Moving away from your home country to attend University is a big step! That’s why it is essential that you consider how to stay safe. This is important for, not only your personal wellbeing, but also your academic success.
At the University of Chester, we want to ensure that all our students feel safe on and off campus. That’s why we want to share our top 10 tips on how to stay safe during your time at University:
1. Plan Your Route Before Travelling
Ensuring that you are familiar with the route before you travel is an important step - especially if you have never been to that destination before! We recommend utilising tools such as Google Maps when planning your route, as this can help familiarise yourself with the location, as well as plan the safest way to get there.
We also recommend that when travelling on foot, you should always stick to open, well-lit areas and walk with purpose – especially when it is dark!
2. Travel in Groups
There’s safety in numbers! When travelling to/from unfamiliar locations or when going out at night, we recommend travelling in groups. It can also make your journey more enjoyable!
3. Be Aware of Your Surroundings
You should always ensure that you are paying attention to your environment, whether on or off campus. Knowing what's ‘normal’ on a specific route can help you recognise when something is out of place.
4. Use University Security Resources
At the University of Chester, your safety is very important to us! That’s why we provide a 24/7 security team 365 days of the year, ensuring that our sites are always safe and secure. We recommend saving your campus security contact details should you ever need them!
Chester: 01244 511541
University Centre Warrington: 01925 534374
Creative Campus Kingsway: 01244 515876
Queen’s Park: 01244 511910
Wheeler: 01244 512600
University Centre Shrewsbury: 01743 297185
5. Always Lock-Up Behind Yourself!
Whether you live in University-owned, partnership or private accommodation, always lock your doors and windows when you are leaving your home or going to sleep.
6. Learn University Emergency Procedures
Learning the university's emergency procedures is essential! This includes our evacuation plans, as well as fire exit and first-aid kit locations. You should always prioritise your safety and ensure you take the correct steps to protect yourself while enjoying your university experience
Fire safety: https://portal1.chester.ac.uk/healthandsafety/Pages/fire_safety.aspx
First Aid: https://portal1.chester.ac.uk/healthandsafety/Pages/firstaid.aspx
Health & Safety A – Z: https://portal1.chester.ac.uk/healthandsafety/Pages/a_z.aspx
7. In Case of Emergency
It is important that you are familiar with how to contact the UK Emergency Services and how to request the correct service should you need to use these in times of emergency. Our Emergency Services currently consist of:
- The Police
- Ambulance
- Fire Services
In the United Kingdom, all the above services can be contacted by dialling 999. Once your call has been answered, you will need to specifically state which service you require so that the responder can put you through to the correct service.
8. Keep Your Personal Information Safe
You should NEVER share your personal details such as your bank details with anyone, either in person, online or over the phone. Remember, companies such as a bank would never ask you for your details over the phone or via email. If you are suspicious of something, ignore it and report this to the university.
For further information on how to protect yourself from scams, go to https://shoutout.chester.ac.uk/tag/scams/
9. Keep Your Belongings Safe
To keep your belongings safe whilst you are out, you should always keep your valuables somewhere you won't lose them. This includes your keys, phone, bank card, ID and your purse/wallet. For example, you should always try and avoid keeping these items in your back pockets. If you decide to keep these in a bag, never leave this unattended when you're out.
10. Download the Hollie Guard App!
At the University of Chester, we’ve implemented a number of initiatives to make you feel as safe as possible at our sites. All our students and staff have free access to the personal safety app Hollie Guard.
The Hollie Guard app has many useful features, including:
Alert – Pressing the alert button sets off an alert and activates your phone’s camera, sending a message and recording to your emergency contacts.
Meeting Timer – If you feel like you’re entering a potentially dangerous situation, you can set a timer. The timer will countdown until you deactivate it. If you don’t deactivate it, it will raise an alert.
Journey - You can set a start and end point for your journey. The app will then monitor your journey and alert your contacts when you arrive or if you raise an alarm.
Click below to download the app now:
