UCLan partners with National Forum for Health and Wellbeing to host public event
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is teaming up with the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing (NFHW) for a community event to evaluate the mental health impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The event will take place at UCLan’s Preston Campus on Wednesday 7 September and is open to anyone interested in discussing and learning more about the wider, long-term impact of the pandemic on our mental health.
In partnership with the UCLan School of Medicine, supported by the University’s Creative Communities Group, the evening includes a line of guest speakers and people sharing personal accounts of dealing with the long-term impact of Covid 19.
Topics covered include how the pandemic affected education and children’s services, Covid and mental health from the perspective of a GP and the impact of the pandemic on children and young people.
"The impact of Covid-19 is far reaching and we hope, through this public event, to bring people together to discuss and reflect on how it has affected our mental health. "
— Russell Hogarth, UCLan honorary fellow and community ambassador, CEO of the NFHW and chairman of the UCLan Creative Communities Group
Professor Romesh Gupta OBE, Chair of the NFHW and UCLan honorary professor, is one of the speakers. He said: “The partnership with the School of Medicine and the Creative Communities Group is going from strength to strength and we are all looking forward to being back on campus this September engaging with our audience of community members and senior health practitioners.
“We strongly encourage both students and members of the public to attend on the evening and if clinically vulnerable please don’t hesitate to wear a mask for additional protection and personal safety.”
Russell Hogarth, UCLan honorary fellow and community ambassador, CEO of the NFHW and chairman of the UCLan Creative Communities Group, said: “The impact of Covid-19 is far reaching and we hope, through this public event, to bring people together to discuss and reflect on how it has affected our mental health.
“The seminar will be of interest not only to the public but also to a wide range of health professionals, including health care workers and others involved in assessing and managing the long-term effects of Covid-19 on mental health in wider society.
“Our last engagement seminar, delivered to a capacity audience at UCLan was in the February of 2020 and since then, due to the Covid outbreak we had to move everything quickly online and engage with a new virtual audience. We are all delighted to be back on campus delivering the first face-to-face public engagement seminar since the Covid pandemic.”
"Community events such as this will bring into focus Covid initiated collective shared experiences and hopefully shine a light on a journey to recovery."
— Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at UCLan Professor StJohn Crean
Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at UCLan Professor StJohn Crean added: “Covid exerted a malevolent influence upon our communities and there remains a residual imprint on our human experience. Community events such as this will bring into focus Covid initiated collective shared experiences and hopefully shine a light on a journey to recovery.”
The event will take place from 6.30pm – 8.30pm on Wednesday 7 September in UCLan’s Greenbank Building, Victoria Street, Preston. It is free to attend and there is no need to pre-register. Parking is available on Campus.
For more information about the event, contact Derek Ormerod from the NFHW.