Park Life at EKC Broadstairs College: supporting student health, safety and wellbeing

Thanet Community Safety Partnership held its fourth Park Life event on Wednesday 23 April 2025.

Park Life focuses on supporting Thanet’s young people and brings together a wide range of local support services, where young people can get free, confidential advice on personal health, safety and wellbeing. 

The event was hosted by East Kent Colleges Group, at its EKC Broadstairs College campus. Around 1,000 students took part in the free, fun event which featured music, outdoor sports, face painting, popcorn and smoothie-making bikes. 

Alongside the council’s Community and Health Improvement teams, around 18 partner organisations were there to talk and offer advice and support to students, including: 

• British Transport Police
• Digital Kent
• Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit
• Kent County Council Trading Standards
• Kent Family Hub
• Kent Fire and Rescue Service
• Kent Police Child Centred Policing Team 
• Live Well Kent and Medway
• Network Rail
• NHS Kent School Health
• NHS Kent and Medway Talking Therapies
• Porchlight
• Social Enterprise Kent
• St John Ambulance
• Sports Connect 
• Thanet Girls Can Network
• We Are With You drug and alcohol service
• Young Lives Foundation

Mike Humber, Director of Environment at Thanet District Council, said: “Our young people are such an important part of our community, but they don’t always know how or where to ask for help. By taking Park Life to EKC Broadstairs College, a lot of young people were able to access advice from a range of partner agencies, and do so in a familiar and supportive setting. We really appreciate the support of EKC Broadstairs College in hosting the event, and thank the tutors who released students from classes so they could take part. 

Paul Owen, Principal of EKC Broadstairs College, said: “We were very pleased to host the Thanet Community Safety Partnership Park Life event at our Broadstairs campus. 

“Open to all our students, the event aimed to empower them with the tools, information, and support they need to feel confident and stay safe. 

“Alongside important safety information and support, there were plenty of fun, interactive activities too, including the popular smoothie bikes, where students could pedal their way to creating a healthy drink.”

Following the success of Park Life at EKC Broadstairs College, the Thanet Community Safety Partnership plans to hold further events at local schools. 

The next public Park Life event will happen later in 2025.

Find out more about the Thanet Community Safety Partnership on the council’s website.