Over the Christmas period, the opening hours of our services will be changing. However, do not worry! You will still be able to access the help and support you need during this time.
We have provided a summary of the Christmas opening hours of our services so you will know how and when you will be able to access the support you need.
Student Services over the Winter Break
The Accommodation team will have the following Christmas hours:
Monday 23rd December: 9am-5pm
Tuesday 24th December: 9am-5pm
Wednesday 25th December: Closed
Thursday 26th December: Closed
Friday 27th December: 9am-5pm
Saturday 28th December: Closed
Sunday 29th December: Closed
Monday 30th December: 9am-5pm
Tuesday 31st December: 9am-5pm
Wednesday 1st January: Closed
Thursday 2nd January: 9am-5pm
Friday 3rd January: 9am-5pm
Saturday 4th January: Closed
Sunday 5th January: Closed
Monday 6th January and onwards: 8.30am-5.30pm
In line with the University’s closure dates, the physical office will be shut from 23 December until 6 January – when the Carrington Building reopens.
The Accommodation team can be contacted via email accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk at or by phone at 0118 200 5011.
The Halls Hotline (0800 029 1984 / reading.helpdesk@upp-ltd.com) remains open 24/7 during the Christmas vacation.
Campus Jobs will be closed from 20 December and will return on the 6 January.
Campus Jobs can be contacted by email at campusjobs@reading.ac.uk. Emails will only be responded to once the team have are back in office on the 6 January. The team phone number will not be in use during the closure time.
Below is information about the different catering and food outlets closing times during the Winter Break:
Bars and Dining
Park eat will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the18 January
The square will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 20 January
Wantage will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 20 January
St Patricks will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 18 January
The diary will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 6 January
Parkhouse will be closed from the 23 December and will re-open on the 6 January
Cafes
The Library café will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 6 January
Dol Che Vita will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 6 January
The Henley Business School café will be closed form the 21 December and will re-open on the 6 January
Trilobite will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 20 January
Breakfast box will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 20 January
Agriculture Cafe will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 20 January
Enterprise will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 6 January
TVSP will be closed from the 21 December and will re-open on the 6 January
Christmas Dinners will be offered at the below catering outlets from the week commencing the 16 December
St Patrick's Dining Hall- Monday 16 December- 5pm to 8:30pm
Wantage Dining Hall- Tuesday 17 December- 5pm to 8:30pm
Park Eat- Wednesday 18 December- 5pm to 9pm
Our regular weekly Chaplaincy programme of events will stop after 20 December and resume again week beginning 20 January.
Counselling and Wellbeing will be open as normal during the Christmas vacation with the exception of weeks commencing 23 December and 30 December when campus is shut.
Usual working hours are Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. The reception may not always be manned so please come to room 106 Carrington.
Additional support over the period is available via the 24-7 Support Line and Wisdom App support line open every day including bank holidays.
Counselling and Wellbeing can be contacted via email at counselling@reading.ac.uk or by phone on 0118 378 4216.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Support is available within the community via:
111 NHS Mental Health Support Get help for your symptoms - NHS 111
Berkshire West Beath Space will be accepting self-referrals via Freephone 0800 002 9091 or email breathing-space@together-uk.org open every evening of every week including Bank Holidays from 5pm until 11pm.
TEL support services will be closed for the University's standard closure days and the Christmas period: Monday 23 December 2024 – Friday 3 January 2025.
The services re-start on Monday 6th January 2025 and we will begin answering any queries received during the closure period.
Please submit any queries by emailing DTS@reading.ac.uk or log via the DTS Self-Service Portal well ahead of 17:00 on Friday 20th December to allow for a response.
The Digital Technology Service (DTS) will be working as normal on Friday 20 December.
Saturday 21 December to Sunday 5 January: Limited Service (Telephone Only)
Monday 6 January: Vacation Hours
During the Christmas Vacation the telephone services will operate 24/7 (including Christmas Day and all Bank Holidays), though tickets that cannot be completed via phone will be escalated to be looked at from Monday 6 January.
Call 0118 378 6262 to access.
The Hall Wardens will be on 24/7 call out over the closure period. It will be business as usual and the office will be open until 23 December 2024, then the office will be closed but students who need Warden support can call the 24/7 Halls Hotline number 0800 029 1984 or Security direct on 0118 378 6300 who also operate 24/7, they will then be able to contact the Warden to attend any incident.
The Wardens will operate like this until Saturday 4 January 2025 at which point we will go back to our usual opening hours:
• Monday to Friday- 9am to 10pm and
• Saturday and Sunday- 1pm to 10pm
We will also be out of the office on two occasions in December: 5th – 11 to 3pm and 18th – 12.30 to 2.30pm.
The Helpdesk will close at 4.30pm on Friday 20 December and re-open at 8.30am on Monday 6 January.
students can contact us via Ask a Question however during the closure period emails and calls will not be monitored.
The International Student Advisory Team will be closed at 4pm Friday 20 December and well resume work on Monday 6 January.
Students can contact the team by email at immigration@reading.ac.uk or int.adv@reading.ac.uk however emails will not be monitored over the closure period and these will not be looked at by the team until we return on the 6 January.
Responses to emails may also take longer as the RISIS system is down for an upgrade on the 7 & 8 January.
From Monday 6 to Friday 17 January the Library, phones and email will be open and monitored Monday – Thursday 8.30am-7pm and Friday 8.30am-5pm.
The SportsPark will be closed on the below dates:
Tuesday 24th December 2024- Closed
Wednesday 25th December 2024- Closed
Thursday 26th December 2024- Closed
Friday 27th December 2024- Closed
Saturday 28th December 2024- Open 13:00-20:00
Sunday 29th December 2024- Open 13:00-20:00
Monday 30th December 2024- Open 13:00-20:00
Tuesday 31st December 2024- Closed
Wednesday 1st January 2025- Closed
Student Finance will be closed from the 20 December 2024 to the 6 January 2025. Leading up to the Christmas Closure period you can book a virtual appointment, email studentfunding@reading.ac.uk, or access free online support for managing your finances on Blackbullion.
Staff will continue to assess/process Student Support Fund applications but cannot guarantee payment or decisions will be made before the Christmas closure period.
The Student Services Reception will be closed from 23 December and will reopen again on Monday 6 January and operate our normal hours which are 10am to 4pm on weekdays.
The reception can be contacted via email on studenthelp@reading.ac.uk or by phone at 0118 378 5555. These will not be monitored during the closure period.
The Study Advice appointment service is available in person and online all year round apart from University Closure days and Bank Holidays. It will be closed from 20 December to 6 January. Appointments are available Mon-Fri 9am -4pm.
The drop-in service is semester time only so will finish at the end of teaching time in semester one and restart in assessment time after the vacation.
Study Advice can be contacted by email at studyadvice@reading.ac.uk.
Details of contact information can be found on the Student Support Coordinators Essentials webpage or students are advised to contact us via Ask a Question. These will not be monitored over the Christmas period.
Welfare will be working as normal and will closed from 20 December until 6 January.
The Welfare can be contacted via email at studentwelfare.reading.ac.uk
Student Space is open every day throughout the Christmas period and has great resources and helplines.
Urgent concerns about your mental health? Call the Berkshire NHS Crisis number 0800 129 9999
If you are feeling suicidal or desperate to talk to someone, you can call the Samaritans for free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 116 123.
PAPYRUS is the national UK charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide and offers a telephone and text service on 0800 068 4141. The service is staffed by trained mental health professionals 10:00 – 22:00 weekdays and 14:00 – 17:00 at the weekend.
Your doctor/GP practice. If you are registered with the University Medical practice in Northcourt Avenue, the number is:0118 987 4551. Otherwise, please contact the doctor with whom you are registered.
Non-urgent NHS medical help/advice: 111.
Emergency services: 999.
University Security Team emergency number: 0118 378 6300.
University Security Team non-emergency number: 0118 378 7799 or email.
For any urgent Halls matters, please ring the Halls hotline on 0800 029 1984 who are still operating a 24/7 service.