The annual Welcome Week fair was a resounding success at West Nottinghamshire College, seeing students new and returning to socialise and enjoy fun, games, and ice-breaker activities.

The event brought students from every college campus together to bag goodies; offers to join clubs, societies, and gyms, as well as the chance to get advice from visiting organisations and support teams within the college.

Games included an inflatable obstacle course, mini golf, and giant sumo wrestling. Aerial dancer Alex Ross performed and held workshops using silks and hoops.

Professional caricaturist Mick Wright produced witty drawings of those daring to pose, while music lovers could have a dance in an inflatable silent disco.

Health matters were a focus point for students with representatives from Nottinghamshire County Council’s C Card scheme providing confidential advice to students. The service helps people make the right choice about sexual health and access free condoms and advice on healthy sexual relationships.

Other organisations such as Nidas, C-Card, Sexions, Women’s Aid, Healthy Family Team, Walking 4 Hope, and Pure Gym provided students with further support about physical and mental wellbeing.

Guide Dogs UK visited with its trainee guide dogs, while careers and higher education advice was offered by a range of universities, the Royal Marines, the Royal Navy, and the Young Carers Association.

The college’s animal care curriculum offered tours of the animal unit to meet resident animals such as ferrets, bearded dragons, snakes, rabbits, and guinea pigs, while one of the teachers brought in her ponies, Gordon and Silver.

Staff introduced 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.

Duty head Beth Parkin, who organised the event, said: “It was fantastic to see new students engaging in all the activities and connecting with each other. From the energetic silent disco to the information stalls and the fun-filled games such as mini golf and sumo wrestling, it created an atmosphere of excitement and community.

“The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with many saying the event helped ease their transition into college life. We’re thrilled to have kick-started the academic year on such a positive note, and we look forward to continuing this momentum throughout the year!”