Students pick up top titles in hairdressing and therapy competition

East Durham College’s hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy students won first, second and third place prizes at the recent Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) regional competition held in Gateshead.

Competing against 17 other colleges from around the region, students took part in intense, timed competitions including barbering, bridal and classic make-up skills.

East Durham College student Suzanne Woodward, 26, from Peterlee, won the first place prize for barbering, with fellow student Adelle Turner, 18 from Sunderland, coming second.

Lauren Oliver, 17, from Seaham, secured another first place prize for Classic Make-up, with Natasha Wilkin, 16, from Horden, also coming in third.

East Durham College’s bridal team, Abbey Johnson, 18 from Peterlee, and Lauren also came in second place for their stunning hair and makeup design.

It marks another year of success for East Durham College in the competitions after an excellent year in 2017 where it also picked up several first, second and third place awards.

Students who won at this regional competition now get the opportunity to move on to the national competitions, which will be held in the iconic Winter Gardens in Blackpool, Lancashire, on March 11 and 12.

Angela Johnston, hairdressing lecturer at East Durham College in Peterlee, was thrilled with the results, saying: “It’s been another amazing year at the AHT Regional’s for EDC, and it’s all down to the hard work of our students.

“Competition is an integral part of the training our students receive, preparing them for the world-of-work by helping to build their confidence, resilience and self-belief.

“I’m so happy for them, they’ve shown in class, time and time again, that they can do incredible things, and for them to gain awards like this is fantastic.”