Over 20 students from East Coast College’s Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft campuses took over the prestigious Imperial Hotel in Great Yarmouth as part of a unique charity takeover event that combined real-world experience with meaningful community impact.
The event, held on Monday 9 June, brought together students from the college’s Hospitality and Catering, Media Make-up, Travel and Tourism and Creative Arts courses, who worked collaboratively to deliver a fully immersive and professional event in support of the Sandra Chapman Centre at The James Paget Hospital, which provides vital care to patients with both malignant and non-malignant conditions.
Guests were treated to a five-course dining experience, with food and drink prepared and served by Hospitality and Catering students, donated by the Imperial Hotel, Green King, Jim’s Butchers, Mr Fruity and The White Swan. The evening also featured a photobooth delivered by Travel and Tourism students, while Media Make-up students managed a beauty stand and Creative Arts covered the photography, all contributing to a well-executed event attended by 60 local guests.
The evening featured an exciting raffle table boasting more than 60 prizes, generously donated by local businesses. Contributions came from Waterlane Leisure Centre, The Hair Company, The Fig, Jo Jo’s, The Retreat Southworld, Marina Bay Café, Tres Hermanas, The Beauty Lounge, Butterfly Hair Salon, Hippodrome Circus, Margo’s Lounge, Fritton Lake, Wolf Pack Barbers, Pier Hotel, Elysium Beauty, Bees Wax Natural Wax Melts, Gorleston Pavillion, Pj’s Fish & Chips, A & D Hair, PQA, CoCo’s Camera, Hatfield Hotel and Cliff Hotel, highlighting the incredible support from the community.
Tracey Gaines, Head of Leisure and Service Industries at East Coast College, said: “This event has been a fantastic opportunity for all of our students to showcase their skills in a live, high-pressure environment while making a positive contribution by supporting the community with such a brilliant cause. The experience has been invaluable and incredibly rewarding for everyone involved, we are very proud of all of their work and effort to make this event a success.”
The success of the event was made possible through the generous support of the Imperial Hotel, which offered its facilities and expertise to help students bring their vision to life.
Grant Smith, Hotel Director at the Imperial Hotel, said: “I believe the support from East Coast College for their students development has been an amazing asset throughout the years, with many of our team including myself, completing apprenticeships through the college. With this in mind nothing can make us prouder to be asked to be involved in such an event.”
The students successfully raised more than £1,800, with all proceeds being generously donated to the Sandra Chapman Centre at the James Paget Hospital.
Following the success of this years event, East Coast College has announced that the Hotel Charity Takeover will become an annual event in the curriculum for students on Leisure and Service Industries courses, providing future cohorts with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and contribute to the community.