Christmas Closure Period
Support and facilities available for students
While we can expect that students will largely remain off campus over the Christmas period, support will be offered to those of them who may need it.
There will be reduced access to facilities and services around the ‘closure’ period of Saturday 23 December to Wednesday 3 January inclusive. We can confirm that:
Learning Resource Centre
- The Learning Resource Centre will remain open to students at the times set out below. Students should use their ID card to access the building via the main entrance.
- The LRC open access areas will be open 24/7 over the Christmas period. However, the internal rooms in the LRC will be closed from 4pm on Friday 22 December reopening on 8am on Thursday 4 January.
- The tiers in the atrium will be open 24 hours a day. This includes 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January.
- Library Services staff will be available on site or remotely up until 4pm on Friday 22 December and from 8.30am on Thursday 4 January.
Accommodation Reception
- The Accommodation Reception will be open until 4pm on Friday 22 December, reopening on Thursday 4 January at 9am. During the Christmas closure period, 24/7 support and assistance will continue to be available through the Campus Operations (Security) team.
Campus Operations (Security) Team
- The Campus Operations (Security) team will be on duty 24/7 throughout the closure period. They can be contacted in person at the main reception or by calling 0131 474 0000.
The Helpdesk
- The Helpdesk will be open until 2pm on Friday 22 December. The service will reopen 8am on Thursday 4 January.
Student Services
- Student Services will be closed over the Christmas and New Year period, but if you find yourself or someone you know experiencing a mental health crisis or health emergency, please know that support is available, as set out at the end of this message. Any student needing support during this time is advised to contact one of the relevant services as set out towards the end of this message.
Catering and Retail Services
- 1875
- Open up to and including Friday 8 December, then closed from Saturday 9 December for refurbishment. There will be a temporary offering set up from Monday 11 - Friday 15 December at the decking end of 1875.
- Temporary offer reopens on Monday 8 January up to and including Friday 12 January.
- New refurbished 1875 reopens (with a new name!) on Monday 15 January.
- Starbucks
- Open up to and including Friday 15 December, then closed from Saturday 16 December for refurbishment.
- Pop-up coffee alternative opens on Monday 8 January up to and including Friday 12 January.
- New refurbished Starbucks reopens on Monday 15 January.
- Maggie’s
- Closes Friday 22 December at 12 noon with reduced hours in the run up to this date (full details around reduced hours will be advertised via Maggie’s social media platforms).
- Reopens on Thursday 4 January.
- The Nook
- Closes on Friday 22 December at 12 noon.
- Reopens on Thursday 4 January.
International Office Support
- The International Office will continue to run face to face and online drop in sessions up to and including Wednesday 20 December (full details will be sent to your QMU email account) and students can continue to contact the team for support until Friday 22 December. In the unlikely event that there were significant changes to UK advice to international travellers over the closure period, then updated information would be published on our website, accessed via the Christmas closure banner that would be on the homepage at that time.
Sport facilities
- The Sport & Fitness facilities will close at 8pm on Friday 22 December and will reopen at 7am on Thursday 4 January.
Academic learning support
- 24/7 online academic writing support will continue to be available from Studiosity throughout the winter break.
If we needed to update you on any significant changes to services over the closure period, we would do so via our website and on social media.
We wish you all a safe and happy break when it comes.
Steve Scott
Chief Operations Officer
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Sources of help for any mental health crisis or health emergency
If you find yourself or someone you know experiencing a mental health crisis or health emergency, please know that support is available:
- Call 999 if you or someone you know experiences an acute life-threatening medical or mental health emergency.
- Contact NHS 24: Free phone 111 for medical advice.
- For non-acute medical issues contact your GP. For students living on campus contact the Riverside Medical Practice.
- NHS Emergency Mental Health Assessment can be available through contacting the Mental Health Assessment Service on 0131 537 6000. This is a self-referral service and is based in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Place, Edinburgh.
- Edinburgh Crisis Centre can be contacted directly on 0808 801 0414 if you want to discuss a mental health crisis.
If you need someone to talk to out of hours please contact:
- Breathing Space Helpline: Free Phone 0800 838587, Monday - Thursday 6pm to 2am, Friday 6pm-6am.
- Samaritans: Free Phone 116123, open 24/7.
- Edinburgh Night Line: confidential support for students, 8pm-8am term-time. Tel: 0131 557 4444.
- Togetherall, which provides 24/7 online support for mental health and all QMU students have access using your QMU email address to log in.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, violence, intimate partner violence, assault, or rape and you need support and advice please contact:
- Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline, for advice on all forms of relationship abuse, call them on 0800 027 12342.
- Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline - call them on 0800 010302.
- SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) - contact via their website or call on 0800 148 88 88
- Fear Free support for men and LGBT+ or call them on 0131 624 7270.
