World Mental Health Day – Quiz! Refreshments! Prizes!

Wednesday 10^th October, 1pm – 2pm at the Dome (Avery Hill Campus)

Mental illness is a fact of life.  According to the Mental Health Foundation, one in four people in the UK will experience at least one episode of mental illness in their lifetime. 

To mark World Mental Health Day 2012, the Students’ Union is working with the University’s *AccessAbility Ambassadors to raise awareness of mental illness, and the support that’s available for students.   Mental illness does not need to be an obstacle to students going on to achieve academic success, or an issue that stops students from having a complete University experience.

As part of this, we are hosting a Quiz on Mental Health at the Dome on Wednesday 10^th October, from 1pm to 2pm.  The Students’ Union is donating  vouchers for a FREE University of Greenwich hoodie for the lucky first prize winner, as well as food/drink vouchers for the SU Bars for runners-up.   We’ve got cakes and biscuits to share, and a limited supply of coffee mugs to give away courtesy of the Greenwich Drug & Alcohol Action Team (but buy your own coffee!).

And, if you’ve got time to spare in the afternoon, why not stay for an afternoon with the *AccessAbility team for board games?  Relieve your own mental stress (or increase it!) with new friends and old.  Please bring your own favourite (and a personal plea…leave Monopoly at home…)

For information about the Disabled & Diverse Students Network, contact Melanie Thorley (email tm34@gre.ac.uk)

The Students’ Union will be putting further information on the SUUG website, including the answers to Wednesday’s quiz (after the event!). For more information contact Matt Ventrella, Academic & Welfare Adviser, Students’ Union, University of Greenwich.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou Dynasty from 3,000 years ago.

The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. It is celebrated traditionally by eating ‘Mooncakes’ – small pastries, filled with rich red bean or lotus seed paste and surrounded by a thin crust. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea.

Black History Month runs throughout October with a series of events, promotion, seminars and celebrations across the UK.

It is said that a key factor in setting October as Black History Month is as it falls at the beginning of a new academic year and can instil pride and identity into young black learners. October is also a period of tolerance and reconciliation in African culture.

See here for listings on what’s on in London during Black History Month: http://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/#/black-history-listings/4568893148

“Shana Tova!”, roughly translated as “Good year!” can be used as a greeting to mark the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year festival, which lasts for two days. Customs include sounding the shofar (horn of a ram) and eating symbolic foods, such as apples and honey, to symbolize a sweet new year and the Hallah (or Challah) round loaf to symbolise a circle of life and of the year.

The Alternative Parenting Show takes place tomorrow (15th Sept) in Covent Garden, London. 

It gives valuable information to same-sex and heterosexual couples and single men and women on how to make the dream of having a family a reality.

Topic areas include legal provisions, surrogacy, fertility, co-parenting and fostering and adoption. See their web page for more information: http://www.alternativeparenting.co.uk/

Time to Change’s children and young people campaign launches in the West Midlands on 17 September.

Have a look at their website where young people share their tips for talking about mental health. The blogs are also a really intersting read: http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/youngpeople

On 5 September 2012 the House of Commons approved the Order containing exceptions from the ban on age discrimination in the provision of services, which had been debated the day before in Committee.

The ban will affect public and private organisations and means that treating people differently because of their age when providing goods, facilities or services will be unlawful unless it is covered by an exception or can be justified.

The first World Alzheimers Month will take place during September 2012 with awareness raising events taking place worldwide.

Named after neurologist Alois Alzheimer, the disease causes progressive damage on the brain. The theme for World Alzheimer’s Month 2012 is ‘Dementia: Living together’. Activities will focus on reducining the stigma which is associated with dementia and making communities more dementia-friendly. Activities during the month will include educational seminars, workshops and social events for people with dementia and their carers.

The Alzheimer’s Society has organised mutiple ‘Memory Walks’ to raise money towards the work of the Alzheimer’s Society in that specific area. For more information see their website http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/.

The London 2012 Paralympic Games have begun in earnest and the University of Greenwich is playing a role at the heart of the action.

The Games, which include four days of equestrianism at Royal Greenwich Park, will see university staff and students involved from the start, helping the event live up to its billing as one of the most spectacular and inspirational sporting occasions to take place in the UK.

As an official host venue for the Olympics and Paralympics, the university continues to be at the centre of the sporting action this summer, with the Students’ Union providing facilities to support equestrian, running and shooting events in Royal Greenwich Park.

Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations are taking place all over the world during 19 – 21 August as Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan – the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Eid al-Fitr is a time of great merriment and thanks-giving. Muslims celebrate by gathering with friends and family, preparing food, giving gifts and putting up lights and decorations in their homes. A common greeting during this holiday is “Eid Mubarak”, which can be translated as, “Have a blessed Eid!” or “may you enjoy a blessed festival”

The Guardian has compiled some beautiful images of Eid celebrations across the world:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2012/aug/19/eid-al-fitr-religion-in-pictures#/?picture=394920309&index=0