A free, family-friendly community event offering everyone the chance to discover the fascinating world of health sciences on their doorstep is to be held in Boscombe this month.

AECC University College is staging its second Neighbourhood Festival on Saturday September 17, 10.30am to 2pm, at its Parkwood Road campus.

There will be the opportunity to learn more about the University College, and how it impacts on – and changes the lives – of its communities.

The day’s programme is packed with fun, interactive and educational activities and talks for the whole family to enjoy.

It includes being able to dress up your little ones in robes and mortar boards for their very own special mini-graduation photo-shoot, as well as a ‘bone-collecting’ scavenger hunt and a gymnastic display, to name just a a few.

There will be also be sport, health and wellbeing, discovery, clinical, careers, community, kids & crafts, & sustainability zones and self-discovery campus tours to find out what the University College offers and learn more about its Grade II listed historic building.

Also a chance to see what it has been building for the past few years, including the development of the new Integrated Rehabilitation Centre (IRC), which is due to open to the public from next month.

Claire Nadaf, Head of Academic Enterprise and Engagement at AECC University College, pictured right, said: “Our Neighbourhood Festival is a great opportunity for our community to come onto the AECC University College campus and find out what we have been doing over the last few years, learn about our local partnerships, and find out about and get involved with our local charities.

“We are committed to developing local community partnerships and are heavily invested in our engagement and outreach activities, so it’s very exciting to host this event which will have something for everyone to enjoy.”

It’s the second Neighbourhood Festival that AECC University has hosted – the first was in 2019 – with this year marking the return of the event following the pandemic.

While the event is free, members of the community are required to pre-book attendance via Eventbrite here.

Once registered, members of the community are able to book ‘add-ons’ to join talks & workshops on the day (places are limited) including:

• AECC University College’s vision for supporting health and wellbeing in the local community
• Demystifying chiropractic
• Football development workshops – presented by All Stars Academy
• Sleep and mental health
• Sport and performance psychology – practical tips on how to perform better

AECC University College, formerly known as the Anglo European College of Chiropractic, is a specialist health sciences HE provider, which opened in 1965.

It was the first chiropractic college in Europe and its onsite clinic has over 50,000 clinic visits a year.

• All pictures courtesy of AECC University College.