Prestigious City and Guilds’ Lions Award for Mold Business Woman

Coleg Cambria learner Jill Smith was recently honoured with the prestigious City and Guilds’ Lions Award at a ceremony in London.

Jill from Mold was nominated by Coleg Cambria Assessor Rachel Whitton and was presented with a City and Guilds’ Medal of Excellence and honoured with the Lions Award – UK Learner of the Year by Louise Minchin, BBC Breakfast news presenter and Kirstie Donnelly, Managing Director of City and Guilds at the awards ceremony.

Jill was awarded the City and Guilds’ awards for her inspiring work through the business she owns, a hair and beauty salon called ‘Beyond the Boundaries’.

The enterprise gives young adults with additional needs training and employment opportunities and was set up combining two of Jill’s passions; hairdressing and helping adults with special needs.

After working as a mobile hairdresser for some time, Jill also owns another hair salon, ‘Beyond the fringe’.
A delighted Jill said:

“I want my venture to have a measurable impact socially. This venture gives an outlet to adults with special needs to socialise, integrate & develop.

I am using my teaching in the salon to develop their skillsets both technically and also for the essential skills they need. I have developed this business with the help of Coleg Cambria, Flintshire County Council and Ysgol Maes Hyfryd in Flint.

“I am delighted to have won an award with City & Guilds and this will have the added benefit of helping me to attract further funding for ’Beyond the Boundaries’ and help me to keep giving back to the community.”

“We are so proud of Jill” added Rachel Whitton from Coleg Cambria.

“She’s worked so hard to achieve both salons, for which one is a not-for-profit social enterprise – ‘Beyond the Boundaries’. She fully deserves this recognition and I wish her all the very best for the future.”