Mental health fair for Chinese students – 28 February 2026

On Saturday 28 February, CNWL co-hosted a mental health fair for Chinese students studying in the UK. The event was organised together with the UCL Chinese Alumni Society and the Chinese Psychology and Psychotherapy Community in the UK (CPPCUK).

The event had three main aims:

• to provide clear information about local NHS mental health services

• to give Chinese students the chance to speak with mental health professionals about services and career pathways

• to help students connect with others in their community

The bilingual event supported CNWL’s neighbourhood health approach by bringing organisations together to share accessible mental health information with communities.

Leo Li, Executive President of the UCL Alumni Chinese London Club, opened the event with a welcome.

This was followed by a presentation from Gina Casserly, CNWL’s Neighbourhood and Innovation Lead for Westminster, alongside Westminster Talking Therapies colleagues Wendy Wang, Assistant Psychologist, and Wendy Wang, Counsellor. They spoke about primary care mental health services and how students can access support.

Students then had the opportunity to meet people working in psychology and mental health across the UK. This included Mental Health Nurses, trainee Clinical Psychologists, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Counsellors and Research Assistants. With almost 150 people attending, the event created a lively and welcoming space for discussion and networking.

One attendee said:
"You can talk to many people, learn about different experiences, and have one-to-one conversations. It means you can find help that is tailored to your needs."

This event is part of wider work to help more students access mental health support. Since September 2024, Westminster Talking Therapies has been working with King’s College London to address high levels of disengagement from treatment among students. As part of this work, the service introduced a short introductory phone call in Mandarin before referral. This gives students a safe and culturally relevant space to learn about how therapies such as CBT or counselling could support them.

Feedback from the event was very positive, with many attendees valuing the opportunity to speak directly with NHS professionals.

We would like to thank Chengxi Cai and the team at CPPCUK for organising and promoting the event, as well as the UCL Alumni Chinese Club for their support. The success of this first co-produced event with CPPCUK opens the door for future collaboration with universities across Westminster.