THE BRIT CHALLENGE 2/3

THE BRIT CHALLENGE
Empowering Institutions, Students, and Staff, to Lead Change

Universities, colleges, and Students’ Unions, are at the heart of community life. They create opportunities, break down barriers, and shape the future. The BRIT Challenge has been designed to strengthen this role, offering an innovative, collaborative, and flexible framework that enhances the student and staff experience across the UK.

With the pressures of limited time, resources, and capacity, the BRIT Challenge provides institutions with a ready-made structure that adapts to their needs. It supports a whole-institution approach, helping leaders and teams to integrate a wide range of themes – from access and inclusion, health and wellbeing, and EDI strategies, to curriculum development, enrichment, professional development, and community engagement.

More than 550 institutions and Students’ Unions have already embraced the BRIT Challenge, using it to:

Support health and wellbeing by enabling students and staff of all abilities to join in inclusive activities.

Strengthen community engagement through volunteering, outreach, and acts of kindness.

Advance institutional goals by embedding activities that provide evidence for internal and external strategies, from EDI to staff wellbeing.

Build connections and networks by partnering with schools, colleges, charities, and local organisations.

By adopting the BRIT Challenge, institutions can celebrate best practice, empower students and staff to collaborate across departments and campuses, and lead a national movement that places wellbeing, inclusion, and community at its centre. Together, institutions are not only enriching campus life but also shaping stronger, healthier, and more inclusive communities across the UK.

At its core, the BRIT Challenge is built around three simple yet powerful pillars: the delivery of Inclusive Wellbeing Activities, Acts of Kindness in the Community, and Fundraising for Charities. These pillars offer every UK university, college, specialist college, and Students' Union, a practical way to advance their priorities, inspire participation, and deliver meaningful outcomes for students, staff, and local communities.

ABOUT THE
BRIT CHALLENGE

THE 3 PILLARS OF THE BRIT CHALLENGE

Inclusive

Wellbeing Activities

We encourage Students’ Unions and Institutions to deliver inclusive wellbeing activities throughout their BRIT Challenge to engage students and staff of all abilities to improve health, fitness and wellbeing, promote inclusivity and have fun!

Acts of Kindness in the Community

Alongside wellbeing activities, we are encouraging the delivery of Acts of Kindness in the community and hope this will increase student and staff volunteering, strengthen relationships and showcase the civic duty and civic profile of Students’ Unions and Institutions.

Fundraising for charities alongside BRIT

Through the BRIT Challenge, we are encouraging fundraising for local, regional, and national charities, alongside BRIT. We hope you will aim high and set inspiring fundraising goals.

Our aspiration is for as many students, and staff, as possible to be encouraged to join their university or college team. The bigger the team, the more funds will be raised for charity.

Bringing together a BRIT Challenge Coordination Group was an approach used by many universities and colleges on our previous, UK-wide, BRIT Challenges to ensure that students and staff were integral to organising their event and there was engagement across the whole institution to promote student and staff participation.

As you will see, the BRIT Challenge can embrace any activity that promotes health, fitness and wellbeing.

We are inviting the 5 million students, and staff, at every UK university and college to unite with us in support of young adult and student mental health.

INCLUSIVE WELLBEING ACTIVITIES

University - Midlands - University of Worcester - BRIT Challenge activity - Boccia Competi

Sport Departments and Sports Clubs/Societies are delivering many physical wellbeing activities including:

26 hour Sport Challenges (Tennis, Badminton, Rowing, Swimming, Rugby, Football. Netball etc.) to encourage as many students and staff to come together during a 26 hour period and try out different activities.

Setting team distance targets (for example 2,026 miles) by either hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding) with students and staff adding distance to the overall target.

Art, Music, and Creative Media Departments, and Students are planning:

Art competitions to create works of art around mind and movement that destigmatise mental health that are then exhibited, auctioned to raise funds, or donated to local hospices, care homes, and community groups.

Music Concerts and Dance Competitions to attract students and staff to attend, support and have fun.

Universities, Colleges, and Students' Unions, are planning to deliver a wealth wellbeing activities including:

Meditation, Mindfullness, and Yoga.
Drawing, Colouring and Sculpting.
Taking 26 minutes out of the working day to look after everyone's wellbeing and to try a wellbeing activity.
Lunchtime Staff and Student Group walks and wheelchair push activities.
Universities and Colleges uniting in their cities and towns to embrace the BRIT Challenge and support/challenge each other.
Internal Leader Boards to challenge each college, department or campus to see who can involve the most student and staff (an inclusive engagement challenge).
Natspec Colleges encouraging their learners and students to take part in activities that are part of the Natspec Games and also through E-Sports.

Institutions across the UK are invited to:

Deliver 26 Inclusive Wellbeing Activities
Bring students and staff together through sport, art, music, mindfulness, walking, or any activity that supports mental and physical wellbeing.
Complete 26 Acts of Kindness
Volunteer, support local causes or simply spread kindness across your campus and community.
Fundraise Around the Number 26
Set a target (£2,600 or £26,000) to raise funds for BRIT and a local, regional or national charity. Many teams also invite local employers or partners to match donations.

The BRIT Challenge is an annual, year-round event. Each year’s theme is inspired by the year itself, guiding teams to set creative and achievable goals – for example, 26 Challenges for 2026. Whether you complete 26 wellbeing activities, 26 acts of kindness, or raise £2,600 for charity, the number of the year provides a simple, inclusive way for everyone to get involved at their own pace.

THE BRIT CHALLENGE 2026

The BRIT Challenge is an inclusive feel-good fundraiser designed to improve mental health and fitness, all whilst raising vital funds for local, regional and national charities, alongside BRIT. Every UK university, college, specialist college and Students' Union are invited to register to take part, enter teams, and support student and staff participation, both on campus or at home.

The goal of the BRIT Challenge is to help improve the mental health and wellbeing of young adults, students, and staff, by delivering an inspirational framework that:

Encourages the delivery of inclusive wellbeing activities.

Promotes civic duty and volunteering through Acts of Kindness in the Community.

Supports fundraising for local, regional, and national charities.

CITY COLLEGE NORWICH

A look back at the City College Norwich 2023 BRIT Challenge.

Edinburgh Napier Students' Association

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Edinburgh Napier for this year’s BRIT Challenge.

The BRIT Challenge is a national challenge and our sports clubs and societies are participating in it.

The whole idea behind our involvement with the BRIT Challenge it to really ensure that people can look after themselves, especially considering that mental wellbeing is a critical conversation ongoing around the world. We think it is very advisable for students to participate in outdoor activities, participate in physical activities and exercises to help your mind and thinking and your wellbeing.

We’d love for students to come along and be a part of this.”

Olumuyiwa Opaleye

Former ENSA President for Societies and Community

New College Durham

““New College Durham staff and students are excited to support the BRIT Challenge.

Staff and students across the College are embracing the opportunity and the challenge to participate in fundraising and activities, that are inclusive and will encourage and improve student and staff’s fitness, mental health and wellbeing as well as championing equality, diversity and inclusion”.

Andy Broadbent

Principal and Chief Executive

Cardiff and Vale College

“Cardiff & Vale College are excited to be part of this year’s BRIT CHALLENGE. This fantastic initiative will give learners & staff across all college campuses an opportunity to raise valuable funds for great charities. This will provide the college with an opportunity to share the importance of mental health through inclusive and engaging challenges, all with the intention to improve mental and physical health”.

“Mae Coleg Caerdydd a'r Fro yn falch iawn i fod yn rhan o BRIT CHALLENGE. Bydd y fenter wych hon yn rhoi cyfle i ddysgwyr a staff ar draws campysau'r coleg i godi arian at elusennau haeddiannol. Bydd yn rhoi cyfle i'r coleg rannu pwysigrwydd iechyd meddwl trwy weithgareddau cynhwysol a diddorol, i gyd gyda'r bwriad o wella iechyd meddwl a chorfforol”.

James Martin

Rheolwr ywyd myfyriwr
Student Life Manager

Keele University

“Since its inception, Keele University has been pushing boundaries to create an impact locally, nationally and globally. It's so important that our students' time at Keele is spent feeling happy and healthy. Our Welfare Team are available for all students and we are constantly exploring innovative and positive ways to help improve and support student mental health and fitness.

Our students and staff were inspired by BRIT’s Challenge as it was inclusive, enabled students of all abilities to take part and we loved their vision of collaborating with other charities that support young adult mental health.”

Rachel Adams Bsc (Hons) FCIPD

Former Director of Human Resources

Ayrshire College

“Ayrshire College is delighted to be supporting BRIT and will continue to promote the healthy minds of our staff and students through a range of inclusive activities in 2023.”

Angela Cox

Principal and Chief Executive Officer

City of Wolverhampton College

“Students at the college thoroughly enjoyed participating in the BRIT bike challenge. It was a thrilling experience and really put our fitness levels to the test!”

Anya Priya Luis

Access to HE student and President of the Students’ Union

Coventry University

“Student mental health at Coventry University is a priority and we ensure all our student’s health and wellbeing needs are provided for. Our Health and Wellbeing support focuses on the whole person by providing for our student’s physical, spiritual and emotional needs.

The BRIT vision resonates with me on a personal level and was also enthusiastically embraced by our university’s commitment and support to the BRIT Challenge.

This inclusive activity will enable our students and staff to take part in and inspiring team challenge and improve their mental health and fitness; be that on campus or at home. It is also a super feel-good fundraiser for universities and colleges to assist their students in raising vital funds for BRIT’s partner mental health charities who support young adults.”

Professor Lisa Bayliss-Pratt

Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University
Former Chief Nurse, Health Education England

Bridgend College / Coleg Penybont

"Student and staff health & wellbeing is a priority at Bridgend College. We promote Active Wellbeing as one of the core elements of looking after physical and mental health.

BRIT does an amazing job with the annual BRIT Challenge to unite young people across the UK and we are inspired by the vision of the organisation to grow and develop. We support BRIT due to the inclusive nature of the challenge; all students and staff can get involved. It is great to initiate conversations about the importance of physical activity on our health and talking about mental health within our College but also in the wider community."

Jon Nottingham

Former Active Wellbeing Lead / Arweinydd Lies Gweithredol

TESTIMONIALS

As you will read throughout our website, we recommend a whole-university/whole-college approach to embracing the BRIT Challenge and encourage institutions to involve their Students’ Unions to engage students and staff of all abilities in the 3 Pillars of the BRIT Challenge.

We also encourage BRIT Challenge Coordination Groups that invite Senior Leadership, Department Heads, Student Officers, HR, Comms, Disability Support Teams and Disabled Students. This ensures that Pillar 1 of the BRIT Challenge (the delivery of inclusive wellbeing activities) is wide-ranging to engage students and staff of all abilities.

The BRIT Challenge has the flexibility to engage students studying on many different courses who can be integral to the delivery of the BRIT Challenge and gain experience by supporting their BRIT Challenge Coordination Groups including; Event Management, Sport, Psychology, Health, Teaching, Media, Film, and also Entrepreneurship Modules.

BRIT CHALLENGE STUDENT LEADERSHIP & ENGAGEMENT

Over 550 universities and colleges have embraced the BRIT Challenge. Here they share advice on some of the best ways to embrace the annual BRIT Challenge and bring their whole university or college together to fundraise, engage students and staff of all abilities, and raise positive awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

Below are a few examples of BRIT Challenge successes:

EXAMPLES OF BRIT CHALLENGE SUCCESS

Bournemouth University and The University of Surrey - Ella’s Story

We are delighted to have built long-term relationships with Bournemouth University, the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University, the University of Surrey, and Surrey Students’ Union.

Bournemouth have participated in the BRIT Challenge for the past six years and Surrey have done so for the past four years.

Ella Wilson is a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Sport Coaching Student from Bournemouth University who spent 10 months in a full-time role as a Sport Participation Coordinator at the University of Surrey.

Ella’s long-term placement provided evidence for relevant modules on her BSc that included: Developing People in Sport; Advanced Coaching Practice; Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology; and Sport Spaces and Physical Cultures.

Supported by the University of Surrey’s team at Surrey Sports Park, Ella successfully coordinated the delivery of the BRIT Challenge in 2025.

In October 2025, Ella proudly shared that she was awarded the Citizenship Award at the Employability Awards Ceremony at Bournemouth University. Ella was joined by Molly Catlin, Sport Participation Officer at the University of Surrey, who supported throughout her journey at Surrey and played a big part in Ella achieving this recognition for her contribution to delivering the BRIT Challenge.

Congratulations Ella!

Ella introducing how the BRIT Challenge can offer student leadership & placement opportunities

After completing her 10-month Work Placement at the University of Surrey, we are grateful to Ella for recording this video to explain how students can embrace the 3 Pillars of the BRIT Challenge in 2026 as a Work Placement, for evidence and experience as part of their studies, volunteering, or as a way to represent their university or college and engage their Students' Union and fellow students.