Therapist Mel wins an award

A WOMAN has been awarded CIDESCO Facial Therapist of the Year after graduating from Champneys International College of Health and Beauty.

Melanie Hampton, of Chelmsford Road, Leaden Roding, received the award for the outstanding talents she showed during the 11-month Comite International d'Esthetique et de Cosmetologie course.

"I had no idea I was going to receive the award until they read my name out at the graduation evening," said Miss Hampton. "I can't even remember what they said about me, it was all of a bit of a blur. I'm absolutely delighted to have won it."

Melanie enrolled on the course after deciding to take a career change during a bout of illness.

"I was working at Abbey in Chelmsford before," explained the 22-year-old. "I enjoyed it but knew it wasn't a job I wanted to do for the rest of my life so decided to do something about it."

After carrying out some research on the internet, she signed up with the Tring-based college having already spent time at Champneys in Henlow Grange with friends.

The course is intensive and three years of training is squeezed into 11 months. Melanie had to learn all about many aspects of beauty therapy including anatomy and physiology, aesthetics treatments, body therapy, aromatherapy massage, Indian head massage, hopi ear candles and reiki 1.

At first pupils practiced their techniques on each other before progressing onto members of the public.

"It was not easy. I was still living in Leaden Roding when I was doing the course so I was driving all the way over to Tring, which usually took between an hour-and-a-half and two hours.

"I was attending classes, driving home and then doing home work in the evenings," recounted Melanie.

Melanie was presented with a glass trophy that she keeps in her bedroom. She now works full time at Champneys at Henlow Grange.