u IS fOr uSEful STuff.
frOM WHaT TO DO IN aN EMErGENCY,
TO WHErE TO fIND a CHEESE aND TOMaTO SaNDWICH.
STuDENT lIVING buxTON.
It’s not Game of Thrones or even an episode of Breaking Bad. It’s
just some really useful information that will make life at University
that bit easier.
CHaT WITH frIENDS aND STaff aT YOur HalljOIN YOur Hall’S faCEbOOk paGE:
GETMOrEaTHIGHpEakHallS
The best few years of your life are just around the corner and you won’t
want to miss a single minute of it, right?
Here at the university of Derby we don’t want you to either.
To keep up to date with everything that’s happening on the buxton
campus and in halls, join browzer.co.uk/derby
browzer is a one-stop channel where you can stay in the loop about
events, sports, life in halls and the latest offers to save you money
across campus.
To make sure you’re in the know, just follow these simple steps:
• Visit www.browzer.co.uk/derby
• Download the app from the Apple or Google Play app stores.
New to buxton?
Have a look at our guides to find out the best places to eat, drink, shop
and play on a student budget.
WWW.DErbY.aC.uk/HallS
DO THESE
THINGS NOW.
Get the sensible, boring stuff out of the way.
Enrol on your course (go to www.derby.ac.uk/enrolment for
further information).
Fill in the Inventory Form in this pack and hand it back to
your Residential Manager.
Find out your room telephone number by dialling 175 on
your handset.
Get up and running with WiFi - Look at the Ask4 booklet in
your room to get you sorted.
Register with the doctor - There are several GP surgeries
in Buxton. To find out about GPs near your hall you can
check the NHS choices website at www.nhs.uk or go to
the University web page www.derby.ac.uk/udb/support/
student- wellbeing-service and follow the links.
Get a TV licence – Your parents’ TV licence at home won’t
cover you while you’re at University so if you want to watch
live TV through your PC or laptop you will need a licence.
You can buy one online at www.tvlicensing.co.uk.
You better Check facebook now and let other folks know
how well you’re doing. Make them right jealous.
Now grab a quick cuppa tea.
Attend your hall Welcome Meeting and find out all about
living in halls. The time of the meeting is listed in this
pack.
For more information on Buxton events during Freshers’
Fortnight check out www.udsu.co.uk/buxtonfreshers.
Organise a flat meeting to draw up a cleaning rota and get
to know your flatmates.
Go to the Freshers’ Fair on Thursday 25 September. It’s a
great way to make new friends and start a new interest.
You can join one of the many sports teams or societies and
get involved with everything from circus skills to football.
Get involved in Freshers’ Fortnight. There is something for
everyone from day trips to workshops and nights out. It’s a
fantastic way to meet new people and settle into University
life while having fun!
You can also find out more about your Students’ Union and
how to get involved in student media and volunteering.
WELL DONE FOR BEING ALIVE AFTER YOUR FIRST WEEK.
Now congratulate yourself with a big pat on the back, a cold beverage and a ‘quiet’,
sophisticated party with your new flatmates.
THINGS YOU
NEED TO KNOW.
Emergency contact
You can contact staff at your hall 24 hours a day if you
need to by ringing the hall mobile phone. Please don’t send
texts to the hall mobile as we don’t receive them. Also if
you need to contact staff about something don’t forget
you can email the Residential Manager. Generally it’s best
to use the phone for emergencies and the email for less
urgent issues.
Fire safety
These items are not allowed anywhere in your room:
toasters, kettles, electric heaters, microwaves and
rice cookers.
These items are not allowed anywhere in the flat: chip
pans, deep fat fryers, candles, joss sticks and oil burners.
–
–
The fire alarm
The fire alarm is tested once a week. Check notices at
your hall to find out when. If the fire alarm sounds for
more than 10 seconds, treat it as a genuine alarm and
leave the building.
–
Avoid false alarms
It’s possible to set the fire alarm off by accident so please
take care by not using hairspray or deodorant too near
the heat and smoke sensors, using extractor fans in your
showers and ensuites, not leaving cooking unattended and
using the kitchen fans when cooking. Remember if you
cause a false alarm you may be charged.
Other fire safety precautions
• Never leave cooking unattended.
• Please don’t smoke anywhere inside halls.
• Please use the smoking shelters outside.
• Unplug electrical appliances if you are not using them.
• Never tamper with fire safety equipment or wedge fire
doors open.
• No bicycles are allowed in halls buildings as they block
fire exit routes so please use the bike sheds.
–
Visitors
You can have a visitor to stay with you for two nights
out of any one week. When you have a visitor you MUST
fill in a Visitors Form and hand it in to your Residential
Manager. Alternatively you can go on UDo and fill in
an online form. It’s also polite to tell your flatmates.
Unfortunately for insurance reasons we can’t let
anyone under 18 stay in halls overnight.
Please ask your Residential Manager for information
on where visitors can park as there is no visitor
parking.
Yep. My eyes are hurting too. Only a little further to go.
Absences
If you are going to be away from halls for one night or
more you need to fill in an Away Registration Form and
give it to a member of staff or post it under the office door.
You’ll find a form in this Welcome Pack or you can pick one
up from the hall office. Alternatively you can go on UDo and
fill in an online form. We need to know if you are going to
be away in case of fire or other emergencies.
Holidays
During University holidays like Christmas and Easter you
can stay in halls if you want to. Please let staff know you
will be staying. If you are going home for the holidays
remember to fill in an Away Registration Form and take
home any valuables.
Nearly there.
You could probably read the rest of this book in the time it takes to make cheese on toast. In fact,
I challenge you to try it. Don’t forget the Worcestershire sauce. Tasty!
THINGS YOU
NEED TO KNOW.
Maintenance
Please report any maintenance issues to us as soon as
you notice them. Generally it’s best if you ring us with
emergency maintenance issues and email us with less
urgent ones. Problems reported at night cannot usually
be dealt with until the morning unless they are urgent.
–
Insurance
Student possessions insurance has been provided through
Endsleigh for every student who is living at our student
residences for the 2014-15 academic year.
This covers a range of belongings in your room, including
laptops, sports and electrical equipment, clothes and
frozen food. This has been arranged by the University of
Derby at no extra cost to students.
The insurance certificate for the 2014/15 academic
year is available online. Please download a copy of this
document for your records by going to www.endsleigh.
co.uk/reviewcover . All claims will be handled directly by
Endsleigh.
Laptops, tablets and phones are not covered outside
of your room so you may wish to consider taking out
additional cover to protect your essential gadgets and
other possessions. Endsleigh is proud to offer a 24 hour*
laptop and phone replacement promise and is the only
insurance provider recommended by NUS.
For claims information, or to extend your policy, visit the
Endsleigh website.
Hungry? You better read this next section then.
Supermarkets
There are lots of supermarkets in Buxton town centre and
near High Peak Halls.
• Morrisons on Bakewell Road (open 8am-8pm most days
except Sunday)
• Aldi on Station Road, just two minutes from halls
• Iceland at The Springs shopping centre
• Waitrose at The Springs shopping centre
• The Co-operative at The Springs shopping centre and on
the Market Place
• Sainsbury’s Local, 14 Eagle Parade on the Market Place
• Tesco 24-hours on London Road (only small but sells the
necessities)
If you want to buy ethnic and international foods, please
refer to the last page of this booklet for specialist food
stores.
–
Post offices nearby
• 97-103 The Springs Shopping Centre
• 12A High Street.
AND NOW YOU KNOW.
Reading this information is tough, but starting University can be even tougher so be sure to read
through the next lot of pages.
Out and about
in Buxton.
Shopping
The Springs Shopping Centre, offers a wide range of shops
and cafes where you can find everything for your room and
kitchenware to suit all budgets. As well as familiar high
street names like Next and Marks and Spencer, there are
some great individual shops selling everything from local
food to designer clothes.
In the Cavendish Arcade you’ll find little shops selling craft,
fashion, antiques, books, home interiors and fragrance.
And there are the streets around the Market Place too
which sell everything from fashion, to baby wear, toys and
homeware. Buxton market is every Tuesday and Saturday,
there’s a monthly Artisan Market and the Pavilion Gardens
often organise continental markets with traders from all
over Europe.
Students’ Union events.
Throughout Freshers’ Fortnight your Students’ Union clubs
and societies provide some fantastic nights out for you,
so get your best clothes on (or fancy dress sometimes)
and head up to the Market Place. There you will find the
majority of student friendly bars which include The Vault,
The Queens’s Head, The Eagle and night club venues Trunk
and Level 2.
During term time there’s a Student Night every Wednesday
at Level 2 which is open till 2am, along with Trunk which is
just across the road.
Luckily enough for you, your fellow students studying on
the Events Management programme will also put on some
fantastic events for you to attend throughout the year so
make sure you support them by attending.
But if you’re short of a real shopping fix, the Trafford
Centre in Manchester is only 45 minutes away by car or
train and the University offers cheap, and sometimes free,
regular trips. There you’ll find hundreds of shops, many
with great student discounts.
FOOD, A GOOD PUB OR MAYBE EVEN CATCH SOMETHING AT THE
THEATRE. SPOILT FOR CHOICE.
Nightlife
There is a range of pubs, bars and restaurants in Buxton. As
well as events organised by the Students’ Union you might
want to try Wetherspoons around the corner from High
Peak Halls, which shows live sports on large screens and
The Old Sun Inn which has a pub quiz every Sunday night.
For a quieter night out you might opt for the nice wine bars
and coffee shops down the road from the main campus like
Barbarellas and the Old Court House.
If you want a bigger night out, then you are only about an
hour away from cities like Manchester, Derby and Sheffield.
The Trafford Centre in Manchester has a 20 screen cinema,
Laser Quest and an 18 lane bowling alley, as well as over 60
bars, restaurants and cafes.
There are a good variety of places to eat out in Buxton
with different types of food on offer including Italian, Indian,
Chinese and Thai. There’s also a variety of coffee shops and
late night take away places to choose from.
If you enjoy live music, the Orchestra Pit is the new home
for regular live music events on a Friday night with local
bands playing and open mic nights. It is also one of the
venues for the Buxton Fringe Festival. Other pubs like 53
Degrees North and The Queens Head often have live bands
playing.
GUIDED TOURS ARE AVAILABLE...PROBABLY
Yep there are. Go to www.discoverbuxton.co.uk, or alternatively walk around Buxton with your flatmates.
Be a good excuse to sample the local ‘watering’ holes.
Out and about
in Buxton.
Culture and entertainment
Buxton has a thriving arts scene. Buxton Opera House is one
of the UK’s leading theatres and also hosts gigs as well as
some films. You can get student discounts on tickets with an
NUS Extra Card available at www.nus.org.uk/nus extra.
In the summer Buxton gets festival fever , hosting lots of
festivals including the Buxton Festival, The Fringe Theatre
Festival and the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival. It is also
worth checking out the Y Not Festival held near Matlock.
The Pauper’s Pit at the Old Hall Hotel also shows a variety
of films every Thursday throughout the year.
Food, a good pub or walk around some of the best scenery
Derbyshire has to offer. Buxton has it all.
Sport and leisure
If sport is your thing there is a lot going on in Buxton.
The University of Derby Buxton Sports Centre provides daily
access to sports facilities at excellent prices. As well as
a fitness suite there is the opportunity to play badminton,
basketball, netball, indoor soccer and cricket and volley ball.
The University also has outdoor pitches at Harpur Hill for
football and other outdoor sports. Ring Reception for more
details on 01298 26716.
Buxton is also proud of its Centre of Development and
Excellence (CODE) which encompasses all levels of both
men’s and women’s football, netball and rugby.
Off campus you’ll find Buxton Leisure Centre on St John’s
Road for swimming and fitness classes.
Finally, Buxton is on the edge of the Peak District National
Park with fantastic countryside all around, so if you’re into
outdoor activities like climbing, horse riding, pot holing,
paragliding or water sports you’ll be in your element.
There are also several places worth visiting including
Ashbourne, Bakewell, Matlock Bath, Alton Towers (the
biggest theme park in Europe), Dovedale, Chatsworth
House and the caverns at Castleton.
All CODE students take part in well balanced training each
week that includes technical, tactical and psychological
elements of their game, fitness and match analysis as
well as the opportunity to play matches against other local
colleges. Contact UDSU Buxton for more information.
Guided tours are available... Probably.
There’s always a Buxton ghost tour for those who are brave enough.
Who you gonna call?
What to
do if...
Your flatmates are untidy and don’t wash up
Hold a flat meeting to work out a cleaning rota. If this
doesn’t work, your Residential Manager will be able to help
by arranging a meeting to try to resolve the issues.
You want to stay away from halls for more than
seven days
Let your flatmates know so they don’t worry if they haven’t
seen you around for a while.
–
You’ll also need to fill in an Away Registration Form and
give it to a member of staff. You’ll find copies of the form
in this pack and they’re also available from reception or
online on UDo.
You have noisy neighbours
Speak to your neighbours and explain that the noise is
disturbing you. Most people will keep the noise down if you
ask politely.
If this doesn’t work or you don’t want to speak to your
neighbours directly, phone your hall mobile to report the
problem. It’s always best to report it at the time it’s actually
happening. We’ll then investigate the issue for you and take
any necessary action.
–
You want a guest to stay for a week
If there’s a room available, you can book it for a guest who
is staying for a short period of time. To find out prices and
book a room in Buxton, speak to hall staff.
–
You can’t connect to the internet
On arrival you’ll be given a booklet from Ask4, our
communications provider. This booklet will contain all the
advice you need about your internet connection including
where to get support, how to get the best from your
connection, and how to purchase products and upgrades
over and above the basic package which is included in your
hall fees. Please refer to this booklet for all your internet
queries.
Your down to the last can of beans and the bread has seen
better days. Best to share it. Sharing is good.
You’re going on placement
If you need to attend a work placement outside Buxton as
part of your course, you are still legally bound to pay your
hall fees for the whole of the academic year.
To keep costs down many students who need to move out
of halls to do their placement find a suitable replacement
student to live in and pay for their room in their absence.
Something in your room or flat is broken or not
working properly
Contact a member of staff during office opening hours,
or fill in a Maintenance Request Form. But if it’s an
emergency, ring your hall emergency mobile number or
visit the hall office.
–
If you would like to do this, Student Living will be more
than happy to help you. Contact your Residential Manager.
if you need help with this.
Use your loaf.
Stale bread makes great bread and butter pudding - yum!
What to
do if...
Zombies have just broken in.
Garlic won’t work, trust me. You have a few options,
either... Stand there looking tasty. Put a tie around your
forehead and go rambo on them. Or lastly, go meet shaun
and ed down the winchester for a cold pint.
On the plus side of an apocalypse, no exams.
zombie living. Buxton.
What to
do if...
You’re struggling to pay the rent
Contact the Students’ Union’s independent advice centre,
The Source on 01332 591509. The advisers will give you
guidance and support.
You think you have a sexually transmitted disease
See your doctor for tests, as soon as possible. It’s best not
to engage in sexual activity until you know whether you’re
infected or not.
It’s also best to let the University Finance Department
know if you’re having problems with your hall fees. You can
do this be going to speak to staff at the faculty office in the
dome.
–
Keep your Residential Manager in the picture too - it’s
better all round if you’re up front and honest about your
problems.
_
You want a parking permit after Christmas
Speak to your Residential Manager to see if there are any
spaces before you bring your car here.
You’re ill and need to go home to recuperate
Let us know that you’re going home, and when you’re
feeling better, phone your Residential Manager to let them
know when you’ll be coming back. When you come back
we’ll be here to provide any support you might need.
–
You feel homesick
Come and have a chat with us - we’re used to dealing with
issues like homesickness. Also, try to talk to your flatmates
- they may be feeling the same.
THE WASHING UP LIQUID IS RUNNING OUT. YOU’RE DOWN TO
EMERGENCY RATIONS. TIME TO START A KITTY FOR STUFF YOU ALL USE.
You want to leave halls but your contract still has
some time to run
If you can find a suitable Buxton student who doesn’t live in
halls already and wants to rent your room, we may be able
to release you from your contract.
They’ll need to pay the booking fee and sign a contract
before you can be released. Unfortunately, if you can’t find
someone who wants to rent your room, you will have to
pay your rent until your contract ends.
You don’t know where to live next year
Remember you can live in halls again next year. You can
apply to share a flat with a group of friends or you can
apply solo. It’s up to you. Ask your Residential Manager
for more details. If you’ve decided to go for private
accommodation, make sure it’s ‘University approved’.
You can find out more from your Residential Manager at
reception.
–
You’re unhappy in your flat
Speak to your Residential Manager, who will be able to give
you useful tips for settling in and working out any issues.
You want to make a complaint
Contact your Residential Manager. However, if the
complaint is about the Residential Manager, contact the
Customer Service Manager at the Student Housing Centre
in Derby. E: [email protected] T: 01332 594185
–
–
You want to change rooms
Speak to your Residential Manager T: 01298 330391 or
4484 from your room.
You’re worried about one of your flatmates
Speak to him or her about it if you can. If necessary, tell a
staff member too, so we can help your flatmate and refer
him or her to the relevant support services.
–
–
You lose your keys
We will replace your keys immediately. However if after a
week, you still haven’t found them, we will charge you for
the new set.
That covers all the what ifs.
Apart from if dinosaurs were to come back to life and take over the halls, but that won’t happen...
I’m about 35.6% sure about that.
Useful information for
overseas students.
WELCOME TO BUXTON
British customs
Now that you are in Britain you may be surprised by some
of our customs. Also you may be living with people from
other cultures with different habits and beliefs. Please
respect their differences and treat them as you would like
to be treated.
Asking questions
Never be afraid of asking questions to your host, tutor or
lecturer. Asking questions or putting another point of view
is not considered rude in this country. It is often expected
that students should have a reasoning, questioning mind,
so you will be expected to ask questions, but don’t take
over every conversation by asking too many.
–
Time
To arrive late, even by a few minutes, is considered
impolite in the UK. Your lecturer or supervisor may
disapprove if you arrive late at a seminar or lecture,
whatever the reason. For example, if a meeting or lecture
is arranged for lunchtime, there might be a plan to eat and
then to talk or the other way round.
–
Women and men in British culture
Women and men in Britain share the same responsibilities,
jobs, and roles. You will find many women in leadership
and management positions. We ask that all our staff, male
or female, are treated with respect.
British weather is brilliant. you get to wear wellington
boots and everything.
Living in halls:
Your contract
When you applied to live in halls you signed a contract for
42 weeks. The contract is a legally binding document which
means that you MUST pay your hall fees for the length of
the contract.
Practicalities
We hope you have found your bed packs and individual
kitchen packs useful. If you need any other household
items you can buy them at from the local pound stores in
The Springs Shopping Arcade.
–
–
Communal toilets
In the UK we use toilet paper and flush it down the toilet.
Please don’t put used toilet paper in the bin. The bins in
toilets are usually for soiled sanitary products only. Please
leave the floor clean and dry after use, ready for the next
person to use the facilities.
Food storage
Now that you live in halls you will probably be sharing the
fridge freezer with other people who may not share your
beliefs about food preparation. If food storage is an issue
for you, you can have a mini fridge in your room if you want
to. Just let your Residential Manager know. Small fridges
can be bought in any good electrical stores.
–
Alcohol
In Britain many family or social gatherings and parties
involve drinking alcohol. This can be surprising and difficult
to understand for some international students coming
from a culture where alcohol does not play a big part.
–
Shopping for international food
Kosher food is not widely available in Buxton, as there
is not a large Jewish community, however some large
supermarkets like Asda, Tescos, Sainsbury’s and
Morrisons may stock some Kosher and world food items.
check out the information on the next page for details of shops selling international foods.
ETHNIC FOOD SHOPS
IN THE AREA
Although your local supermarket may stock some food from around the world, the following shops offer more
specific food items from different countries. Some of these stores will also offer money transfer services, freight
transport and online ordering.
Country
Name of shop
Address and contact
details
How to get there
African and
Caribbean
African Pride Foods
Unit 3 , 78 Hulme High
Street, Manchester M15 5GT
Tel: 0161 232 9797
[email protected]
Train from Buxton to
Manchester Piccadilly,
walk to Piccadilly Gardens
and catch a bus to Hulme.
Food from all over the
world including Russian
Worldwide Foods Ltd
401 Great Western Street
Manchester M14 4AH
Area: Rusholme
Open 9am-8pm
Tel: 0161 248 6727
Near Manchester Oxford
Road train station, then
walk down Oxford Road
past Whitworth Park.
Middle Eastern, North
African, Malaysian and
other Muslim countries
ASDA Longsight
(Halal food counter and
other ethnic foods)
Asda Longsight Superstore
Stanley Grove, Longsight,
Manchester, M12 4NH
Open: 7am – 9pm,
Sundays 10.30am – 4.30pm.
Tel: 0161 248 6013
Train from Buxton to
Manchester Piccadilly
(1 hour), then bus 192
from outside the station
(Fairfield Street) to
Longsight.
Polish, Czech, Slovak and
East European
‘Polski Sklep’
MarMarMarket
Dukes Court Unit 5b,
Mill Street, Macclesfield,
SK11 6NN
Tel: 07850 560258
Catch bus 58 from
Buxton Market Place to
Macclesfield.
Scandinavian
IKEA Manchester
Wellington Rd
Ashton-Under-Lyne
Tameside, Manchester
OL6 7TE
Tel: 0845 355 2186
(customer services)
www.ikea.com
Train from Buxton to
Manchester Piccadilly
(1 hour). Then take bus
219 from outside the
station (Fairfield Street) to
Ashton (approximately 30
minutes).
South East Asian
Chinese, Korean and
Thai Supermarkets
China Town
Manchester
Walking distance from
Manchester Piccadilly train
station.