Over the University Christmas closure period (22 December to the 2 January), many of our services will be changing their opening hours. You can find the details on our blog: Student Services opening times over the Festive Period. 

If you need some extra support during this time, please do not struggle on your own – there are lots of ways you can access mental health and wellbeing support this Christmas: 

24hr Student Support Helpline 

We have partnered with Health Assured to offer our students a free, confidential telephone helpline to support with any personal questions, worries or advice you might need. It’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.  

Call 0800 023 2466 to talk in confidence and receive guidance on a wide range of personal challenges. Whatever you want to discuss, someone will be available to listen.  

The service provides in-the-moment advice from professional counsellors. While on the call, you can also request a high-quality interpreter and translation service in over 240 languages. 

As a University of Reading student, you also have access to the My Healthy Advantage App, where you can access support and wellbeing resources. Download the app for apple and android.  

To login to the app: 

• My Healthy Advantage App unique code: MHA268185 
• Username for online portal: reading 
• Password for online portal: university 

If you need help urgently during the Christmas break, please see the useful contact numbers below: 

• For any urgent Halls matters, the Halls hotline will still be operating 24/7. Ring them on 0800 029 1984 
• If you need campus Security Service, please call 0118 378 6300 (24hr service) 
• Speak to your GP. Your GP should be the first point of contact for any issues affecting your physical and mental health, including suicidal thoughts. They will also be able to diagnose a state of depression or anything in your lifestyle that may be contributing to how you may be feeling. 
• If you do not have a GP but need to speak with a doctor urgently, you can call NHS non-emergency number on 111 and they will direct you to the nearest available walk-in centre or doctor’s surgery. 

• NHS 111 – for medical help that is not an emergency (24hr support). For life-threatening emergencies, call 999 for an ambulance. 
• Call 116 123 to talk to the Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org,  (for a reply within 24 hours) 
• Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line,  (24 hr service) 
• Find a local NHS urgent mental health helpline in England 
• PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide is the UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people. 

Talking Therapies Berkshire 

A friendly and approachable NHS service that offers support if you’re coping with challenges like depression, stress, anxiety or phobias. If you’re aged 17 and over and living in Berkshire, we can help you overcome the mental health challenges you’re facing. 

Student Space 

Student Space is here to make it easier for you to find support to help with the uncertainty of student life, with range of trusted information, services and tools. 

They also have helpful blogs that offer advice on how to take care of your mental health and wellbeing: 

• Making the most of your time at home 
• If you’re going home for winter break but don’t want to 
• Staying at university over the winter break 

Reading Students’ Union Welfare Directory 

The Reading Students’ Union Welfare Directory provides contact details for a variety of organisations and support within, and external to, the University of Reading. 

NHS Self-Help Guides 

In collaboration with the NHS the University has produced a set of self-help guides for students, they range in topics: Stress, Sexual Health, Anxiety, Food, Abuse, Eating Disorders and more. 

The guides talk you through the subject and have a range of organisations to contact for further advice and help. 

The Mix 

The Mix is the UK’s leading support service for young people. They are here to help you take on any challenge you’re facing – from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. Talk to us via our online community, on social, through our free, confidential helpline or our counselling service. 

  

For more helpful resources, check out the Emergency and Urgent help section on Essentials.  

If you are staying on campus this Christmas, don’t forget that we will also be hosting a traditional Christmas lunch service on Christmas Day in Park House from 12:00 until 17:00 for all students. No need to sign up, just come along. 

For the full list of catering opening and closing times, check out our catering over Christmas blog.