HPV vaccine campaign: four-day outreach engages over 500 students across east London

Across four busy days at freshers’ fairs in East London, our HPV vaccine outreach team spoke to more than 250 students. The first half of the campaign was held at QMUL, while days three and four were at UEL, where interest stayed high from start to finish. Many students told us they had already been vaccinated and were keen to share reliable information with friends at university. Others had not yet had the vaccine or were not registered with a GP, which gave us valuable opportunities to offer practical support on the spot.

We took advantage of networking opportunities with GP practices. Operose Health, which runs 12 GP practices across Tower Hamlets, Newham and Redbridge, was nearby and helped us to signpost students who needed to register with a GP. Their team also took our HPV leaflets and asked to stock them in their practices, as they are running an internal HPV campaign. At UEL, Royal Docks Medical Practice provided registration leaflets, which proved especially helpful given how many students needed a GP. We also discussed opportunities for future collaboration.

Demand for information was constant. Despite packing plenty of leaflets, we ran out, so we redirected students to the QR code to view the digital version on this page for easy access. The stand drew plenty of attention, and the demand for our merchandise was genuinely refreshing: at one point it was almost impossible to spot a student without one of our tote bags. The pink “squiggles” design and the water bottles were clear favourites, and the extra buzz helped sustain a steady flow of conversations, especially at UEL.

Alongside the conversations, we asked students what came to mind when they heard “HPV”, and we captured photos and a short set-up time-lapse for our social media pages. The atmosphere was lively throughout (complete with a DJ at UEL), and while we ended a little hoarse, we were thrilled by the quality of engagement.

Next steps are already taking shape. Genesis Cinema in Stepney Green has invited us to host a community table during Black History Month, and we are exploring a screening or premiere for the Put Yourself First campaign.