Nottingham Trent University’s Student Union hosted their annual SHAG week in the last week of January. Aiming to destigmatise sexual health and educate people, the fair hasbeen held across all five campuses for the first time ever.
“It is about raising awareness for sexual health, and all the amazing resources that are available for students”, says Olivia Brooks, NTSU’s VP Community and Welfare. “We want to create a liberating environment for everyone”.
Across the week, the fair has come to all NTU campuses – Confetti, Brackenhurst, Mansfield, Clifton and City. The fair has been well attended: “We have reached a lot of students on all campuses”, Olivia adds.
Also in attendance have been various societies such as Cocktail Society. “We decided to come and have a stall here because it is important to let everyone know how to stay safe”, says Freya Sims, Social & Wellbeing Secretary. In addition to giving out resources and information on sexual wellbeing, they also gave out condoms and played a guessing game to help engage people.
“It is about raising awareness for sexual health, and all the amazing resources that are available for students”
Olivia Brooks, VP Community & Welfare
Alongside the society stalls, outside organisations also contributed to the fair. “We advocate for awareness around testicular cancer and want to encourage men to get checked regularly”, says Tom from the Oddballs Foundation. “We are now very prominent around the Student’s Union as a whole and put up the ‘Check yourselves’-Guides in the bathrooms and in the library so we are trying to spread awareness as much as possible”.
Upstairs in the Mezzanine, attention was drawn to the Information & Advice Office where free condoms and STI kits have been made available.
On Sunday night, 2 February, the SHAG quiz will mark the end of SHAG week at NTU.
For advice and support
Visit your local sexual health clinic:
- Victoria Health Centre: 0115 962 7627
- The Health Shop: 0115 905 5001
- Radford Health Centre: 0115 962 7627
- POW: 0115 924 9992
- National Sexual Health line: 0300 123 7123
- Terrence Higgins Trust: tht.org.uk or info@tht.org.uk or 0808 802 1221
- Free testing kits: freetest.me