Hairdressing students from Pembrokeshire College gave an excellent demonstration of their hairdressing and beauty skills at their recent annual competition, which they hope to emulate in the Welsh heats in February to reach the UK AHT College Championship finals in Manchester.
Judging by the feedback from the judges and lecturers, the Pembrokeshire College students look set to do well.
"The students worked very hard and produced some excellent results in a limited amount of time," commented hairdressing co-ordinator Coral Howlin.
"This has boosted their morale and confidence and hopefully this will be demonstrated at the Welsh heats."
Pembrokeshire College has achieved some very good results in the last three years, winning the team event three years running. The last time that the event was held at Yale College in Wrexham, Pembrokeshire College won four firsts.
Judging the competition were a range of local and national hair and beauty specialists: Brian Batstone from Elgon; Sarah K from Aston and Finder; Sarah Brown from Wella; Liz Evans from the Spa, Celtic Haven; Gaynor Evans from Talk of the Town; and Neil MacLennan-Horst from Neil's Salon.
Local judge and salon owner Neil MacLennan-Horst was the first male student to study hairdressing at Pembrokeshire College in 1973-74. After successfully completing the course and winning top student in 1974, Neil worked for Raymond Teasie Weasie in Cardiff for two years before setting up Neil's Salon in Haverfordwest, where he now has 12 staff working for him.
Commenting on the hairdressing competition on behalf of the judges, he said: "The standard of the students' work was very high with a lot of imagination shown. There is obviously a lot of talent at the college and they deserve to do well at the Welsh heats stage.
"I think that the students are lucky to have an enthusiastic team of lecturers behind them who are interested in them as people.
"Working in the hairdressing industry is a constant learning curve. You can always learn from someone else as people have different conceptions of ideas. The main point from a commercial point of view is that hairdressers have to be flexible and move with fashion trends."
First prizes for the competition were: Ceri Hewitson for Cover Girl; Charlene Davies for Commercial Day; Catrin Davies for Freestyle; Lynwen Williams for Men's Cut and Blow Dry and also Women's Cut and Blow Dry; Emma Beddow for Evening Style; Natalie Thomas for Ladies High Fashion; and Krstal Jones for Men's High Fashion.
A mature intensive group consisting of Tara Archer, Melanie Flynn, Mefin Harries, Claire Harrison, Claire Rees, and Loraine Lewis won the team event.
For more information about hair and beauty courses at Pembrokeshire College, visit their open day on Saturday, March 13, or call admissions on 0800 716 236.