The competition will take place at the Federation Brewery, Gateshead, on Monday 1st March 2010, 9.45am until 5.00pm. The students will compete in teams against nine other colleges, including, East Durham College, City of Sunderland College, South Tyneside College, York College and Lord Lawson of Beamish School, at the regional heat of the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) competition. 

The Competition Director is Lindsay Deswert, North East Chair of AHT and Hair and Beauty lecturer at New College Durham.  She said: “This event is an opportunity for our students to experience the thrill of competing and to demonstrate the skills they have gained.  We were placed in second position overall last year but we are hoping to do one better this year”.

There will be 13 exciting and challenging competitions including Haute Couture, Blow Dry, Men’s Commercial Cut and Finish, Ladies Evening Style, Ladies Freestyle Event and Commercial Nail Art Competition.  However, the main attraction will be the Total Team Look Presentation, with a Carnival theme.  It will take place at 3pm and will allow teams to demonstrate a range of skills.  Dancers from each team will have their hair, make-up and costume styled by their team mates, ready to perform a choreographed dance routine.  

The teams will be scored by a panel of prestigious judges from the hair and beauty industry, including Graeme Smith from the Hair Olympics, Leanne Willis, a member of the British Hairdressing Team, and Peter Baptist, Artistic Director of the John Gerard Group.  Regional award winners will go on to compete in the national final at Blackpool Winter Gardens on 22nd March 2010.

There will be a variety of trade stands at the event including hair extensions by Reese and Savannah, a range of hair and beauty products by Salon Services, Fancy Cut Soaps, Joan’s Jewellery and Dawn’s Henna Tattoos and Body Art, plus many more.    There is a £5.00 entrance fee for the event and prizes for the competitions will be supplied courtesy of Wella.