New College Durham hosted its annual in-house hairdressing competition in December and feedback from the judges reflected just how high the standard was from this year’s hair and beauty students.  

Dean Jackson, franchisee of Saks in Durham City Centre and one of the judges of the competition, said:  “The high standard this year has again been very impressive.  Each year the standard improves and it’s becoming harder and harder to pick a winner.”

The competition is held at the College every December with the winner and runner up in each category representing the College in the prestigious AHT (Association of Hairdressers & Therapists) Regional Competition in February 2008 at the Federation Brewery, Gateshead. 

All the students are studying for an NVQ Hairdressing qualification at either Level 1 or Level 3.  The winners in each category were: Cut and Blow Dry Level 1: Gi Hwa Choi, Commercial Cut and Blow Dry Level 3 Sarah Deary and Jade Lewin,  Ladies Evening Style Level 1: Sam Clarke,   Cut and Colour Level 3: Mark Orpen, and Nail Art Hayley Kitching.

Lindsay Deswert, hairdressing lecturer at New College Durham, who organises both the Colleges’ and the AHT competition, said:  “The students have worked hard all year and the judges’ comments on how impressed they were with this year’s high standard is great and made the students very proud of their efforts.”