Our LE department has always taken the wellbeing of staff and students seriously, but it has obviously gained greater importance since the recent COVID-19 Coronavirus epidemic.
In March 2020, the LE building was locked down and remained so until May 2022. Now, staff and students work, study and research in a hybrid capacity, so positive wellbeing is still very much a priority for the department.
LE Wellbeing Advocate, Lynda Haines, sends out a weekly Wellbeing Wednesday email to all staff packed with useful ideas and links to help everyone stay connected when hybrid working (i.e. balancing continuing to work from home with returning to the office part or full-time). Sources of support and advice are also provided for helping to deal with difficulties such as money problems, health issues and the current energy crisis.
(The Wellbeing Wednesday email has proved so popular that it will be rolled-out to students in 2023).
Wellbeing is an intrinsic part of our department’s commitment to the University’s annual Green Impact Challenge, and as a platinum-winner, we have organised many successful initiatives including a January 10,000 step challenge, an online book club, a virtual pub quiz, as well as a fund-raising MacMillan Coffee Morning and Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day.
And every few weeks, Lynda (who is also our department’s Green Impact Coordinator and Sustainability Champion) sends out a BIG GREEN version of the Wednesday email to keep everyone up to date with our Green Impact project for the year, and packed with advice on caring for the many houseplants that staff and students have in their workspace and at home; seasonal gardening tips and suggestions (e.g. how to chit potatoes) and recipes to use the fruit, herbs and vegetables that people are growing. There's also an annual vegetable growing competition. In 2021 it was giant sunflowers and in 2022 it was biggest cucumbers. She also organises an annual Spring and Autumn photography competition, which is very popular.
For an up-to-date list of Wellbeing resources for staff, as well as scheduled events, visit Wellbeing
Dedicated sources of support for student wellbeing can be found at Student Wellbeing
For more information and how to get involved in Wellbeing and Land Economy please email Lynda Haines