Arianna's Story
I could really see myself at Aurora Foxes
When Arianna joined Aurora Foxes in 2023, little did she realise her time at the college would end with an invitation to Buckingham Palace
Reflecting on her time at Aurora Foxes, former student Arianna said she feels a different person to the one who first walked through the door of the Catering and Hospitality College in Minehead back in 2023.
“I think I changed whilst I was there,” said the 23-year-old, who graduated last summer. “I’m more confident in myself and I’m more confident with other people - and talking to other people.”
Arianna’s story at Aurora Foxes began three years ago when she attended an assessment day and induction day with her father Derek.
She said: “We looked around the town and inside the college’s hotel and I thought to myself, I can really see myself being here. I thought it would be a really good opportunity.
“I was a bit nervous on my first day as I’d never lived away from home before but I was also really excited. I was looking forward to making new friends and to being independent.”
Up until this point, Arianna and her sister had been brought up in rural north Wales by mum and dad -
Lynne and Derek - who admitted that, whilst it was a beautiful setting, it was perhaps not the most exciting of places for two young girls.
Fast forward to 2023 and Arianna was relishing the sense of freedom being away at college presented and it wasn’t long before she began settling in and making friends.
From the moment they dropped Arianna off at the college, Lynne and Derek said the staff exuded a quiet confidence and deep understanding of what their daughter needed to thrive.
“We felt reassured from day one, and that trust only grew stronger,” said Lynne.
Arianna had signed up to take an NVQ Level 1 in Front of House Service and one of the first things she needed to get to grips with was all the various catering equipment associated with front of house service.
“At first, I was a bit nervous of the coffee machine at the hotel,” admitted Arianna. “However, I watched people use it a few times and with a bit of support and help I gradually became more confident.”
And once Arianna had settled in, there was no stopping her!
During her time at Foxes, Arianna gained front-of-house service experience at the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale at the French Embassy, and at a Gala Ball at the Park Lane Hilton, where she served canapés and champagne in the VIP Lounge and assisted with the raffle.
She also thrived at events staged at the prestigious Hilton Waldorf Hotel in London, thanks to a longstanding partnership between Hilton and Aurora Foxes.
“These were experiences well beyond anything we could have imagined for her,” said Lynne.
These were experiences well beyond anything we could have imagined for her
Away from her studies, Arianna lapped up every opportunity to push herself to learn new things and enjoy different experiences. She embarked on a series of work placements including at the popular cafe Chives in Watchet and at the Forget-Me-Not pop-up café for people with Alzheimer’s.
Indeed, Arianna was so busy having fun that mum and dad had to rely on staff at the college to keep them up to speed with everything their daughter was achieving.
Derek said the regular communication they had with the college was one of the things they appreciated most.
“It was brilliant,” he said. “It enabled us to be able to keep up with what was going on which meant we knew what Arianna was doing without us having to pester her all the time because, of course, she was far too busy to talk to us.
“The weekly newsletters we received were a real joy to read. Not only did we see what she was doing, but also what the other students were doing too. And that gave us a really good picture of life at Foxes.
As a parent, when your child goes away for the first time, it’s a big step
“As a parent, when your child goes away for the first time, it’s a big step. To see all those smiling faces in the newsletter was hugely reassuring.”
Last July, Arianna graduated with an NVQ Level 1 in Front of House Service. She joined 23 of her fellow students at a gala graduation ceremony in front of 250 fellow students, teachers, family and friends.
The graduation ceremony was made even more special when Arianna was presented with the Waldorf Hilton Award for Service Excellence, presented by special guest Steve Cassidy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Hilton in the UK and Ireland.
Arianna said: “I felt a bit sad on graduation day as I knew I’d be leaving my college friends - but I was also excited to move on and experience new things.”
Arianna now lives in Oxfordshire with a group of friends she met in college and, by all accounts, leads an exciting life.
“We can hardly get to speak to her during the week,” said Lynne, “she’s so busy”.
And while Arianna’s now eagerly embracing the next stage of her life, which includes seeking out a part-time job in hospitality, there remains one final ‘new experience’ courtesy of Aurora Foxes that she’s looking forward to enjoying in 2026.
Arianna will join three other Foxes students at Buckingham Palace in May to receive their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Gold Awards, having already achieved their silver and bronze awards.
“It was tough but fun,” said Arianna, recalling the three nights of camping and four days hiking they had to complete, on top of a week’s residential at Kilve Court in Somerset where she took part in adventurous activities and made new friends.
“I really enjoyed taking my gold award,” she said.
Asked which she was looking forward to most next May, a potential Royal encounter or reuniting with old college friends, Arianna said it was impossible to choose between them.
“I’m looking forward to meeting them all,” she enthused, “equally.”
And Arianna had a message for anyone thinking about attending Aurora Foxes but who might be feeling a little nervous about the prospect.
It can be a little scary if you’re living away from home for the first time but it’s a great place
“There’s nothing to be nervous about really. Of course, it can be a little scary if you’re living away from home for the first time but it’s a great place and you’d definitely enjoy it. The support you receive from staff is great.”
Mum and dad agree.
“Arianna came back home recently for a family celebration and it was amazing to hear the comments from friends and family who hadn’t seen her for a while,” said Lynne.
“They said how much more confident she was, initiating conversations. That was joyful to hear because we can be a bit biased – but that’s the Foxes experience. We know Arianna is brilliant – but Foxes gave her that bit of icing on top!”
