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Ella is a student at Coleg Cambria's Iâl Bakery Wrexham

Ella is a student at Coleg Cambria's Iâl Bakery Wrexham

Leader Live4 days ago
Presented by the Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees (ABST), Ella Muddiman received the Hugh Weeks Award, which honours the memory of Hugh Weeks, a former ABST President and influential figure in the bakery and confectionery industry.
It is given to a student who not only excels in their craft but also shows outstanding commitment to the industry and their peers.
The ceremony took place at Coleg Cambria's Iâl Bakery in Wrexham, where Sara Autton, Executive Committee Member and past ABST President, presented the prize on behalf of the organisation.
Read more:
"Ella has a mentoring approach for others that guides and leads rather than dictates and demands," said Sara.
"She is an advocate not only for the Tasty Careers Campaign (which seeks to promote food industry education and careers) but also The Burnt Chef Project as it provides support for, and awareness of mental health issues in the high-pressure environment of the hospitality and catering industries.
"In all that she has achieved so far, Ella has embodied the true spirit of the Hugh Weeks Award. She is proactive in her pursuit of learning, and not afraid of taking a leap of faith into diverse opportunities that may have been daunting for her only a few years ago."
Sara Autton, Executive Committee Member, presented the Hugh Weeks Award to baker Ella Muddiman.
She added: "Her charitable activities and advocacy for mental health awareness; along with her encouragement of less experienced students are attributes that were deeply valued by Hugh, and I am sure he would heartily endorse the ABST Council's decision to present his special award to such an exceptional person."
Ella was presented with the Hugh Weeks Cup, a £250 cash prize and a set of expert baking textbooks from the Richemont Centre of Excellence.
Read more: Tributes paid to landlord of Wrexham pub after tragic sudden death
Reacting to the prize, she said: "I'm incredibly proud and honoured to receive such a prestigious award. I'd particularly like to thank Sara for all her continued support and the ABST Council for awarding me. I'm absolutely thrilled!"
Maria Stevens, Head of Commercial Operations at Coleg Cambria, praised Ella's rise over past years and said: "We are incredibly proud to celebrate Ella's exceptional achievement in winning the prestigious Hugh Weeks Award. This honour is a testament to her continued commitment to the baking industry and her unwavering dedication to charity work within the baking community.
Read more: Faith digs deep for new career after national media award win
"Having Ella as part of our Iâl Bakery team is a true privilege, and her ongoing success, including previous accolades, inspires us all. She is a shining example of the talent and dedication we champion here at the College, and we couldn't be more thrilled for her."
• Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria.
For more on Iâl Bakery, visit: ialrestaurant.co.uk/ial-bakery/ or follow them on social media.
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Ella is a student at Coleg Cambria's Iâl Bakery Wrexham
Ella is a student at Coleg Cambria's Iâl Bakery Wrexham

Leader Live

time4 days ago

  • Leader Live

Ella is a student at Coleg Cambria's Iâl Bakery Wrexham

Presented by the Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees (ABST), Ella Muddiman received the Hugh Weeks Award, which honours the memory of Hugh Weeks, a former ABST President and influential figure in the bakery and confectionery industry. It is given to a student who not only excels in their craft but also shows outstanding commitment to the industry and their peers. The ceremony took place at Coleg Cambria's Iâl Bakery in Wrexham, where Sara Autton, Executive Committee Member and past ABST President, presented the prize on behalf of the organisation. Read more: "Ella has a mentoring approach for others that guides and leads rather than dictates and demands," said Sara. "She is an advocate not only for the Tasty Careers Campaign (which seeks to promote food industry education and careers) but also The Burnt Chef Project as it provides support for, and awareness of mental health issues in the high-pressure environment of the hospitality and catering industries. "In all that she has achieved so far, Ella has embodied the true spirit of the Hugh Weeks Award. She is proactive in her pursuit of learning, and not afraid of taking a leap of faith into diverse opportunities that may have been daunting for her only a few years ago." Sara Autton, Executive Committee Member, presented the Hugh Weeks Award to baker Ella Muddiman. She added: "Her charitable activities and advocacy for mental health awareness; along with her encouragement of less experienced students are attributes that were deeply valued by Hugh, and I am sure he would heartily endorse the ABST Council's decision to present his special award to such an exceptional person." Ella was presented with the Hugh Weeks Cup, a £250 cash prize and a set of expert baking textbooks from the Richemont Centre of Excellence. Read more: Tributes paid to landlord of Wrexham pub after tragic sudden death Reacting to the prize, she said: "I'm incredibly proud and honoured to receive such a prestigious award. I'd particularly like to thank Sara for all her continued support and the ABST Council for awarding me. I'm absolutely thrilled!" Maria Stevens, Head of Commercial Operations at Coleg Cambria, praised Ella's rise over past years and said: "We are incredibly proud to celebrate Ella's exceptional achievement in winning the prestigious Hugh Weeks Award. This honour is a testament to her continued commitment to the baking industry and her unwavering dedication to charity work within the baking community. Read more: Faith digs deep for new career after national media award win "Having Ella as part of our Iâl Bakery team is a true privilege, and her ongoing success, including previous accolades, inspires us all. She is a shining example of the talent and dedication we champion here at the College, and we couldn't be more thrilled for her." • Visit for the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria. For more on Iâl Bakery, visit: or follow them on social media.

Sustainable Vision Secures Hospitality Student Inaugural 'Green Spatula' Award
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Business News Wales

time11-07-2025

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Sustainable Vision Secures Hospitality Student Inaugural 'Green Spatula' Award

Coleg Cambria learner Victoria Royer has won the Green Spatula Award. The special accolade was introduced at this year's Nestlé Professional Toque d'Or competition and presented in partnership with The World Association of Chefs' Societies. Originally from Belgium and now living in Hope, Flintshire, Victoria wowed judges with her knowledge and ability both front-of-house (FOH) and in creating ideas which were technically sound and environmentally friendly, 'showcasing an exceptional understanding of sustainability's role within the hospitality industry'. Balancing her studies with work at a local hotel and 'student takeover days' at the college's popular Iâl Restaurant at Yale Wrexham, she took part in numerous challenges and activities. These included a trip to Nestlé's partner farm in Suffolk to explore regenerative agriculture, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and Wyken Vineyards to hear all about the wine making process. 'Sustainability is important to me and was at the heart of this competition, so I was thrilled and shocked to receive this prize, and to be the first to do so,' said Victoria, currently studying a Level 3 Diploma in Food and Beverage Supervision. 'It was a real learning curve, especially the wine and water pairing, and the heats were over several days, so it was a lot of work, but an amazing experience and I look forward to putting the trophy on top of my mantelpiece.' Cambria Assessor and Instructor/Demonstrator Judith Hudson added: 'It was a rigorous and immersive process but highly enjoyable and Victoria did incredibly well. 'We had four front-of-house and three back-of-house learners through to the heats stage of the competition, held in York – well done to you all.' Mentored and guided by a distinguished panel of judges, including Michelin-star chef Adam Handling MBE and his FOH director George Hersey, the final contestants displayed skills, creativity and passion covering topics such as food provenance and how hospitality plays an important role in supporting communities. Among Victoria's ideas were a 'living wall' of herbs and edible plants and flowers, to promote and host a coffee morning for a local charity, and collaboration with organisations such as Incredible Edible. Adam Handling congratulated the contestants and said it was 'such a privilege' to be part of Toque d'Or, adding: 'The energy, the drive, and the commitment these young people showed was seriously impressive. 'Competitions like this are where careers are made and I have no doubt we'll be seeing many of them doing amazing things in the years to come.' Katya Simmons, Managing Director of Nestlé Professional UK and Ireland, said: 'We're immensely proud to support the next generation of hospitality professionals, working hand-in-hand with industry partners to give students meaningful, real-life experience.'

The self-drive tuk-tuks transforming travel in Sri Lanka
The self-drive tuk-tuks transforming travel in Sri Lanka

BBC News

time22-06-2025

  • BBC News

The self-drive tuk-tuks transforming travel in Sri Lanka

A local startup is helping travellers experience Sri Lanka like a local – and changing lives in the process. I had pictured what my journey from the highlands of Ella to the Unesco city of Kandy would look like, but this was even better. The looping mountain roads stretched out before me as I drove through palm tree-lined valleys and past reservoirs so blue they looked as if they'd been photoshopped. Purple-faced langurs with their bushy white beards sat on the roadside and looked inquisitively at me, while elephants occasionally sauntered into the street. This was a road trip that couldn't be hurried. While I could have zipped along in a hire car, I knew this the journey would be far more fun trundling along in a self-drive tuk-tuk. For the last 50 years, tuk-tuks or three wheelers have become a typical sight in Sri Lanka. Motorised versions were imported into the country by the Indian Bajaj Auto Company in the late 1970s, and by the '90s they were ubiquitous. Now there are one million of them putt-putting along Sri Lanka's highways. Serving as family saloons and taxi cabs to police vehicles and three-wheeled bakeries, these workhorses have proven they're more functional than a Swiss army knife. Holidaymakers fell for the fearless vehicles too, but while they could catch a ride in the hardworking three wheelers, they were only allowed as passengers. Then in 2016, with the launch of Katunayake-based start-up TukTuk Rental, tourists were given the keys to an adventure they would never forget. You can now hire and drive a vehicle, choose your own route through the highlands or along the palm-fringed beaches and stop for a cup of milk tea when the mood takes you. But what makes this experience extra special is that this business, which marries social good with financial goals, leases its tuk-tuks from locals. Since it started, around Rs300,000,000 (US$1m) has gone into the pockets of 1,000 families in Sri Lanka. TukTuk Rental was the brain child of Thomas Cornish, an Australian civil engineer who was working for a non-profit in India. On the second day of a cycling holiday there, Cornish crashed his bike. A local offered up an old tuk-tuk so that he could complete the journey. Cornish found the ride so enjoyable, he wanted other travellers to have the same experience. Since the distances between Indian cities can be challenging, he and his cofounders Richard McKeon and Wietse Sennema looked for another country where tuk-tuks were popular. Finally, they decided to launch TukTuk Rental in Sri Lanka. Sennema, who grew up on the island, was aware that tuk-tuk driving was a second source of income for many people. "They'll have a daytime job, then in the evenings they drive the tuk-tuk," he said. The trio started knocking on doors to see if the tuk-tuk owners would rent their three-wheeler to holidaymakers and earn an income while they stayed at home with their families. Shalitha Sankalpa from Mount Lavinia was one such owner. He worked at a hotel during the day then would drive his tuk-tuk for up to six hours in the evening. "I would earn 200 rupees a day on average," says Sankalpa. He heard about the new startup and, in 2017, decided to offer his family tuk-tuk as one of their initial 10 vehicles. Within a month, his earnings had doubled. "When I told my friends, they said, 'It's a risk. Don't give your tuk-tuk to foreigners.' Now they are asking me, 'How can I rent my tuk-tuk?'," he said. Sankalpa was living with his wife, son and in-laws in a small, rented house, but with the steady income he was able to buy a car and build his own home. The social business has continued to give him dream moments, including when South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes hired Sankalpa's tuk-tuk to drive along the coast to Ahangama. "It was a super special day for me," says Sankalpa. 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Rajindra says he's delighted visitors get to experience a different side of Sri Lanka. "I'm very happy that the foreigner wants to drive a tuk-tuk. [It's a] normal person's vehicle. It's not a high-end vehicle," he says. Rajindra says he can also see the impact the start-up has made: "It brings income for the locals, for the country, and everyone involved." Diana Hiptmair, a content creator from Toronto, Canada, decided to hire a tuk-tuk in April 2025 after seeing a post on Instagram. "We're always looking for opportunities to step out of our comfort zone, and renting a tuk-tuk felt like the perfect way to travel at a slower pace, connect with locals and immerse ourselves in Sri Lankan culture," she says. She and her husband rented a convertible cabriolet tuk-tuk for 26 days and travelled from Negombo to the beach town of Mirissa. "Supporting a company that gives back was important to us," says Hiptmair. "And traveling by tuk-tuk allowed us to visit small restaurants and local businesses that many tourists might otherwise miss." One of her favourite memories was a spontaneous pitstop for lunch: "The owner invited Daniel into the kitchen to help make kottu roti," says Hiptmair. Kate Dicks from Hampshire in the UK was also a huge fan of the experience. She rented a self-drive tuk-tuk with her boyfriend for a 10-day road trip in January 2025. They wanted to visit the highlands and national parks. As taxis were few and far between in these rural areas and the bus connections didn't fit their schedule, a tuk-tuk provided the perfect solution. The tuk-tuk also helped give them the David Attenborough moment they wanted. "The most memorable part of our trip was when we saw wild elephants along the road we were driving on," says Dicks. "To see an elephant that close in its natural habitat was just amazing." While the numbers of holidaymakers hiring tuk-tuks are rapidly increasing, the social business limits the amount of tuk-tuks that each owner can give them so as many people as possible can participate in the programme. Supplier manager Isuru Fernando says they don't want to support another company, they want to support the individuals. After I finished my journey and handed over the keys, I watched the tuk-tuk reassuringly wobble off along the road to begin its return journey to the highlands. I had no doubt it would get there. This plucky vehicle seemed representative of a country that even when faced with the toughest of journeys still remains strong. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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