On Wednesday 10 September the College buzzed with activity as the annual Freshers’ Fair kicked off the academic year; giving new and returning students the chance to explore everything college life, and the local community has to offer.
The Hub was lined with a variety of interesting stalls, from Parental Acceptance with Shaun Dawson aka Poppy Love (local ‘Drag Dad’), tablework doodles with Artswork and information about our Students Union, the day offered something for every student to discover.
Many stalls, including the NHS, With You, and Get It, were offering advice and support to students about maintaining good mental health, sexual health and drug awareness. Whilst local organisations such as DDC Electoral Services and Kent Wildlife Trust were on hand to share how students could get involved, doing their part to support the community.
This years’ Students’ Union president, Jack, was also present, sharing how important the SU is for students’ voices to be heard and drumming up interest for his SU team. Jack shared: “It’s been amazing to see such a great turnout, with students really engaging with our partners and the community.
“Having Poppy Love here is a real highlight, showing the importance of acceptance and diversity.”
When asked about the year ahead, he explained: “I’m excited for the year ahead, especially putting on trips that students have asked for. I’ve been busy today asking students what tips and activities they hope to see, and Thorpe Park seems to be top of the list!”
During the day we also took a moment to catch up with some of the organisations present. Bryony and Amelia from We Are With You, a charity who aims to deliver support and spread awareness of drug and alcohol, told us their reasoning for attending today was to “help students see that support is out there”.
They continued, explaining: “The key message we want students to take away is that it’s never wrong to ask questions about drugs. We offer one-to-one and group sessions around drugs and alcohol and are always here to help. There’s also a stigma around drug and alcohol support that we want to change. It might not always be about stopping completely, sometimes it’s just about making safer choices. Wanting to learn more doesn’t make you a bad person, it’s how you help yourself, your friends, or even your family.”
Whilst Drag Dad, Shaun Dawson, who aims to spread positivity and acceptance across East Kent told us how he enjoys attending events like these: “They give students a real slice of the local community — from charities to history groups, to support around diversity and sexual education.
“I came along to share a message about parental acceptance and pride, and what’s great is that it fits so naturally here. EKC Dover College is so pro-diversity and respectful; it creates such a positive vibe for young people starting their journey.”
The fayre was successfully organised by Student Experience Officer, Summer, who added: “I am pleased with how our Freshers’ Fair went today. Over 200 students attended, who all took the opportunity of collecting ample merch, sweets and treats from our exhibitors!
“Freshers’ will always be amongst my favourite events of the year. It is a great opportunity for students to come and meet with the wonderful organisations that we have work with. I would like to thank everyone who attended, whether you were a student, staff or hosted a stall. There was a fantastic buzz around the room!”
The Freshers’ Fayre marks the start of what promises to be an exciting year ahead, as students settle into college life with new friends, new opportunities, and plenty of memories waiting to be made.
You can find Summer and Jack in the Student Centre, if you have any further questions or would like to get involved with the SU.
Learn more about the Students’ Union and how to get involved.
A big thank you to our community partners who came along to the event, including:
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