The sun shone on hundreds of students this week as they immersed themselves in the Welcome Week activities at West Nottinghamshire College.

The college’s welfare team prepared and planned a fun-packed week of information, games and interactive events to give students the chance to meet new people, connect back with classmates and get set for the next academic year.

Welcome Week spanned from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 September, bringing students from every college campus together to get involved in lively, ice-breaker activities, and to get advice from a range of universities and local health and voluntary services.

Project D once again supplied the tasty doughnut treats while Trent Bridge Kiosk Ice Creams supplied ice creams in the heat. Hucknall-based Zenzerro’s Wood Fired Pizza Kitchen brought their Italian delights to the Derby Road campus over the lunchtimes and Nottingham-based Disco Fries spiced up the tastebuds with loaded fries.

Officers from Nottinghamshire Police demonstrated how riot prevention apparatus is used, bringing equipment along for students to see. They also offered rides on the beer goggles go-kart, which simulated the effects of drinking alcohol, in a bid to highlight the dangers of drink driving.

Other representatives from the police were available to offer advice about social media and email hacking, dealing with hate crime and how to volunteer with the police cadets.

For the energetic crowds an inflatable climbing wall was available to scale, as well as an inflatable penalty shoot-out game, a Nerf shooting range and ten pin bowling. Further entertainment came thanks to the inflatable silent disco and hook-a-duck games.

Health, safety and mental health was a topic for consideration with new students able to get advice from organisations including Sexions confidential health service, Women’s Aid, NIDAS domestic abuse service, the Samaritans, NottAlone mental health services and Be U Notts, a Mansfield-based mental health and emotional wellbeing service.

Mansfield District Council’s community safety team offered female staff and students a free 12-month use of female safety app called Holly Guard. In conjunction with Nottinghamshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, this monitored app is being offered to women and girls in Mansfield and Warsop. It tracks individuals in real-time to help reduce the risk of attack.

Access to Nursing student Lauren Cooper had a go on the hook-a-duck stall with new classmate Scott Masters. She said: “It’s good to have a welcome week to help you to settle in a bit better. I’ve been able to meet some new faces from my course in these relaxed surroundings, rather than just walking straight into the classroom not knowing anybody.”

Mansfield-based gyms Pure Gym and JD Gym had special offers such as a free pass to experience their facilities, goody bags and free personal training sessions.

Staff were on hand to introduce new and returning students to the many internal services available at the college including the work placement team, careers team, learning resource centres, student finance, the welfare team, apprenticeship team and the college’s LGBT+ group.

The vice-principal for communications, engagement and student experience, Louise Knott, said: “We’ve had a wonderful first week back to the new academic year and it’s great to see our students getting to know one another during the week’s activities.

“Welcome Week is so important in helping our students to feel relaxed, to socialise and make new friends. The welfare team have done an incredible job to organise and tailor such an event, dedicated to making what could be a daunting time so welcoming and fun.

“We’re very grateful to all our partners, employers and community links who have helped to make this week a huge success.”