The College’s Hairdressing and Barbering students were treated to an inspirational workshop on how to deliver Lee Stafford’s Vintage Tong Recipe by Extreme Hair Wars judge Martyn Holmes. Along with witnessing his skills in action, Martyn invited the students to get involved in his demonstration on a live model. Later in the afternoon he worked with students in the college’s Flaunt Hair salon as they put their learning to the test re-creating the look.
During the workshop, students were also gripped as Martyn shared stories about the hairdressing industry; from his initial experiences working with Lee Stafford, to the current running of his own Strangeways salon. Students were particularly fascinated by Martyn’s role in the creation of David Beckham’s haircut at the 2002 World Cup, his advice for setting up a hairdressing business and his inside knowledge of the running and filming of the Extreme Hair Wars programme.
Tanya Cutler, a Level 2 apprentice who works for South Hair, claimed she found Martyn’s life experiences were one of the main highlights of the day. She said: “I really enjoyed the workshop and appreciated that he took the time to talk to everyone”. Yasmin McCarthy, a Level 3 apprentice who works for Indulge, echoed these opinions: “It’s great that The College is able to bring people like this in. What a great experience!”
Christophe Baffos, Bournemouth & Poole College’s Director of Learning for Service Industries, was in full agreement: “having Martyn coming to work with our apprentices and students is an amazing way to start their academic year. Seeing Martyn in action and then working alongside him is a great way to inspire them to work towards achieving great success in their studies and future careers.” Chelsea Walters, another Level 2 apprentice who works for Julie-Anne’s Hairdressing, even claimed the day had reinvigorated her interest in the subject and "made her excited about the industry again".
Martyn himself was also particularly thrilled at how the day went said: “I want to help shape the future of our industry and today has shown just how committed these students are”. He went on to say: “I can’t quite believe how many students attended the workshop; I’ve really enjoyed sharing my experiences. It’s reinforced in my mind the crucial role of education and the opportunities it can offer”.
To find out more about Bournemouth & Poole College's Lee Stafford Hair Academy, visit thecollege.co.uk/Lee-Stafford
