Level 3 Travel & Tourism students from Selby College hosted a ‘Fiesta Mexicana’ celebration, raising over £850 for Dementia UK and donations for Selby & District Food Bank.
As part of their event planning module, the students were tasked with organising their own event for the local community – taking on professional roles including team leader, marketing, finance, health and safety and managing special requirements.
The evening included a three-course Mexican-themed meal, as well as entertainment such as karaoke, a piñata and games like ‘Pin the Tail’.
The students also reached out to local and national businesses for raffle prizes, which included vouchers from Middlethorpe Hall Spa, Hays Travel, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet, Fly Line and C Dawson & Sons in Brayton, amongst others.
With raffle and ticket sales, the students raised £885 for Dementia UK and a generous donation or Selby & District Food Bank, with organisations such as Tesco making large donations of food.
Antonina Struczynska, Level 3 Travel & Tourism student who was Team Leader of the project, said: “We chose to fundraise for Dementia UK because one our fellow course mates Izzy recently lost her grandfather to dementia, so we wanted to make the event meaningful. The project has been challenging at times, but everyone pulled together and shared the workload. It has really helped me build skills in communication, teamwork and meeting deadlines - I’d definitely consider a career in events management after this.”
Heidi Wilson, Lecturer in Travel & Tourism at Selby College, praised the students’ efforts, stating: “I’m incredibly proud of what the students have achieved and have raised for a number of charities. They demonstrated professionalism, creativity and resilience throughout the planning and delivery of the event. This experience is invaluable and gives them a real edge as they prepare for careers in the travel and tourism industry. Events like this develop transferable skills that are essential across many roles – from customer service to operations and beyond.”
This is just one of many activities which the students get involved in, with first-year Travel & Tourism students recently enjoying a delicious and educational day out at York’s Chocolate Story.
As part of their studies on UK visitor attractions and customer service, students gained first-hand insight into how an attraction operate whilst also making and tasting their own chocolate lollies and truffles along the way.
The Level 3 Travel & Tourism course empowers learners to gain the knowledge and qualifications to start work in this exciting industry. Students take part in a range of day trips and residentials to experience industry insight, with previous trips including The Jorvik Viking Centre, York Dungeons and The Grand Hotel.
Find out more about the Level 3 Travel & Tourism programme at Selby College, here.