Fun and fresh beginnings commenced this month as new and returning students attended West Nottinghamshire College’s welcome fair.

The college’s welfare team brought a huge range of activities, games and information stalls over three days to the Derby Road campus for students to enjoy at the start of the new academic year.

Students from outlying college sites joined in with the action-packed first week back, which included physical activities such as giant Jenga, juggling, plate spinning and limbo, a soft pillow fight, Sumo challenge, bucking bronco and inflatable ten pin bowling.

Everyone’s tastes were catered for with a range of food from Project Doughnut, Gilly’s Fish Bar.

Both staff and students saw the funny side with the artistic talents of professional caricaturist Mick Wright, who produced witty drawings of those daring to pose.

The importance of good health was also promoted throughout the week. Mansfield-based Pure Gym and Everlast Gym staff were available to chat about the options available to students at the Nottingham Road gym and students got to join in with the rowing machine challenge.

Representatives from Nottinghamshire County Council’s C Card scheme and Youth Service were on-hand to provide confidential advice to students to help them make the right choice about sexual health and how to access the service which provides free condoms and advice on healthy sexual relationships.

Teams from Nottinghamshire Police as well as its rural police squad attended to highlight their services, career opportunities and a range of physical demonstrations.

Meanwhile police officers from the Mansfield and Ashfield Operation Reacher teams were on hand to promote its new weekly sports sessions for under 18s. This project is being run in partnership with Amazon and the Support Through Sport charity to offer free multi-sport sessions to young people.

The ‘R Project’ sessions will take place every Friday in the college’s sports hall and are open to eight to 11-year-olds and 12 to 18-year-olds. Operation Reacher is a proactive community police operation set up to target organised criminality and strengthen community relations.

Nottingham Trent University’s operational manager at the Mansfield hub, Charlotte Stockwell, was also invited to the welcome fair. She said: “There have been lots of students enquiring about NTU and higher education in general.

“They’ve been interested in all the different educational routes and what might suit them. The courses at the Mansfield campus are slightly different to those at our other sites and suit students with more active learning styles, with smaller classes.”

Level 3 business studies student Holly Adams, 16, said: “I think the welcome fair is great – it’s really informative and seems to be something for everyone. It’s somewhere you can meet new friends, and I’ve made new ones today – a really good ice-breaker.”

Vice-principal for communications, engagement and student experience, Louise Knott, said: “It has been lovely to welcome our students back to college and see them enjoy themselves during welcome week.

“Events like this are so important at the beginning of the year to help students socialise and make friends. Thanks to all our partners who helped make welcome week a huge success.”