Sefton based Hugh Baird College is welcoming first years to its Freshers’ Fair on 13 September.

This is an opportunity for young people to find out about local health initiatives, leisure agencies and activities on offer to them.

Hugh Baird is dedicated to supporting its students as much as possible but understands that the college is not always open and that the need for support can happen at any time.

Similarly, the college wants its students to have the opportunity to make friends and make social plans outside of the learning environment.

For that reason, events like the Freshers Fair make students aware of the local support available to them and how to access it in time of need.

Being aware of the kind of support available can make all the difference to the mental wellbeing of a young person. There will be a wealth of information available at the fair as well as useful freebies and prizes. Other activities will be taking place throughout the day to help improve mental wellbeing and emotional positivity including a mini animal farm.

Hugh Baird College has a very comprehensive Health & Wellbeing Programme, which covers a range of issues relevant to young people. It addresses Suicide Prevention Awareness, Mental Health Awareness, Community Safety, Gang & Knife Crime, Domestic Violence & Anti-social Behaviour, Self-Image & Self-Harm, Cooking Sessions on Food Waste Elimination, British Values through Capoeira and Brazilian Drumming, Hate Crime, and Faith & Culture.

Visit Hugh Baird College's website for more details, or contact Janine Hopewell on 0151 353 4462.

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. In England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week.

The overall number of people with mental health problems has not changed significantly in recent years, but worries about things like money, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. In Sefton there many activities and services that happen in the community every week, that you might not even know about, which could improve your mental health and help make life a little easier.

So, from World Suicide Prevention Day (10th September) to World Mental Health Day (10th October) we are going to spread the word about local services and activities available to people in Sefton. Look out for the hashtag #SeftonInMind and join in by telling us about good local services and activities that have helped you.