Two teenagers from Gloucestershire have been selected this week to receive the Hollie Gazzard Hairdressing Fund to enable them to study hairdressing at Gloucestershire College.
Gloucestershire College joined forces with the Hollie Gazzard Trust to sponsor six young people each academic year through the Hollie Gazzard Hairdressing Fund, in memory of 20 year old Hollie, a former hairdressing trainee and popular local hairdresser who lost her life earlier this year.
Courtney Shaw, 18 from Cheltenham and Laura Tibbetts, 18 from Gloucester were selected to receive the Hairdressing Fund by a panel of Gloucestershire College hairdressing staff and Jo Minns, a trustee of the Hollie Gazzard Trust.
The Hollie Gazzard Trust together with the College have developed a framework for an annual fund that will pay for materials, trips, equipment and uniform for six applicants who share similar character attributes to Hollie herself, including; a personal drive to succeed, creativity, a hardworking nature, vibrancy, fun loving and vivaciousness, supported by a strong personal reference outlining why the applicant would benefit from the Fund.
Courtney and Laura will be studying Level 2 Hairdressing at the College’s Gloucester Campus and were delighted to be selected.
Laura said; “I’m extremely grateful and touched to have been chosen to receive this funding in memory of such a special lady. I have chosen to study hairdressing as I have a real passion for hair and one day would like to own my own salon. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.”
Courtney said; “Thank you so much, I am so pleased to receive this funding. I am hardworking, motivated and ambitious and want to own my own salon by 2019 – I’ve already designed what it will look like!”
Nick Gazzard, Hollie’s father and founder of the Hollie Gazzard Trust said; “Hollie was such a good hairdresser – it was her life. She was very stylish and fashion conscious. We want to financially support young people to train in hairdressing and we are quite determined to do that in Hollie’s name. We look forward to working with Courtney and Laura and wish them the best of luck with their studies.”
Peter White, Vice Principal said: “The College is delighted to be working with The Hollie Gazzard Trust and we pride ourselves on working to support ambitious young people.”
The Trust is now looking for a further four recipients of the Hollie Gazzard Hairdressing Fund.
For more information and to apply for the fund, please contact Gloucestershire College Student Services by emailing info@gloscol.ac.uk or call 01242 532174. Applications are welcomed before the closing date on Tuesday 16th September.
