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Spa student set to hit the headlines

A University of Derby International Spa Management student is to get the chance to go undercover with one of the industry’s “spa spies”.

That’s the prize in a competition which Anna Ramsay of the Good Spa Guide’s Wellness Magazine, one of the industry’s most influential consumer publications, has offered to the undergraduates she is working with at the Buxton Campus and its award-winning Devonshire Spa.

Anna passed on inside knowledge of how spas are reviewed to a group of students at the Buxton Campus as part of one of the University’s Spa, Tourism and Wellness Conference workshops.

During the workshop Anna launched a competition which provides students with the opportunity to write a column in the Wellness magazine’s ‘What Your Therapist Won’t Tell You’ feature.

The winner will have their column printed in the Autumn edition, as well going along with one of the Good Spa Guide’s expert Spa Spies™ when they review a business.

Louise Buxton, Senior Spa Lecturer at the University of Derby said:

“The Good Spa Guide review process is very supportive. If spas don’t make the grade, they are given an audit which they can then use to make necessary improvement. It’s like having a consultant come into your business.”

The Conference was part of a two-day event. On the second day, subject Advisory Boards were held, which involve managers from leading spa, hospitality and tourism firms who help to shape the University’s courses to make sure they are up-to-date and provide exactly what is required from future leaders.

Louise added:

“Right from the first day at University we are developing our Spa students to work in five-star establishments. This work with Anna really showed them what this means”.

The Buxton Campus is home to the Devonshire Spa, run commercially by students, which took the Professional Beauty UK Day Spa of the Year title in 2016 and was shortlisted for the same accolade this year.

“It was a true pleasure to be asked to present to the Spa Management students and launch the competition,” said Anna, who was visiting Buxton for the first time.

I was so impressed by the experience and passion of the lecturers. The students are in great hands. Good Spa Guide are the UK consumer spa experts. We review over 250 spas and treatments every year and we hope to pass some pearls of wisdom onto the students.

I’m looking forward to reading their work.”