Bury College has been crowned Best Overall College after receiving an outstanding 12 awards during a high-profile regional Hairdressing competition.

Highly-skilled Hairdressing, Barbering and Media Make-up Bury College students competed against colleges and training providers from across the North West during the regional Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) competition. The event took place at Blackpool Winter Gardens and was an opportunity for students to showcase their talents in front of a panel of industry renowned judges.

Students took part in a variety of categories including Bridal, Creative Men’s Cut and Finish, Gender Transformation, Hairdressing Skills Finish, Ladies Conversion and Colour and Ladies Evening Style. The competing students were selected following an internal competition where students competed against one another to see who would come out on top. The winners were then entered into the AHT competition.

Bury College students won the competition by an impressive margin of 21 points after securing five 1st places, six 2nd places and one 3rd place. These exceptional results will now see the students compete in the National AHT competition on March 16th where the best of the best from across the UK will go head to head.

Bury College Lecturer in Hairdressing, Jackie Gorton, said, “I was so pleased to hear the news of our wonderful results! All the students worked so hard and they have been preparing and practising for the competition since last November. These are the best results the college has ever had and to win Best Overall College is absolutely amazing. Students from different levels and different disciplines came together to work as a team and to see such a high level of comradery was fantastic.”

Asqa Ahmed was proud to secure first place position in the Ladies Conversion round of the competition which saw the former Ladybridge High School student transform a blow-dry into a high fashion hair-up style. Asqa said, “It was an honour to be chosen to compete in the competition so to then go ahead and win my category was such an amazing achievement for me. I am really enjoying my time at Bury College, I have loved the whole experience and my tutors are great.”

Level 3 Barbering student Katie Garside was delighted to claim first place position in the Creative Men’s Cut and Finish category. Katie, who is progressing onto the Hairdressing Management Foundation Degree at Bury College University Centre, said, “I was overwhelmed to hear the news that I had achieved first place. I have spent weeks practicing and my confidence has really increased.”