Community centre users enjoyed a relaxing pampering day with level two beauty therapy students from South Cheshire College.

The learners provided manicures, pedicures and massages free-of-charge at The Georges Community Centre, in Crewe.

They were invited along by the Wishing Well Project, which organises community-led activities that help improve the health, wellbeing and personal development of local residents.

Sandra Smith, beauty therapy lecturer, said: “The benefits of supporting the Wishing Well Project were two-fold.

“We were supporting the community and helping learners get the experience of working with people that they needed at the same time.”

Beauty therapy student Charlotte Galloway, aged 19, said: “We met people from a wide range of backgrounds and I found it really rewarding and touching.”

Cap: Local resident Kim Robinson enjoys a relaxing foot massage from beauty therapy student Ally Allen, aged 17

Students from Hopwood Hall College were official photographers as Rochdale’s new Mayor Carol Wardle accepted her chains of office.

The college has close links with Rochdale Council and Ms Wardle herself asked if students could take photos of the Mayor-making ceremony at Rochdale Town Hall.

Course tutor Darren Comer selected three first year students studying for an extended diploma in creative media production who had shown a particular interest in photography.

As well as taking snaps of the Mayor, Catherine Lynch and Chloe Helm, both aged 17, and Chanelle Catlow, 16, also photographed and sold prints of the images to guests.

Catherine said: “With the logistics of working with such a large of group of people, and with such time restraints, I found it a very challenging, yet very rewarding experience.”

Sales of photos taken of guests raised £200 for the Mayor’s chosen local charitable causes Springhill Hospital, The Moorlands Children’s Home and Heywood Youth Link.

Chloe said: “This opportunity has broadened my knowledge and understanding of working on projects outside of the classroom environment.”

Cap: Catherine Lynch and Chloe Helm.

Young people from ethnic minority backgrounds graduated from a media training course which honours the memory of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.

The 11 learners, who are aged 19 to 24 years old, spent six weeks studying for a BTec level two certificate in creative media production at Westminster Kingsway College and another six weeks working behind the scenes on BBC TV programmes such as The One Show.

The training programme, launched with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, helps young people with no previous experience of the industry secure entry level jobs in TV and the wider media.

One of the graduates Travis Beckford, aged 21, said: “I was referred to the programme by a prison rehabilitation programme and it is one of the best things to happen to me.”

The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which helps boost the life chances of disadvantaged young people, was launched following the murder of the 18-year-old in a racist attack in 1993.

The presentation ceremony in Deptford was attended by his mother Baroness Lawrence.

Cap: Baroness Lawrence, learner Travis Beckford, and Westminster Kingsway College principal Andy Wilson at the presentation ceremony.

Level three fashion student Luke Hards will see a dress he designed displayed in the womenswear department of a John Lewis store.

Fashion students from across Barnet and Southgate College were challenged by the retail chain to draw designs for dresses that combined vintage and 21st Century influences, through a competition to celebrate John Lewis’ 150th birthday.

Luke, aged 23, who produced the winning design, won an Apple iPad and was invited to spend a day in the fashion design studio at John Lewis’s head office, in London.

His design will also be made into a dress which will be displayed in a John Lewis store, in Brent Cross, throughout August.

Luke said: “I was delighted to win. I can’t wait to see my design come to life.”

Cap: Student Luke Hards and operations manager for fashion at John Lewis’s store in Brent Cross Nicola Smith. Inset: Luke’s dress designs

The first female student from MidKent College to pass a level two bricklaying course hopes she is laying foundations for more women to enter the trade.

Caitlin Newton, aged 17, completed the course two weeks ago and was given the college’s bricklaying student of the year award in January.

Caitlin, whose 58-year-old father Steve Newton is a bricklayer, was also the first female student to complete a level one bricklaying course in June last year.

She said: “I was originally planning to do A-levels after my GCSEs, but decided I wanted something different. My female friends didn’t believe me when I told them I’d signed up for bricklaying, but they’re proud of me now.

“I can’t see any reason why more women shouldn’t do it.”

Kaitlin hopes the bricklaying qualifications will help her follow other career paths.

She said: “I did two weeks work experience with architecture firm Kent Drawing.

“They showed me how they design houses and bungalows on the computer and I’m really interested in that.

“I would also consider going into landscape gardening. I could build some interesting walls for the gardens.”

Cap: Bricklaying first Caitlin Newton

Record-breaking mountaineer Bonita Norris scaled a 8.5-meter high climbing wall to cut a ribbon that officially opened Sparsholt College’s new sports centre.

Ms Norris, aged 26, was guest of honour at the opening ceremony for the £2.7m sports centre, which contains a climbing wall, sports hall, gym and sprung-floor dance studio.

Ms Norris rose to fame when she became the youngest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest aged 22 in May 2010.

After cutting the ribbon, she said: “This is the best climbing wall I have ever seen in an educational establishment.”

In an inspirational speech to students, she added: “Keep an open mind, say yes to things that scare you and don’t be afraid to fail. Hard work is the secret to everything — pure talent is never enough.”

Principal Tim Jackson said he was proud of the sports centre and in particular the “truly spectacular climbing facility that is the envy of most FE colleges.”

Cap: Studens watch record-breaking mountaineer Bonita Norris scale the climbing wall