<p>Two of our ESOL learners, Romina and Glenn, have been taking part in a weekly <strong>Hospitality Course</strong> at<strong> </strong><a href="https://www.lovesweston.co.uk/"><strong>Loves Cafe</strong></a>. This fantastic initiative, a collaboration between the community and North Somerset Council, aims to support refugees and asylum seekers by equipping them with <strong>essential skills </strong>to help them <strong>gain employment</strong> in the <strong>hospitality sector</strong>.</p><p>Throughout the course, our learners have been developing their <strong>customer service expertise</strong>, learning <strong>key terminology</strong> relevant to hospitality roles, practicing how to <strong>take orders efficiently,</strong> and getting hands-on experience using <strong>card machines.</strong> To build their confidence and practical skills, they have engaged in <strong>role-play exercises</strong>, taking turns as customers and waiters/waitresses to simulate real-life working environments.</p><drupal-entity alt="ESOL learners using card machine" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d6b2f92b-82a6-4829-b0a8-5269c3462258" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Beyond customer service, the learners have also gained valuable knowledge in <strong>food hygiene, food allergies, reading menus,</strong> and <strong>processing orders</strong>. In the coming weeks, they will have the exciting opportunity to enhance their skill set further with <strong>barista training</strong>, delivered by<strong> </strong><a href="https://radicalroasters.bigcartel.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooh-KpucGabfU4bt2vP… Roosters Bristol Coffee Roasters</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><p>One of our learners, Glenn, joined the course with the ambition of securing his first role in hospitality. Through his hard work and dedication, he has grown significantly in confidence, and he is now planning to apply for a Hospitality course at Weston College to further develop his skills and take the next step in his career.</p><p>Meanwhile, Romina has demonstrated incredible personal growth throughout the course. Her commitment and passion for both learning and contributing to the community were recently recognised when she won the <strong>‘Above and Beyond’</strong> award at our Student Conference!</p><p>We are excited to see our learners continue to integrate and develop their skills throughout the rest of this course!</p><p><strong>(below is an example of a worksheet which helped the learners with learning key phrases in hospitality!)</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><drupal-entity alt="Example of ESOL learner&apos;s work" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="02c3c9ed-5311-4d5a-b8f2-6cc62bd699eb" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity>

<p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Last week, the Winter Gardens hosted a fantastic Ramadan event to celebrate Iftar, the breaking of fast, where anyone was welcome to attend. With lectures, speeches, prayers, songs and lots of delicious food—it was unmissable and a great way to bring the community together and enrich people in the culture.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Ramadan is a month-long celebration of the Quran where Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours; this is known as fasting. Fasting allows Muslims to focus on their faith and remember the month that the Quran was first presented to the Prophet Mohammed. Ramadan takes place on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which changes every year depending on the moon cycles, but this year, it began on&nbsp;Friday 28 February&nbsp;and will end on&nbsp;Sunday 30 March.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">At the Winter Gardens event, the evening commenced with a recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by captivating performances by Birmingham’s Nasheed group, Shaam. Aishah Ahmed from Aishah’s Food Charity, the organisation behind this event and the provider of the heaps of fantastic food, delivered an inspiring speech, highlighting their efforts and the importance of the event. This was followed by a lecture on the significance of Ramadan and a prayer before the sunset and the attendees broke their fast, indulging in the delicious spread.</span></p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;The Winter Gardens full of people celebrating the Ramadan event&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4eaa28e3-cb41-48b8-b8da-69ea8d2b654b" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Aishah’s Food Charity prepared trays of food for each table, including roast chicken pieces, vegetable pakora, vegetable samosas, lamb, chicken and vegetable biryani, Dall soup, and baklava for dessert.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">This charity was set up by Aishah Ahmed, a 21-year-old Law student who wanted to help reduce hunger in Weston-super-Mare by setting up a hot meal foodbank every Wednesday evening to help those in need. She wanted to follow in her dad’s footsteps, Sayd Ahmed, who has a long reputation for similar work in the community. All the food was delicious and packed with flavour and heart which everyone in the room enjoyed.</span></p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Hospitality and Catering students and staff standing smiling with Sayd Ahmed&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="92f0cec8-ec24-4413-b1bc-9352d87fbb23" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">In order to immerse our students in this religious occasion, our&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; target="_blank"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Level 2 Hospitality and Catering</span></a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> learners assisted in the preparation of some of the food. During a workshop with local business owner, Syed, our students learnt how to make chicken biryani and vegetable pakora, focusing highly on the spices used. They even got to attend the event themselves to enrich themselves in the culture and gain a better understanding of Ramadan, as well as assisting in serving the dishes to the community.</span></p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Syed cutting marinated chicken into pieces for the students to taste test&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7a5e3908-290d-43e3-9db9-c80a202e2aba" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The evening continued with other speeches from influential people from around Weston-super-Mare, lessons surrounding breaking the fast and the end of the fasting period, and concluding with a final performance from Nasheed by Shaam Group and closing ceremony remarks.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">This event had over 500 attendees from in and around Weston-super-Mare, welcoming everyone with open arms to learn about their religion and celebrate this event with the community as a whole. With delicious food, amazing company, and fantastic music, this event was a great way to celebrate Ramadan and Iftar, experiencing the cultural traditions and educating everyone about its importance.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">A big thank you to Aishah’s Food Charity for organising this event and allowing our&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; target="_blank"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Hospitality and Catering</span></a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> students to be a part of it.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0px;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">This workshop forms part of the Hospitality and Catering Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:0px;margin-top:16px;"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; target="_blank"><span style="font-size:inherit;">If you’re interested in applying to one of our Hospitality and Catering courses, click here.</span></a></p>

<p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Ewan, a <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; target="_blank">Hospitality and Catering Apprentice</a>, has been working hard during his placement at COR Restaurant, where his dedication and growth have not gone unnoticed. Over the past six months, Ewan’s efforts and professionalism have impressed the team at COR so much that they took to social media to celebrate his achievements.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">In a glowing post, the restaurant described Ewan as a polite professional and highlighted his enthusiasm, team spirit, and hunger to learn. They praised his initiative, noting his ability to create a delicious tiramisu and expressing excitement for his continued development in 2025.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Ewan is in his second year of a <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; target="_blank">Level 2 Hospitality and Catering Apprenticeship</a> with Weston College and shared insights about his journey so far. He described his apprenticeship as highly educational and credited COR Restaurant for providing a welcoming environment where the team’s kindness and support have helped him grow. One of his favourite aspects of the experience has been learning from the talented chefs he works alongside, an opportunity he believes has significantly boosted his skills, knowledge, and confidence.</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Hospitality and Catering Apprentice, Ewan, at COR restaurant&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8bf39fa6-be4a-44be-b9d6-cf49274cdda9" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Ewan chose his apprenticeship because it offered the practical, hands-on experience he needed to thrive in the catering industry. He values the supportive nature of his workplace and colleagues, who have helped him navigate any challenges that arise. Reflecting on his time at Weston College, he commended the staff and praised the excellent kitchen facilities, which have further enriched his learning experience.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">For those considering an apprenticeship, Ewan emphasised the importance of having a genuine passion for the field. He encouraged future learners to pursue apprenticeships if they are clear about their interests and career aspirations, as the experience provides invaluable real-world learning and growth opportunities.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Ewan’s journey so far stands as a testament to how dedication, curiosity, and the right support can set the stage for a bright future in the hospitality industry.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;">Thank you to COR Restaurant for giving Ewan this opportunity and providing him with a supportive, hands-on environment that is encouraging his growth and building confidence in his ability.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; target="_blank">If you are interested in applying for a Hospitality and Catering Apprenticeship, click here.</a></p>