Support for students

We can offer financial support to students in certain circumstances:

Residential Scholarship

Lee Abbey is able to offer either free or reduced-price accommodation to a limited number of students either for one term or one academic year, depending on students’ needs and the funds we have available.

Download Residential Scholarship Form

Hardship Fund

The Lee Abbey Hardship Fund exists primarily to help any full-time student experiencing financial difficulty who has been a resident at Lee Abbey for at least one academic year and is still booked in for at least one more full term.

Download Hardship Fund Form

Eight steps to improve your wellbeing

1. Connect with friends and family. These relationships can help you to feel happier and safe. Meals at Lee Abbey are also a great time to talk to other residents, and we run a varied social programme with many opportunities to get together.
2. Let others know. Staying silent can make you feel lonely. All our staff and community are happy to talk and listen to you. Your University or College will have support services you can access.
3. Be active. Regular exercise can improve your mood, confidence and ability to think clearly. Go for a walk or join Lee Abbey’s football club.
4. Learn. Take up a new skill or sport, or get involved with an activity at Lee Abbey or your university.
5. Appreciate – the people, places and things around you. You could go out for a coffee or see a movie with another resident. There’s lots to do in London, with many shops, museums and parks on your doorstep.
6. Go outside. It’s easy to spend more time indoors and waste time on your phone. Nature can help to reduce depression, anxiety or stress so go for a walk in the two local parks nearby or see the deer in Richmond Park.
7. Eat a balanced diet. Eating healthy, nutritious food can improve your mood, energy levels and ability to think clearly.
8. Rest and sleep. Help your body to repair and improve your focus and memory. Working all the time is unhealthy so take regular breaks from studying, and aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep a day.

Who to talk to

Other people to talk to

• Our staff and community members
• Your roommates or residents on your floor or around Lee Abbey.
• Other students at Lee Abbey or your university.
• The Student Support Services/Counselling, Mental Health and Chaplaincy services at your University.

Helpful resources

There are now more and more apps out there that can help with anything from managing your general wellbeing (mood trackers) to those for more specific health concerns. Whilst apps can be useful, they are not a replacement for seeking medical advice if you have concerns about any symptoms you are experiencing. Websites you may wish to look at include:

• Mind
• Calm
• The Mix
• The Samaritans

If you are feeling distressed and need immediate help

• Contact your doctor’s surgery and request an emergency appointment. If your surgery is not open, contact the NHS Out of Hours Service on 111 available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
• Call the Samaritans on 116 123 available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
• If you feel at immediate risk of harm to yourself, go straight to your nearest hospital Accident and Emergency department or call Emergency Services on 999.
• Call the London Nightline service on 0207 631 0101 available 6pm-8am, every night during term. Nightline is an anonymous service. Calls charged at your standard network rate.

When things get rough, our Pastoral Coordinator, senior staff and our community members will be happy to help and listen to you.

Faith

Lee Abbey is a Church of England (Anglican) foundation and is staffed by a community whose members are drawn from many Christian traditions. They include Anglicans, Baptists, Copts, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, Lutherans and members of other Protestant denominations.

Prayer is essential to Christian life and our community prays together every day. We pray for our residents regularly and welcome opportunities to pray with or for them. Our community has a time of morning worship and prayer from Monday to Saturday in our chapel space and has communion on alternate Wednesday evenings. Residents are welcome to attend and participate in these acts of worship.

We accept residents and guests of all religious faiths and none, and we encourage them to continue to practise their religion while they are with us. London is a multi-cultural and multi-faith city and you are never very far from a place of worship.

Local Churches

(This is a growing list. Click on the rectangular tab with the arrow at the top of the map to show churches.)