Winter break closures
Whatever you’re doing during the winter break, we're still here for you. On this page you’ll find lots of information about our support services, what’s happening with library access and more. If you’ve still got questions, please contact askUS. Our teams are here until 14:00 Friday 20 December, but please get in touch by 12:00 to make sure we have time to answer your questions before the winter break.
Most campus buildings and university services will close at 17:00 on Friday 20 December 2024 and reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025 for the university’s winter break closure period. School offices and askUS will also be closed during this time.
Some campus facilities will have reduced opening hours over the winter break including Clifford Whitworth Library and Eat and Drink outlets.
Support for students who have urgent needs will be in place over the Winter Break, including:
- Our campus security team (full information below) – easily contacted through the SafeZone app or via phone:
- Non-emergency: +44 (0)161 295 4773
- Emergency: +44 (0)161 295 3333
- 24-hour student CareFirst telephone helpline
Jump to a section
Closures and reduced opening hours
Information around services and their closure periods, as well as outlets and student services remaining open with reduced hours.
Contacting urgent support
Find out what to do if there is an urgent matter on campus during the winter break.
Wellbeing
Find wellbeing advice, guidance for urgent problems and links to local organisations who are able to support you during the winter break.
Closures and reduced opening hours
Although most campus buildings and university services will close during winter break, a number of services and outlets will remain open with reduced opening hours. Below you can find information about askUS, Digital IT services, library services, the Faith Centre, eat and drink outlets and more.
askUS enquiries
The askUS enquiries service will close at 14:00 on Friday 20 December 2024, reopening on Thursday 2 January 2025. Please get in touch by 12:00 on Friday 20 December to make sure we have time to answer your questions before the winter break.
You can self-serve information by visiting the askUS section or the Student Hub.
You can still email askUS on askus@salford.ac.uk and they will respond as soon as possible when the service reopens on Thursday 2 January 2025.
DIT provision - your account, software and University IT systems
The Digital IT Service Desk will close at 14:00 on Friday 20 December 2024 and any urgent queries can be submitted until 17:00 via the Service Portal. Our Service Portal will be available throughout the winter break, providing self-help support for many of the most common IT issues.
Normal business hours (Monday to Friday, 08:00-17:00) will resume from Thursday 2 January 2025.
Info on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), including what to do if you get a new device
You need to register for Multi-Factor Authentication to enable self-service password resets. You can reset your password online - instructions on resetting your password.
Before the Digital IT Service Desk closes at 14:00 on Friday 20 December, we would like to make sure you can access your account during University closure.
For you to be able to access your university account seamlessly throughout the holiday period, and beyond, It is strongly recommended that you set up additional account authentication methods, e.g. SMS. The authentication methods available are:
- Microsoft Authentication App
- Text message to phone
- Security questions
If you acquire a new mobile device over the closure period, please ensure you update your MFA method to include your new device before losing access to the current device you use. If you fail to do this, you may result in not being able to access your University account and we will not be able to help you while we are closed.
Please see below links to easy to follow user guides including videos to help you with MFA and Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR).
Eat and drink outlets
This includes Campus Convenience Stores, Refectories and more. Most outlets will be closed or operate limited opening hours during the winter break. Find all the eat and drink outlet opening hours.
Peel Park Campus
- Broadwalk Store (Campus Convenience Store): closes Friday 20 December 2024, reopens Thursday 2 January 2025 (open for the day with reduced hours on Friday 27 December 2024 09:00-15:00)
- Chapman Café: closes Friday 13 December 2024, reopens TBC
- Library Café: closes Friday 20 December 2024, reopens Thursday 2 January 2025
- Maxwell Main and Coffee Shop: closes Friday 20 December 2024, reopens Thursday 2 January 2025
- New Adelphi Café: closes Friday 20 December 2024, reopens Thursday 2 January 2025
- Subway: closes Friday 13 December 2024, reopens Monday 6 January 2025
- The Old Fire Station Brewery and Bakery: closes Saturday 21 December, reopens TBC
Frederick Road Campus
- Allerton Refectory and Starbucks: closes Friday 20 December 2024, reopens Thursday 2 January 2025
- Allerton Student Store: closes Friday 20 December 2024, reopens Thursday 2 January 2025
MediaCity Campus
- MediaCity Café: closes Friday 13 December 2024, reopens TBC
Faith Centre
The Faith Centre will be closed during the winter break from 18:00 on Friday 20 December 2024 and reopens at 09:00 on Thursday 2 January 2025.
Library services (including careers and employability support)
Our Libraries on our campuses will either be open during the winter break with reduced hours with some closures or fully closed over the period, find full information below for each Library. You will need your student ID card to enter the building for the entirety of the hours listed below. For full Library opening times, visit their webpage.
Clifford Whitworth Library, Peel Park campus
- The Library will close early for the day at 18:00 on Friday 20 December 2024
- The Library will be operating 09:00-17:00 on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 December 2024
- The Library will be operating 10:00-15:00 on Monday 23, Tuesday 24, Friday 27 and Monday 30 December 2024
- The Library will be closed Wednesday 25, Thursday 26, Saturday 28, Sunday 29 and Tuesday 31 December 2024 and Wednesday 1 January 2025
- It will return to normal 24-hour opening times on Thursday 2 January 2025
- Staffing will be limited during the winter break at Clifford Whitworth Library, but most services will be available. The Tech Bar will not be available
The Cube, Frederick Road campus
- The Cube and Allerton locations will close at 18:00 on Friday 20 December 2024 and reopen at their usual opening times on Thursday 2 January 2025
MediaCity Library, MediaCity campus
- MediaCity Library will close at 17:00 on Friday 20 December 2024 and reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025 at 07:00
Additional library resources
Online resources will remain available and you can self-serve information by visiting the library and careers and enterprise sections:
When the Clifford Whitworth Library is open, you can use self-service to borrow and return books and 24-hour or 1-week loan laptops and MacBooks. Our friendly team are here to support you with using the Library during staffed hours. If you are going away over the break, extended loan laptops (four weeks) are available to borrow from Clifford Whitworth during staffed hours. Full details of our library services.
You still have full 24/7 access to our comprehensive range of digital resources (e-books, e-journals, digital newspapers and particular subject orientated resources) during the closure period. Access to all these library resources are available and you can also find specific reading and material for your modules via your dedicated reading lists. You can also access library services quickly and easily on your phone via the library app.
When you want a break from your studies, find a book from our leisure reading collection or catch up on some old or favourite TV programmes.
School offices
School Offices will close at 17:00 on Friday 20 December 2024, reopening on Thursday 2 January 2025. You can self-serve school-based information on Blackboard programme and module sites, but please note that academic staff will not be available to answer questions during this time.
Sports centre
The sports centre will close on Friday 20 December at 15:00, with the last entry to the gym, sports hall, and squash courts 14:00. The swimming pool will close slightly earlier at 14:30, with last entry for the pool also at 14:00.
Students' Union
The Students’ Union will be closed from Friday 20 December 2024, reopening on Thursday 2 January 2025. See any social events on the Students’ Union website.
Atmosphere and the Coffee Hut will close on Friday 13 December 2024, reopening on Monday 6 January 2025.
Contacting urgent support
If you are in need of urgent help during winter break, we are still here to support you. You can find information below about what to do if there is an urgent matter on campus, the SafeZone app, urgent problems and critical needs, Report It provisions and student accommodation providers.
Crises, urgent or immediate need
- Download the SafeZone App - as part of our ongoing support for our students and staff, we have a safety app called SafeZone that you can download to provide you with access to emergency assistance on-campus should you need it, including access to urgent assistance, first aid and to report emergency incidents and concerns.
- If you have an urgent problem or a critical need where you need immediate support or you/someone else is at risk of harm, you can access information and advice for urgent support. This includes support available from University of Salford Security, NHS, Samaritans, CALM, Papyrus and Refuge. Urgent problem articles and information includes information about support for crisis events including suicide, self-harm, violence, mental health and risks to others. Our 24-hour Student CareFirst telephone helpline provides emotional support from trained counsellors. If it helps to talk to someone call +44 (0)800 970 1080.
- If you live in student accommodation and have an urgent problem or critical need, your accommodation provider should be able to assist you and connect you to relevant support.
Report It
You can still make reports via Report It if you experience or witness any concerning behaviour during the winter break. However, please note that our Respect, Culture and Behaviours team will not be working during this period and will not address reports until after the winter break. If you are at immediate risk of harm, please contact our security service through the SafeZone app or the phone numbers listed above, or the appropriate authorities on 999.
Any reports made during the winter break will be picked up by the team from Thursday 2 January 2025.
Security
For urgent matters that require attention between 14:00 on Friday 20 December 2024 and Thursday 2 January 2025, please call the security team on +44 (0)161 295 4773 (for non-emergencies) or +44 (0)161 295 3333 (for emergencies), and they will escalate to relevant colleagues working over this time.
Urgent matters on campus
Our security team work hard to keep our campuses safe. If you are on campus over the winter break, please report any incidents as soon as possible to security so that they know what to look out for and can help you and the rest of our community stay safe.
Although we have a 24/7 security service across campus, we want to remind you of some trusted safety advice when on-campus:
- Keep valuables out of sight as items could be quickly snatched away or dropped accidentally.
- Use the well-lit and busiest routes through campus such as the Broadwalk wherever possible, avoiding unlit shortcuts if you can.
- Look out for and report anything that looks suspicious
- Look out for each other and call for help if you think someone is in distress
- Download the SafeZone app
- Add our contact numbers listed above into your phone so you have them if you need them
Wellbeing
It's important to look after your mental health all year round, but we know it can be especially challenging in winter as the days get shorter and the temperature drops. Below you can find wellbeing advice, 'tip sheets', guidance for urgent problems and links to local organisations who are able to support you during the winter break.
Stress and anxiety can creep up on us all, even when we least expect it. We want to make sure that you're fully supported in bettering your wellbeing, whilst knowing how to excel in your learning. Please visit the Wellbeing and Counselling page to find support.