Following the South West Regional heats of the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) Competition hosted at Weston College, some of our HE and FE students progressed to the AHT Final in Blackpool that took place over 2 days.
Throughout the competitions, our FE and HE learners showcased exceptional skill, determination, and passion across the two days in each category, and this was truly reflected in the fantastic results of our students.
Weston College Further Education (FE) students from Hairdressing, Hair and Media, and Beauty attended, as well as UCW Higher Education (HE) students from Makeup and Prosthetics.
For the competition, the students and staff travelled up on the Saturday to explore Blackpool and settle in before the competition ahead. On the Sunday, learners competed in the direct entry competitions which included Spa Body Massage, Prosthetics, Nails, and Catwalk Hair. Within these categories, the learners managed to secure 1st place in Spa Body Massages and Prosthetics, a 3rd place in Prosthetics, and 4th place in Nails.
The National Finals took place on the Monday where both HE and FE students competed in a range of categories, including Body Painting, Create an Injury, Face Painting, Fantasy Make up, Cut and Blow dry, Fantasy Hair, and Hair styling. Similar to the direct entry competitions, the results for these competitions were amazing, with the Face Painting securing 1st place, Create an Injury achieving 3rd place, and Fantasy Makeup gaining 4th place out of 27 participants!
Throughout the competition, students were required to adhere to very strict guidelines and themes. This created a real-life, client-customer simulation for some students as it required learners to think creatively whilst remaining within the rules, regulations and requirements set by the competition.
This was a fantastic opportunity for learners to apply their skills and follow instructions whilst adding their own creative freedom to their work. Not only this, they also got the chance to meet like-minded individuals with a passion for hairdressing, makeup and beauty, as well as network with industry professionals and gain constructive criticism to further enhance their skills.
These types of competitions are great for building confidence in the next generation of professionals, whilst also giving them credited awards that they can include in their portfolio in order to show off their talent and ability to future employers.
Jenna Ratcliffe, Head of Service Sectors at Weston College and AHT Chair for the South West, expressed the pride she felt for the students, saying, “to step onto the competition floor takes courage, but to medal among such outstanding talent is even more impressive! Many of our learners pushed well beyond the limits of their qualifications, proving just how committed and capable they are.
Competitions such as this allow students to gain hands-on experience of working with specifications in a pressured environment which only improves and develops their time-management, professionalism, and their general abilities. We couldn’t be prouder of how our students did and how they represented Weston College. It was a true testament to their hard work!”
Well done to all the students who participated in this competition!
UWE Bristol will host Showcase, its annual degree show, in June, offering visitors the opportunity to discover a new generation of talent from the College of Arts, Technology and Environment.
More than 1200 students from over 40 courses will exhibit their work at Bower Ashton, Arnolfini, Spike Island and the university’s Frenchay Campus from Thursday 5 June until Wednesday 11 June.
An annual highlight for the university and the city of Bristol, members of the public are invited to attend the free, in-person exhibitions which will include a selection of undergraduate and postgraduate work from animation, architecture, art, creative technologies, design, engineering, fashion, filmmaking, media, performance, photography, product design and writing.
Elena Marco, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of College of Arts, Technology and Environment said: “Each year, I’m blown away by the sheer creativity, ambition, and depth of thinking shown by our students. Their work reflects not only visionary talent, but also a deep engagement with the challenges and possibilities of the world around them.
“Showcase 2025 isn’t just a celebration of student achievement – it’s a testament to the passion, expertise, and dedication of the incredible staff who support, guide, and inspire them every step of the way. It promises to be a bold, joyful, and unmissable event – don’t miss it.”
Several of this year’s exhibiting students have drawn inspiration from their own experiences, bringing a personal dimension to their final projects.
Iside Buraga is a BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles student whose designs are influenced by her involvement with the Bristol Northern Soul Club; this has been a catalyst for her creative exploration of subcultures and storytelling through fashion.
Issi said: “My involvement with Northern Soul has made me consider the experiences and emotions that lead people to dress and portray themselves in a certain way. It can be extravagant or covert, and sometimes obscure in a similar way to music.”
Her final project explores the tension between external presentation and internal emotion, drawing on themes of female identity, deviancy, and vulnerability. The dress she’s designed incorporates found and gifted materials, emphasising hand-finished details and hidden elements to reflect the invisible stories within garments and people.
Solomon Khimba, is a BEng (Hons) Architecture and Environmental Engineering student. His final project addresses the rights of nomadic people to a political voice, by creating an architectural design for a dual-purpose building in St Pauls. The concept combines a circus venue with a political forum, inspired by his own experience of living in a van as a child and the plight of Bristol’s Invisible Circus, which vacated its city centre premises due to plans for redevelopment.
Drawing on the traditions of travelling and circus communities, the building aims to give access and visibility to those communities who might feel excluded from civic participation.
“The idea is to bring together an entertainment aspect, drawing people into the building to see the circus, but also to drive connection with politics,” said Solomon. “Having a connection between these really different groups of people would hopefully have an impact on the ideas and choices that they both make.”
Kalli Montigue, a BA (Hons) Product Design student, has designed ‘PupPulse’, a concept for a smart dog-harness and collar combined with a mobile app to provide reactive dog owners with wellbeing data and insights. These are collected by health metric sensors fitted within the harness and an AI analysis within the app to help them track stress patterns and behaviour trends.
Kalli said: “I was inspired by my sister’s experience with her reactive dog and my research has shown how common and complex dog behavioural issues can be. PupPulse could offer owners trustworthy data, a relatable community, and accessible support, to help them understand and manage their dog’s reactivity with confidence.”
And MA Architecture students, who were recently longlisted in The Davidson Prize, will exhibit their project ‘Growing Places’. The competition seeks inventive design proposals to transform any site in the UK into a ‘cohesive and integrated’ community of at least 300 new homes; this year’s theme is Streets Ahead: The Race to Build 1.5M Homes.
UWE Bristol broadcast journalism and media production students are also working with the university’s New Wave Creative Agency to produce a one-hour radio show for Ujima Radio, exploring the build up to the Showcase for School of Arts students. The special show will be broadcast at 1pm on 2 June.
More information on how to visit Showcase is available on the UWE Bristol website.
For those who can’t make it in person, a digital showcase is available to view online and features exciting work from hundreds of graduating students from 40 programmes. Designed to celebrate new talent and support professional practice, enterprise and employability, each graduate has curated their own portfolio with links to their own sites and social channels.
Once again, our Music and Media departments have joined forces to highlight the remarkable talent and cross-disciplinary collaboration of our students!
Last week, we welcomed BARSTAFF – the winners of the Amped Band Competition – for an exclusive live recording session at our Loxton Campus. This high-energy external band partnered with our learners to produce a live album and a series of professional promotional videos, offering a rare opportunity for our students to gain real-world experience in a professional production environment.
Our Music students took full control of the sound production process – from live sound engineering to multitrack recording, all the way through to mixing and mastering the final album. Simultaneously, our Media students managed all aspects of video production, capturing the performance with multiple cameras and creating high-quality, synchronised video content for each track.
Adding to the excitement, industry professional Iain Robertson, whose impressive experience involves working with Oasis, Gary Moore, Spandau Ballet, and Duran Duran as a tour manager, attended the live recording – adding to the professionalism of the experience for the learners.
This weekend BARSTAFF performed at the Elmers Arms in Bristol, where they featured one of our learner bands, ‘Covered in Bottles’, as the opening act, offering even more exposure and learning opportunities for our students.
This unique event was professionally filmed, edited, and utilised not only for student portfolios, but also as promotional content for the band and the college, strengthening our ties to the creative industry and highlighting the exceptional work being done within our creative courses!
We’re super proud of the effort our students continue to apply at these industry experiences, and their professionalism is fantastic.
To find out more about our creative arts courses, click here.
As a creative professional, you know how much of your work depends on navigating ambiguity, harnessing inspiration, and staying productive under pressure.
But here’s the truth: before you can lead bold projects or creative teams, you must first learn to lead yourself.
At Fire & Light Coaching, I work with creative leaders, designers, strategists, founders, writers, and dreamers who thrive in ideas yet sometimes struggle with focus, clarity, or consistency. Especially if you’re neurodivergent or navigating ADHD (diagnosed or undiagnosed), this balance can feel elusive.
I know it because I’ve been there.
I believe in a strengths-first approach. We shift the focus from “fixing what’s wrong” to leveraging what already makes you unique and brilliant.
For me and many of my creative clients, ADHD or divergent thinking brings:
Boundless curiosity to explore new ideas and possibilities
Pattern recognition to connect unexpected dots
Energy and originality to push into new creative frontiers
And yes, there are challenges too:
Ideas come faster than execution
Focus can fragment under pressure
Others may struggle to keep up with your thinking
Stay the course on core goals
Make space for idea exploration without derailing the essentials
Build systems and rhythms to capture your creativity without feeling trapped by structure
Communicate clearly with collaborators, clients, or teams on what’s critical vs. experimental
Those wild sparks often become the gold.
They lead to innovations, bold creative moves, and connections no one else sees. The key is learning how to manage the balance.
Vision + Accountability
Curiosity + Clarity
That’s what creative coaching with me looks like.
I use coaching methodologies designed for ADHD and creative leadership, rooted in character strengths, practical neuroscience, and coaching psychology, to support you to lead with confidence and creativity.
This is about showing up fully with the talents you already have, while also building the tools to manage what can hold you back.
If you’re a creative professional ready to explore how coaching can help you balance vision with action, I’d love to partner with you.
Let’s unlock what’s already within you.
Book an initial discovery call today.
We may feel we’re just trying to get through one day at a time, and in our teams we may have noticed people becoming less productive, reduced engagement and motivation and even more sick days and quiet quitting. Pressure can be the fuel behind your ideas and energy — until it tips too far and becomes something else: stress, fatigue, or even burnout.
Many businesses are trying to respond with wellbeing initiatives — but are they actually working?
According to recent research from Deloitte:
91% of C-suite executives believe their employees think leadership cares about their wellbeing – but only 56% of employees agree.
84% of execs say their company has made a public commitment to workforce wellbeing – but only 39% of employees feel that’s true.
That’s a disconnect. What we say we’re doing to support wellbeing isn’t always what people feel.
This article follows my Wake Up Call for Bristol Creative Industries members and is about changing that. It’s about creating wellbeing measures that aren’t just fluffy perks or tick-box exercises — but that genuinely help people feel safe, valued, and supported. I suggest practical tools to help you do just that — to manage pressure before it becomes stress, to build resilience in small, sustainable ways, and to lead with empathy, clarity, and care.
Because this isn’t just about managing stress. It’s about how we treat each other as human beings. We’re all wired differently. We’re all juggling different pressures. And more than ever, people are feeling isolated, under pressure, and disconnected from their teams.
If we want resilient people and happy workplaces, we need to build a culture where people feel connected, supported, and part of something — not just held to performance targets, but truly seen, heard, and cared for.
You might know this experience well: you’re focused, motivated, in flow — and then suddenly, you crash. That’s because pressure exists on a curve:
Not enough pressure can lead to boredom, disengagement and poor performance.
Just enough pressure (and what that means is different for everyone, we’re all different) you hit your stride and are in flow – high energy, clear focus, creativity.
But too much pressure, and we tip over to feeling stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted – ultimately this can lead to burnout..
Stress sneaks in unnoticed, it’s often when we’re busiest that we don’t see the signs. So pay attention to what your body is telling you or the signs that your team may be feeling stressed. When you pay attention to these signs you can take steps to manage it and look after yourself or your colleagues.
Stress – what’s your body telling you?
We all wear multiple hats at home and at work – parent and manager, carer and employee, managing your business and bottom line while providing the best service and quality for your clients or customers.
Here are 4 types of stress triggers:
1. Overload & Pressure
– Not enough time in the day/week
– Competing demands (home / work)
– Unrealistic expectations (from yourself or others)
– No time for rest or recovery and feeling like we’re always on.
2. Lack of Clarity or Control
– Lack of clarity around priorities or roles
– Ambiguity and Unclear or changing priorities
– Feeling powerless or lacking control
– Poor or patchy communication
3. Emotional Strain
– Carrying the emotional load for your clients, team, or family
– Supporting others but neglecting our own needs
– Guilt, perfectionism, or fear of disappointing people
– Personal stress bleeding into work
– Unresolved conflict or tensions in the workplace
4. Change & Lack of Boundaries
– Frequent or poorly-managed change
– Lack of work-life boundaries (e.g. emails at night)
– Working from home with no space to switch off and no clear end to the day
– Unspoken pressure to be “always available”
Once you notice these, you can take action — and that’s where the Four A’s come in.
Here’s a simple but powerful framework I use with clients to help them respond to stress, rather than react.
Avoid – What can you say no – or not now to?
Alter – What can you repriorite
Accept – What are the positives or benefits you can find?
Adapt – What’s another way of looking at this? How can you shift your perspective.
The Four As to Cope with Stress.
When your to-do list feels endless and everything feels urgent, it’s easy to get caught in a spiral of busyness without real progress. This is where two really simple but powerful tools come in: the Eisenhower Matrix and the Action Priority Matrix.
These frameworks help you zoom out, reduce decision fatigue, and spend your energy on what matters most — rather than just reacting to whatever’s shouting loudest.
This tool helps you decide how to deal with your tasks based on urgency and importance. It’s a 2×2 grid that helps you sort your to-do list into four clear categories:
Eisenhower Decision Making Matrix
How to use it:
Write out your full to-do list — everything that’s on your mind.
Take each item and ask: Is this urgent? Is this important? Place each task into one of the four boxes.
Focus first on what’s both urgent and important, then schedule what’s important but not urgent.
Be ruthless about what you can delegate or delete — just because it’s on your list doesn’t mean it needs your energy.
Tip: Most of your energy should be going into the “Important but Not Urgent” box — this is where your long-term success, strategy, and sanity live.
This tool helps you evaluate tasks based on effort vs. impact — a great way to stop wasting energy on things that look urgent but deliver very little return.
How to use it:
Choose a handful of tasks or ideas you’re working on.
For each, ask: How much effort will this take? What’s the potential impact?
Plot each one in the appropriate box.
Prioritise “Quick Wins” and block out time in your diary for “Major Projects”.
Limit how much time you spend on low-impact tasks — these are energy drains.
Tip: This is especially useful if you’re prone to overthinking or perfectionism. It helps you get out of your head and make practical, time-smart choices.
Resilience isn’t about being “strong” — it’s about staying responsive and resourceful, even when things feel hard. These micro-habits help:
Name it: “I feel… because…” – labelling emotions helps calm your nervous system
Set clear boundaries: Protect time for breaks, focus, and rest
Say no (or not now): Be Realistic about what you can fit in
Move: Walk, stretch, breathe – anything to reset your nervous system.
Recharge: Do something that re-energises you. For some this is exercise or just being outside, for some of us it’s just doing nothing. For extraverts it may be being around other
Write things down: your to-do list, your worries, even just a brain dump of everything on your mind. Journaling is a powerful practice, especially when things feel overwhelming or you’re stuck in a loop of overthinking. It doesn’t have to be long just write what’s circling in your head. Keep a notebook by your bed and use it to offload thoughts at night, it can really help with switching off and sleeping better.
Keep a “done” list as well as your to-do list. At the end of each day, jot down what you did get done — even the small stuff. It’s a great way to recognise progress, celebrate effort, and counter that constant feeling you haven’t got everything done.
Check in regularly: Make time and space to talk about wellbeing in a group and individually. If people find it hard to talk about emotions do it informally, for example on a walk to the coffee shop, rather than in a formal meeting. Use metaphors – a traffic light system for example where green is everything is fine and red is I need help.
Ask “How are you, really?” Leave space for people to talk and really listen, pay attention to body language. What’s their body language telling you that they may not be verbalising?
Role model healthy boundaries: Say, “It’s the end of the working day/week and I’ll have to pick this up later, normalising boundaries and that it’s ok to switch off.
Make it ok to not be OK by being open and talking about your own experiences and challenges so people know that they can be open with you. Often it’s your highest performers who will be the least likely to admit that they’re not coping, because of the feeling of shame or not wanting to let you, the client or the rest of the team down.
Celebrate the small wins, not just the big ones: What went well this week? This creates a sense of momentum and achievement.
Create clarity: Repeat the “why” behind tasks or changes
Use these questions to spark insight — write them down, discuss with a colleague, or use them in your next team check-in:
For You:
What signs tell you you’re tipping into stress?
What strengths do you have that help you cope with challenge or pressure?
Think of a time you overcame stress or challenge — what helped you through it?
What’s one sign that tells you you’re starting to feel stressed or overwhelmed?
What small boundary or habit could help you protect your wellbeing this week?
What’s one thing you’ll say ‘no’ to this week, in order to say ‘yes’ to what matters most?
For your Team:
What are the signs your team is tipping into stress?
How can you help make it safe for others to say they’re struggling?
What’s one thing you’ll do this week to support your team’s resilience?
How can you model healthy boundaries?
How can you build more connection and trust in your team culture?
If you’d like to explore how to manage pressure, lead with more ease, or put better boundaries in place, I offer one to one coaching to help you cope with stress and build resilience and design bespoke workshops and programmes for businesses and teams to put strategies in place.
If you’d like to explore coaching or bespoke workshops, I offer a free 30-minute exploratory call. You can book a time here >
Find out more about me on my website growth-space.co.uk
Or email me [email protected] or call: 07966 475195.
All About Guitar Partners with Distiller Music Group
Bristol, UK – March 25, 2025 – All About Guitar, the UK’s premier resource for guitar enthusiasts, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Distiller Music Group. This collaboration aims to enhance the range of services offered to guitarists, combining All About Guitar’s expertise in custom-built instruments and educational content with Distiller’s renowned recording facilities and industry network.
David Gillam, founder of All About Guitar, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership:
“At All About Guitar, our mission has always been to support and inspire guitarists at every level. Teaming up with Distiller Music Group allows us to expand our offerings, providing unparalleled resources and opportunities for the guitar community.”
Expanded Services for Guitarists
This partnership introduces several enhanced services:
David Gillam added:
“This partnership is about more than just services; it’s about building a community where guitarists can thrive. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, we’re here to support your musical journey.”
For more information, visit All About Guitar or Distiller Music Group.
Media Contact:
David Gillam
Founder, All About Guitar
About All About Guitar:
All About Guitar is the UK’s leading platform for guitar enthusiasts, offering custom-built instruments, professional setup and repair services, educational resources, and a supportive community for guitarists of all levels.
About Distiller Music Group:
Distiller Music Group is an independent, artist-focused company encompassing records, publishing, live events, and a state-of-the-art recording studio. Their mission is to support musicians at every stage of their creative journey.
We caught up with Lily, a former Weston College learner who studied Media Production and is now working at Aardman Animations!
Who are you and what is your current job role?
My name is Lily, and I current work as an Assistant Animator at Aardman Animations. My job role includes testing and animating sequences, creating and preparing puppets and mouth sets.
Can you share a bit about your journey from Weston College to where you are today?
I did my BTEC in Media Production in 2011 at Weston college, as one of the modules focused on Stop Motion Animation which I had an interest in. I then stayed at Weston College to do the UAL Foundation Course in Art & Design so I could continue making stop-motion films and developing my skills. After that course finished, I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to do next as I felt a bit burnt out, so took a 5-year gap out of education. When I felt I was ready and my heart was back in it, I went to University of the West of England to study Animation. In my third year, I got work experience at Aardman Animations and have continued working in the industry following my graduation. Some recent projects include Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and series 2 & 3 of The Very Small Creatures.
Many young people feel pressured to have their entire career mapped out early on. Looking back, how did your own career path evolve over time?
I definitely felt a lot of pressure in that area, I knew I wanted to work in the creative industry but I started to feel a bit burnt out from education, so decided to take a break and gain real-world experience. I’ve worked in hospitality, I’ve worked in an office, I’ve picked up event jobs, fancy dress costume work on occasion, just a range of things that let me live and have fun without the pressure of having everything mapped out. It wasn’t until I applied for another office job that I realised I didn’t want to do that type of work anymore; it stopped bringing me joy, and I wanted to pursue working in the creative industry again. It felt like the right time to get back into it and pursue it for my own reasons.
Were there any pivotal moments or unexpected opportunities that shaped your career in ways you didn’t anticipate?
I think a big moment for my career path was when I realised, I didn’t want to work in an office anymore. Although the job was for a creative company, I realised I missed being the one who created and crafted things. When I had that realisation and turned down that job, I knew I’d made the right decision and started looking into universities that did Animation courses. During my 3rd year when I was offered work experience on Chicken Run 2 with Aardman, it was my first time being in a proper working studio, and it completely blew my mind. The scale, the creativity, it suddenly clicked in me that this was somewhere I really wanted to be and a career I wanted to pursue.
How important has adaptability been in your career? Are there any specific examples you’d like to share?
Adaptability really is important. In my current job role as an assistant animator, I have to adapt to whatever is required of me on each project. That could be sculpting, animating, rigging or prop making, it all varies. My very first paid job in the industry, I had no experience in a studio or workshop environment, and was asked to do a lot of things I’d never done before. I just tried to be calm, listen and ask for advice if I wasn’t sure. It took a while to build my confidence but eventually I started to trust my abilities more and wasn’t as scared to ask people for help if I was unsure or had messed something up.
The industry is also unpredictable. Even though I’m in my dream job, I sometimes have to jump back into office or hospitality roles. Because animation/film jobs are mainly contract or freelance, there have been times where I’ve not had constant work so I have to pick-up part-time jobs to fill the gaps. People who’ve been in the industry for 20+ years and are skilled experienced animators still often have to do this too, so always be prepared to adapt when you need to.
What advice would you give to students who feel uncertain about their future career path?
Listen to yourself. If something doesn’t feel quite right or you don’t feel that you’re ready, don’t force it. Taking a step back or a little bit of time out isn’t a bad thing, it helps give you some breathing space to really look at what it is you want to do, and what’s going to make you happy. You’ll know when you’re ready, so don’t force it.
In a world where industries and job roles are constantly evolving, how can young professionals stay open to new opportunities and remain agile in their careers?
Try not to pigeonhole yourself into one thing. When I applied for Aardman as a trainee assistant animator, they wanted to see evidence that I could animated, but also examples of sculpting and crafting too. I love being creative in a variety of ways so I had plenty to show them and the feedback was very positive. If you stick to just one specific thing, you’re missing out on the chance to learn so much more that could actually benefit your area of interest. Talk to people, ask questions, show an interest and people will often respond in kind. It also helps broaden your job opportunities if you’ve got a varied skillset. It’s a tough industry, so give yourself the best chance of standing out.
If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?
I’d say to my younger self, stop worrying about what you think you ‘should’ be doing or what other people think you ‘should’ be doing, and trust your instincts. I’m glad I chose to take that gap in education. I gained a lot of useful life skills, had a lot of fun, made some brilliant friends and learned a lot about myself. I also regained my love for animation so I could pursue it on my own terms when I was ready. I was doing it just for me, no one else.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I’m grateful to my tutors at Weston College for helping me to pursue my love of stop-motion animation. They let me make an absolute mess of the studios to make my films, gave me advice on workshops and courses to look into and helped me when I was ready to finally apply for university. I never really thought I’d actually end up working in the industry, and although I went the long way about it, I’m so glad that I did it that way.
A big thank you to Lily for sharing her journey with us!
On the evening of April 3rd, students from a range of fashion and creative courses at Weston College came together to showcase their talent at Elevate, a spectacular fashion show held in the Regency Suite on the Grand Pier. This event gave learners the chance to present their work on a professional catwalk in front of friends, family, and the public. Also, the £321 raised from ticket sales will be donated to Weston Hospicecare.
The show featured collections and designs from A Level Fashion and Textiles students, Extended Diploma Fashion, Business and Retail students, and Fashion, Theatre, Special Effects and Media Make-Up students. Hair and makeup were also provided by learners from the HE Hair, Makeup, Prosthetics and Production course. We also had a range of volunteer models from across different subject areas, showcasing the amazing collaboration of the entire college.
Each collection was the result of months of creativity, research, and technical skill, developing initial ideas, conducting visual and factual research, experimenting with illustrations and media, and refining their concepts before constructing their final garments in chosen fabrics.
The Extended Diploma in Fashion, Business and Retail students explored themes such as Contrast, Refabrication, and Nostalgia, allowing for various interpretations and unique outcomes. Some examples include explorations of the architectural contrast within the National Trust’s Tyntesfield House, designs focused on the healing potential of flora, and investigations into the psychology of nostalgia through brain scans and synaptic imagery. Others took a more cultural approach, drawing on rock music from the 1970s to early 2000s.
A Level Fashion and Textiles students brought an equally diverse range of ideas to life, exploring cultural heritage, mental health, and ethical issues in fashion. From intricate Sashiko-inspired patterns to visual critiques of the denim industry’s environmental impact, these students demonstrated powerful, individual visions that reflected deep personal engagement with their themes.
The creativity didn’t stop at the garments. Students from the Extended Diploma in Fashion, Theatre, Special Effects and Media Make-Up created stunning looks that carried strong environmental messages. Their work responded to themes such as climate change, the ozone layer, California wildfires, and human impact on the planet—resulting in dramatic, thoughtful, and visually compelling headpieces and makeup designs.
Pat Jones, Principal and CEO of Weston College, expressed her gratitude to both the students and the community for making this event possible, adding, “The Elevate Fashion Show was a true celebration—not just of the incredible creativity and talent of our fashion learners, but also of the community spirit that made it all possible.
“Thanks must go to Michelle Michael and the team at the Grand Pier for so generously providing the Regency Suite free of charge, giving our students the unique opportunity to showcase their work in a truly professional setting. Thanks to this support, every ticket sold will go directly to Weston Hospicecare. We’re also grateful to St John’s Church for their kind loan of a lighting system that helped the show come to life. This event is a great example of what happens when education and community come together to lift up the next generation of creatives.”
Elevate is a great example of how Weston College’s Career Excellence Hubs give our students the career-preparing opportunities to gain first-hand experience in presenting a collection within a professional setting, developing their confidence, communication skills, and understanding of the production and logistics behind a runway event. The evening also offered invaluable exposure to peers, industry professionals, and potential employers which is essential for anyone pursuing a future in fashion or performance industries.
For many of the student models, walking the runway was a transformative experience. Stepping out of their comfort zones, they rose to the challenge with bravery and confidence, contributing to the energy and spirit of the event and supporting their peers on a night that celebrated creativity, courage, and collaboration. Elevate was an amazing reflection of the talent and dedication of our Weston College students, enhanced by community to bring this event to life for a great cause.
Well done to all our students who got involved in designing, creating, and modelling—this night wouldn’t have been possible without your efforts! Also, a big thank you to our fantastic Photography students: Harrison, Ethan, Cerys, Annabel, Taylor, Ellen, Toby, and Cameron for capturing the night perfectly!
Writing a brief can feel like an unnecessary faff, but it’s a crucial step that can make or break your project. A thought-out brief sets expectations and gives everyone a clear direction. And it can save you a bunch of time and an annoying headache down the road.
A good brief can save you time and money, help you reach your goal, and keep everything on track. It can help you:
There’s no set rule on what exactly you should have in your brief. It depends on your project, who you’re working with, and the nature of the job. But we recommend covering these four sections.
What is the project?
Give a short explanation of what you’re creating and what you’re trying to achieve. Include a list of deliverables as well as any specific formats you need. And summarise the main points you want to get across.
Who is your audience?
Share your audience personas and describe who you’re targeting. Are there multiple audiences? What are their interests? And what are their pain points?
What’s your budget?
Roughly how much do you expect to spend on this project? If it’s a larger project, it’ll help to give a budget for each task or area.
What are your deadlines?
Explain when you need the project done. Make sure to include important milestones, like when you expect to see the first draft, changes, etc.
Hot tip: If you have a hard deadline, add in contingency time. As a rule, if the agency or freelancer you’re working with says it’ll take them a week to deliver the project, add double that time as contingency time.
This is simply to account for anything unforeseen. Anything can happen – people get sick, briefs change, files get corrupted. This mindset can help you avoid missing any important deadlines internally. And if everything runs smoothly, great. You’re ahead of schedule.
What are your objectives?
Think about the main goal of your project. What are you hoping to achieve? Is there anything else we’re trying to achieve here?
What do you want the audience to know?
Add specifics here, like product features, an explanation of an industry trend, how much it costs. If it helps, think: what main points do I want people to remember? A bulleted list is fine.
What do you want our audience to feel?
Do you want them to be worried about the future of our world, or excited at the fact they’re going to save loads of time?
What do you want our audience to do?
Where should they go next? To your website? To email you? Or to buy something?
Explain your brand’s tone of voice, like whether it’s formal or friendly. Include any specific style preferences or formatting rules. If you have any brand guidelines, now would be a good time to share them.
Include your must-haves
These are your absolute requirements and non-negotiables. Are there any stats you want to include? Any specific imagery? Any messaging?
Give background, references, and examples:
Cover the approval process
Figure out who the decision makers are in this process to avoid any roadblocks. And outline how work will be reviewed and feedback given.
It’s easy for the brief to change over the course of a project. It’s normal. By having a clear brief from the start, it can not only keep you on course, but set a clear scope. You want to make sure where the boundaries are so you know where your project ends, and another begins.
Access Creative College has announced that it will be offering students the opportunity to study for a Content Creation T-Level – one of the first education providers in the UK to run the course – as it continues to lead the way in providing hands-on experience for young digital creators in Bristol.
Commencing this September, the level 3 T-Level, which spans two years, will allow digital media students to gain valuable experience in creating media content across a variety of platforms, including social media, online, video, and print. The course blends theoretical classroom learning with hands-on practical experience and a minimum of 315 hours of industry placement, ensuring real-world exposure – serving as a strong alternative to A-levels and apprenticeships.
Jon Domaille, Head of Bristol Campus said: “We’re so pleased to be able to offer students the opportunity to enroll in the Content Creation T-Level. Bringing this course to city is the next step in ensuring the next generation of talented digital creators have access to the best education to prepare them for the dynamic working world of the creative industries.”
The introduction of the T-Level comes hot on the heels of the successful launch of Access’s Bristol Academy of Visual Arts (AVA), which provides students with an all-encompassing experience of working within the creative industries alongside their studies.
Despite only launching in February, feedback from both students and participating businesses involved in the Academy has been overwhelmingly positive, with students citing AVA and the industry insights they have received so far as both inspiring and confidence boosting.
One of the standout features of AVA has been its partnerships with leading industry players, including Sons of Graham, a professional film and animation company.
Through this collaboration, students have gained invaluable hands-on experience in a state-of-the-art green screen room.
Sons of Graham’s team praised the partnership, highlighting the positive impact of working with Access Creative College students: “Collaborating with Access Creative has been a fantastic experience for Sons of Graham. We loved working in the space and having the extra hands on set. It was a great opportunity to offer guidance and valuable first hand experience to the students. We can’t wait to return for another project!”
Students have also had the chance to attend high profile industry events such as National Careers Week at BAFTA HQ, where they listened to talks from industry professionals like Lauren Layfield (Radio 1, Capital FM, CBBC) and experts from the worlds of short film, animation and gaming. These experiences have given students a better understanding of the creative industries and the roles within them.
Such is the popularity of the Academy of Visual Arts since its launch, that Access has seen a 12% increase in applications and a 32% increase in acceptances to its film, video and photography courses since the Academy launched, showcasing AVA a popular choice for students looking to start a creative career.
Domaille continued: “It’s been fantastic to receive such brilliant feedback from both students and businesses on the Academy in the short time since it began and it’s achieving exactly what we’d hoped it would – providing students with the best possible start to their careers.”
For anyone interested in giving Content Creation a try, Access Creative College will be running a workshop on Wednesday 28th May from 1-3pm and can register your interest here.
Applications for the content creation T-Level are now open, with the course beginning in September. Students looking to kickstart a career in digital media are encouraged to apply.
For more information, please visit: https://www.accesscreative.ac.uk/courses/content-creation/#apply
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