Trainee chefs from Barking & Dagenham College cooked for 450 people, including their mayor  and mayor-elect, during a ‘mayor-making’ weekend.

The 15 students served a hot and cold buffet for 150 guests at a ceremonial council meeting, where current Barking and Dagenham Mayor Anthony Ramsay, handed over to Councillor Hardial Singh Rai.

They also prepared a buffet for 350 people attending a parade through the town square to St Margaret’s Church where a special blessing for the new Mayor was held.

Barking & Dagenham food studies curriculum manager Adrian Crabb said: “The students do an incredible job and really enjoy being part of such prestigious events.

“Catering for so many guests can be tough but the whole team has been working really hard.”

Featured image caption: Kyle Snow, 19, from Barking, who is studying for a Diploma in Professional Cookery, Level two

Ian McMillan, the Barnsley Bard, popped into a Yorkshire College to speak at an event organised by students. The poet, playwright and broadcaster entertained around 60 people at Doncaster College with anecdotes and readings.

The event was organised by English BA students Emma Carlyle, Jade Fisher, Laura Mason and David Powney as part of an academic professional development course.

“We have worked on it all year and we hope we have pulled the task off successfully,” Emma said.

Free books by six different authors were handed out and stands run by the Dyslexia Support Group and Reading for children gave out information.

Ian McMillan said: “It was one of the best organised events that I’ve attended.”

Featured image caption: From left: Ian McMillan with Emma Carlyle, Jade Fisher and Laura Mason

Hairdressing students in Wales have swapped brushes in a bid to renovate a cricket club’s grounds.

More than 130 hairdressing, construction and A-level students from Coleg Gwent spent two months painting, sweeping, clearing and planting shrubs at the Ebbw Vale Cricket Club.

Coleg Gwent lecturer Tracey Waterhouse said: “We’re proud of their efforts in achieving a clean and friendly environment that has ended in a real community spirit.”

The learners also raised money to provide six picnic benches.

Nick Pepper, secretary of the cricket club, said: “It’s great to see young students getting involved with a local club, helping it to receive the makeover that it thoroughly deserves.”

The materials and paint were supplied by Alun Watkins, operations manager at Blaenau Gwent County Council, and the plants were donated by Ebbw Vale B&Q and Price’s shop in Beaufort.

Featured image caption: Hairdressing, construction and A-level learners ready to renovate the cricket club

Cheshire performing arts students sold out a recent production of We Will Rock You, the musical based on songs by Queen.

The show, which ran over three nights and sold nearly 400 tickets, featured more than 60 Priestley College BTec students in onstage, offstage and design roles.

“The hardest part is living up to Queen and the audience’s expectations of how their songs should be performed. But our students rose to the occasion,” said tutor Abbie Rippon.

“They created a real rock concert atmosphere by taking the performance out amongst the audience.”

The show took four months of preparation. “It was a great team effort and really was a memorable show,” said Abbie. “The students enjoyed it and the audience’s response was amazing.”

Featured image caption: From left: Emily Knight, Tom Sentia and Daniella Everett, all aged 17 or 18                   Picture courtesy of John Hall

Former Really Wild Show presenter Nick Baker was the guest speaker at a Devon college’s animal and environment conference.

Mr Baker, who has also hosted Spring Watch and Weird Creatures, was at South Devon College’s University Centre for the event early this month that covered topics including animal health, ecology, marine conservation and sustainability.

It involved academic staff from Plymouth University and all the college’s foundation degree animal science students.

Lucy Foster, who is in her second year of a foundation degree in animal science, said: “It was so nice to be in a room full of people who care about animals and the natural world as much as I do.”

Samantha Law, programme manager and lecturer in animal science, said: “It was fantastic to see our degree students engage in this event. It gave them a valuable opportunity to expand their academic skills.

“There was a real variety of projects and the audience asked some challenging questions. Everybody was inspired by Nick’s fun and informative lecture.”

Featured image caption: TV presenter Nick Baker (centre) with South Devon College students

A group of Kent pupils came face-to-face with reptiles, exotic birds and insects during a college tour to check out their post-GCSE options.

Canterbury College welcomed 50 Year 10 youngsters from Charles Dickens School, Broadstairs, and treated them to taster lessons in animal care, hairdressing, beauty therapy, engineering and A-level subjects.

Pupils fed the college meerkats and came face-to-face with reptiles, exotic birds and insects during a tour of its animal care department.

The school’s careers and work coordinator, Teresa Schers, said: “It’s really good for them to see alternative post-16 options. They experience what kind of things are out there.”

Mel Francis-Jones, the college’s progression and project officer, said: “It was a lively, exciting event that offered pupils a taste of the wide breadth of subjects we offer.”

Featured image caption: Amber Cameron, 15, gets hairdressing advice from Canterbury College tutor Laura Parsons

Young biology and chemistry boffins from Stockton Riverside College (SRC) Bede Sixth Form in County Durham collected gold, silver and bronze medals in the British Biology and Chemistry Olympiads.

The national competitions, run by the Society of Biology and the Royal Society of Chemistry, are open to students studying post-16 sciences

James Fryatt won gold in biology and silver in chemistry; Ben Ryan won silver for chemistry and was commended for biology; Jessica Holmes got bronze for chemistry; Helen Robertson got bronze for biology and Hannah Holmes was highly commended for biology.

Dr Richard Spencer, head of biology at SRC Bede Sixth Form, said: “We’ve known for a long time that our science students are up there with the best in the UK. Now we’ve proved it.”

Featured image caption: The science of winning: Ben Ryan, Helen Robertson, both 17, James Fryatt, Hannah Holmes and Jessica Holmes, all 18

Students from the South West helped their lecturer to strike a chord in an innovative musical video project.

Wiltshire College lecturer Patrick Williams was one of 20 people from around the world to sing in a virtual choir via Skype.

Their performance of Eric Whitacre’s Seal Lullaby was produced and edited by creative digital media students Shannon Mayo, Matt Gray, Henry Ahtom and Charlotte Hide, all aged 20.

Charlotte said: “It has been so interesting connecting people across the world through music and has expanded our knowledge and skills.”

The choir was formed by Eric Whitacre, a Grammy-winning composer, to sing live via Skype with an on-stage choir at the Technology, Education and Design (TED) conference in March.

The choir member were inspired to form their own group, Cantores Connexi.

Patrick said: “The whole experience has been wonderful.”

Featured image caption: Wiltshire College lecturer Patrick Williams (bottom right corner) in the video with the other members of the Cantores Connexi online choir

A Rochdale sports student is in rugby heaven after signing a professional contract with St Helen’s Rugby League Football Club — nicknamed the Saints.

Jack Ashworth, 17, is in his second year of a BTec diploma in sport, at Hopwood Hall’s rugby academy, which allows him to split his time between training and studying.

Jack said: “I have really enjoyed my time at Hopwood Hall …  It has been hard work but I knew it would be worth it in the end.

“Now that I have earned my first pro contract, my next goal is to get a super league squad number with the first team.”

Jack’s college tutor, Matt Calland, recommended him to the Saints’ development staff.

He said: “If Jack keeps up the hard work I think he could develop into a full-time Super League player.”

Featured image caption: Jack Ashworth has been signed to Rugby Super League outfit St Helen’s