Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) enjoyed a week of exceptional success as students from across the group showcased their talent, professionalism and technical skill in the Greater London Skills Competitions, held across various London colleges. We were delighted to host two London Skills Competitions on our campuses in Richmond and Uxbridge as well as holding our own internal HRUC campus competitions.
Culinary Arts Excellence at Richmond upon Thames College
HRUC proudly hosted the Greater London Culinary Arts Competition in The View restaurant at Richmond upon Thames College, an impressive dining space with a bird’s eye of Twickenham Stadium and the surrounding area, with industry-standard kitchens, and a Chef’s table for students to hone their professional skills.
Seven colleges took part in the high‑level contest, where nine students were challenged to prepare an ambitious three‑course meal featuring a cold starter, dressed crab main, and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Industry judges, including representatives from Gaucho and the Chefs’ Association, noted the exceptionally high standards maintained by all participants and praised the professionalism demonstrated throughout the event.
Competition Results:
- 1st Place - Capital City College
- 2nd Place - Jayda Everett, HRUC - Uxbridge College (Hayes campus)
- 3rd Place - Harry Burrows, HRUC - Richmond upon Thames College.
The day was a resounding success, thanks to the dedication of the Professional Cookery team at Richmond and the invaluable support of RuTC students who assisted competitors.
HRUC Triumphant in Health and Social Care Competition
On our Uxbridge campus, we were delighted to host the Greater London Health and Social Care competition. Students from colleges across London took part in their competition rounds within our onsite hospital simulation ward and were assessed by industry judges.
In another competition high note, HRUC took 1st place! The winning team brought together top performers from HRUC’s internal cross‑college heats, forming a “super team” that impressed judges with their professionalism and depth of knowledge.
Competition Winners:
- 1st Place - Afolawamurewa, Anzal Ali, Lauren Fyfe & Vedika Hemalkumar, HRUC
- 2nd Place – City of Westminster College
- 3rd Place – Waltham Forest College.
Their dedication and teamwork earned HRUC a well‑deserved victory and celebration of its talented students.
Outstanding Achievement in Beauty Therapy
HRUC celebrated further triumphs in the Beauty Therapist Competition, where students demonstrated technical precision, time management, and exceptional client care across three demanding disciplines:
- Day Glam Make‑Up Application
- Full Face Treatment
- Half Leg Wax.
Competition Results:
- 1st Place - Fatima Abdullah, HRUC - Harrow College
- 2nd Place - City of Westminster College
- 3rd Place - Capital City College.
Fatima’s first‑place victory highlighted her mastery across all three components, earning well‑deserved recognition from judges.
Impressive Performances in Hairdressing
In the Ladies’ Bridal Styling competition, students were required to produce a full 100% up‑style incorporating curls or waves and complemented with appropriate bridal ornamentation, completed under strict time constraints.
Competition Results:
- 1st Place – Barking and Dagenham College
- 2nd Place – Inas Acharabi, HRUC - Harrow College
- 3rd Place – Nazleen Souji, HRUC - Uxbridge College (Hayes campus)
Both Inas and Nazleen showcased exceptional creativity and skill, proudly representing HRUC at the competition stage.
Exceptional Film Production Success
HRUC’s creative talent was also in the spotlight as Media students produced a series of outstanding short films as part of our own internal skills competitions, which prepared students for the main contest. The standard of production was incredibly high, and the judging process was equally rigorous, reflecting the expectations HRUC holds for its learners across the college group.
Following an exceptional showcase of talent, three Media students - Khalid Rashid, Scarlett McLellan and Marina Hayes - were selected to represent the college group at the Greater London Skills Competition.
Their short film stood out for its creativity, critical thinking, real‑life insight and genuine heart, a testament to the dedication and passion they have poured into their craft.
Cross-College Indoor Rowing Competition Connected Campuses via Live Technology
HRUC’s sporting talent was on full display later in the week during an exciting internal cross-college Indoor Rowing Competition, which brought together sports students, from all levels, across the Richmond upon Thames, Uxbridge and Harrow campuses.
Using our state‑of‑the‑art immersive suites, the event was streamed live across all three sites, allowing competitors to race in real time while being broadcast to peers and staff who cheered them on from their home campus.
The competition promoted teamwork, resilience and friendly rivalry, while demonstrating how digital innovation can connect campuses and create shared student experiences. The atmosphere across the colleges was energetic, with real‑time performance tracking heightening the excitement!
More than 40 students progressed from the internal heats to the live final, proudly representing their campuses in the multi‑site event.
Jake Woods, Section Manager for Sport, Hair and Beauty at Harrow College, praised both the students and the technology that made the event possible:
“It was fantastic to see students competing against each other across campuses in real time. The immersive technology created a real event atmosphere and encouraged healthy competition. We are incredibly proud of how professionally our students represented their sites, and we are already looking forward to our larger cross campus competition later in the year, where students will compete in multiple sporting events.”
A Week of Pride for HRUC
HRUC’s extraordinary students delivered outstanding performances across multiple disciplines in the Greater London Skills Competition events and in our own internal skills competitions.
The week highlighted the talent, ambition, and commitment of learners and staff alike, and cemented HRUC’s reputation as being “strong for skills” and one of London’s leading providers of technical and professional education. We look forward to celebrating our students’ achievements at our Skills Competition Awards ceremony later this month.
Inspired by the incredible achievements of our students?
At HRUC, you can develop real‑world skills, gain hands‑on experience and become part of a thriving community that supports you to succeed. Explore our full range of courses across Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges and take the next step toward a future you’ll be proud of.