in an online course for wellbeing management, the British Council offers a free online course titled ‘Managing Your Wellbeing When Studying in the UK’. This course provides information on how to you get support and guidance to help you manage stress, manage negative thoughts, and adjust to UK culture when studying abroad.

Cost of living support

English bank notes

UWL is here to support you, and we recognise that the economic climate is currently making things extremely tough for students to make ends meet.

Working with UWLSU, departments across the university have identified ways we can support you at this challenging time – whether the support you need is connected to your finances, your wellbeing or simply ensuring you can access life’s essentials.

Find out more

  • Digital Eagle events

    Digital Eagles are passionate about helping everyone get the most out of digital. No matter where you are on your journey, Digital Eagles can help keep you up to date and stay safe online. Join these free events to meet the team and find out more.

Find out more