Here at Stirling, we do everything we can to ensure our staff and students have access to the support they need — including during the holidays.
A lot of us may be travelling away from Stirling during the Christmas period, but there will continue to be a range of support services in operation for those who choose to remain on campus.
Read on to find out how you can access support services over the holidays, as well as get important information about changes to operating hours over Christmas.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Support (Out of hours)
During the festive period, when University services are reduced, there is still a lot of support available to students.
All students can access the 24/7 Student Support helpline: a free, confidential service that provides in-the-moment emotional wellbeing support. The service is available every day and night throughout the festive break.
- Call 0800 031 8227 (freephone UK) or 00353 1518 0277 (international).
- Arrange a call back via WhatsApp by texting ‘Hi’ to 07418360780.
- Sign up for Spectrum.Life to arrange a call through their live chat (organisation code: Stirling).
Visit the out-of-hours support webpage for more information about how to access mental health support during the festive period.
Gender Based/Sexual Violence Support
Our Sexual Violence and Misconduct Liaison Officer (SVMLO) service will be unavailable between Wednesday 13 December and Tuesday 2 January. Usual service will resume Wednesday 3 January.
If you are in a state of emergency:
- If you are off campus, call 999 to reach any of the emergency services.
- If you are on campus, call the Security team any time on extension 7999 (on an internal phone) or 01786 467999 to request the Police.
- If you are on campus and need an ambulance, call 999 directly to speak to a call handler. Then call the Security team on extension 7999 or 01786 467999 to let them know that an ambulance will be arriving.
Further information on urgent assistance is available on our website.
In Scotland if you have experienced rape or sexual assault within the last 7 days, we would encourage you to consider contacting the Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS); anyone over the age of 16 can self-refer for forensic medical examination and support.
The sexual assault self-referral phone service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0800 148 88 88. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
Please be assured that contacting the SARCS will not prevent you from contacting a SVMLO or from accessing any of our support services.
You may also wish to contact the following external agencies for support:
- Rape Crisis Scotland on 08088 01 03 02
- Victim Support on 0808 16 89 111
- Stirling & District Women’s Aid on 01786 469518
- Samaritans on 116 123
- Breathing Space on 0800 83 5 87
If you would like to submit a report and access support from our SVMLOs, you can still do this and the SVMLO Coordinator will be in touch Wednesday 3 January to match you with an SVMLO and arrange support.
Student Services Hub
The Student Services Hub will be open as usual until Thursday 21 December.
We will be open for live chat, email and telephone enquiries on the following days:
- Wednesday 27 December: 12pm – 4pm
- Friday 29 December: 12pm – 4pm
Usual services and times will resume on Wednesday 3 January.
Our of hours and emergency support is available. You can find out more on our website.
Airthrey Park Medical Centre
Airthrey Park Medical Centre will be open as usual throughout the holiday period apart from:
- Monday 25 December – Tuesday 26 December: Closed
- Monday 1 January – Tuesday 2 January: Closed
Please check the Medical Centre’s website for more information.
Further details are available on the NHS inform website.
If you need to speak to someone urgently when the GPs are closed, then contact NHS24 on 111.
If you are in an emergency and feel your safety is immediately at risk, please dial 999.
Here’s to a relaxing peaceful winter break. See you in January 2024!