NKC Hadlow College ran Dudefest on 4 November, mixing football, wheel changes and driving simulators with charity stalls on mental health. Here's what happened.

NKC Hadlow College used football, wheel changes and racing simulators to get its students talking about mental health at Dudefest, a one-day event held on Wednesday 4 November. The day was aimed at young men, and the college says it was built around one message: it’s okay to not be okay.

The event was organised by the college’s Carpentry and Motor Vehicle departments, according to the college’s own account of the day. The college says the aim was to break down some of the barriers that stop young men talking about how they feel or asking for help.

What students did on the day

The programme mixed competition with conversation. There were five-a-side football tournaments, tug-of-war contests between students and staff, driving simulators, wheel-change challenges and board games.

Alongside the games, students could talk to people from charities and organisations including The Shaw Trust and Mental Health Motorbike, to find out what support is available and how to look after their mental health.

Why the college ran it

Alex Warsfold, Motorcycle Department Course Manager at NKC Hadlow College, said the format was chosen for the students on his courses:

“We’ve got a lot of young men aged 16 and over on our courses who are very hands-on, and often find it hard to talk about their feelings. With Dudefest, we really wanted to highlight some of the ways and methods they can use to deal with that, and help them realise it’s okay to not be okay.”

North Kent Colleges Group, which runs the Hadlow campus, said Dudefest is part of its wider commitment to student wellbeing, “helping young people and adult learners feel supported both inside and outside the classroom.”

What it means for you

If you have a son, daughter or partner studying at Hadlow, the college says its students can use a range of mental health and wellbeing services, including personalised support from its Welfare and Safeguarding Team and confidential counselling. Details are on the NKC Hadlow College website.

North Kent Colleges Group, the name the organisation has used publicly since September 2026, has four colleges: NKC Dartford College, NKC Gravesend College, NKC Hadlow College and NKC Tonbridge College. The group describes Hadlow as Kent’s only rural and land-based college, on a 265-acre estate of farmland, woodland, lakes and horticultural grounds.