BTC Barbers at Bridgwater & Taunton College held their annual barbering event and Barber of the Year competition at The McMillan Theatre recently to celebrate local talent.
The event started with a student showcase of Level 2 and Level 3 Barbering students, from both the Bridgwater and Taunton campuses. The work presented by the students was impeccable, especially considering that some of the barbers only began their training in September 2019. Judging this year’s student competitions, was last year’s BTC Barber of the Year, John James Edmiston, who works at Victoria Street Barbers in Burnham-on-Sea. First place of the Level 2 competition was won by Lewis Symons, followed by Rob Mills in second place and Alicia Acheampong a close third. Barber of the Year for the Level 3 cohort was awarded to Joshua Bruford with Charles Maclean and Olivia White in second and third places respectively.
The main event of the evening was the Barber of the Year competition, where barbers from Bridgwater, Taunton and the surrounding area were given an hour to create their signature creative cut and finish in front of the audience. The judge awarded third place to Liv Plum from Blacksheep Barbershop in Wellington. Jordan Bryant from Ashley’s Barbershop in Taunton was presented with second place. Sam Ford, also a barber at Ashley’s Barbershop was crowned BTC Barber of the Year 2020.
The event not only celebrated the incredible barbering talents that can be found in the area, but also raised money and awareness of national mental health awareness charity Mind.
Other activities throughout the day included barbering demonstrations from the College team and special guest barber Ashley Webber and product stalls from industry suppliers Andis and Bluebeards Revenge. The event was caught on camera by photography student Lydia Bell.
Richard Bell, Course Leader for Barbering at Bridgwater & Taunton College, and organiser of the event, said, “The event was a great success! The Barber Bash is designed to give our learners the opportunity to compete in a competition environment, gaining valuable experience whilst demonstrating their skills and building confidence. The event has allowed us to build connections with local barber shops and helps to promote the ability of our learners, whilst acting as a platform for local businesses to shine. We look forward to making Barber Bash 2021 an even bigger and better event!”
If you would like more information about studying Barbering courses at Bridgwater & Taunton College please visit here, or contact our Information and Guidance team on 01278 441234.
