CAVC Hospitality Learners Raise £1,700 for Charity; Cardiff 2026

Key Points

• Hospitality learners at Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) raised nearly £2,000 for charity by hosting a special dinner function at CAVC’s The Classroom restaurant
• The dinner raised exactly £1,700 for Hospitality Action, a charity supporting hospitality industry workers facing mental health to financial concerns
• Celebrity chef Stephen Terry worked directly with the Classroom team and learners on a special three-course menu
• Famous chefs Tom Kerridge and Andrew Pern sent good luck messages to be shown on the night
• Level 3 Culinary Arts learner Polly Rees designed the dessert for the three-course menu
• Hospitality Action covers the entire hospitality industry including hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes, schools, hospitals, and event venues
• The charity helps 1,000s of people each year within the hospitality industry
• Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans emphasized the college provides “real, not realistic experiences” for learners
• Students organised and hosted the entire charity function dinner for the paying public
• Awareness was raised through social media posts from key stakeholders at the event

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) June 10, 2026 – Hospitality learners at Cardiff and Vale College have raised nearly £2,000 for charity by holding a special dinner function in CAVC’s The Classroom restaurant, with celebrity chef Stephen Terry working directly with students on a three-course menu that generated £1,700 for Hospitality Action.

Who Organised the Charity Dinner and What Was the Total Amount Raised?

As reported by the Cardiff and Vale College official announcement, students prepared a special dinner with a three-course menu to raise funds for Hospitality Action, with the event taking place in the college’s The Classroom restaurant.

The dinner raised £1,700 for Hospitality Action, a charity that supports those working in the hospitality sector who may need support in their career.

Which Celebrity Chefs Participated and What Did They Say About the Experience?

Celebrity chef Stephen Terry worked with the Classroom team and learners on a special three-course menu, while fellow famous chefs, including Tom Kerridge and Andrew Pern sent good luck messages to be shown on the night. Stephen Terry said:

“It was an absolute pleasure to work with the learners on this, which was all about giving something back. It’s always a pleasure to come into the College and try to impart some of my knowledge and work with the learners, and coupled with that, we were raising money for a charity that’s obviously very close to my heart – Hospitality Action do incredible work”.

He continued:

“When you get asked to do functions sometimes you have a little bit of trepidation and get a little bit nervous, but I know that when I do something with the College the facilities are first class and there’s always more than enough help, enthusiasm and willingness from the learners and the lecturing staff”.

Terry concluded:

“It was a pleasure and something I’d like to repeat – long may my association with the College continue and the best of luck to the learners”.

What Did the College Principal Say About the Learners’ Achievement?

Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said:

“Thank you to Stephen and well done to the Classroom team and to the learners for raising so much for such a good cause in Hospitality Action”.

She explained:

“At CAVC we like to provide our learners with real, not realistic experiences, and these Hospitality learners did a brilliant job of organising and hosting a charity function dinner for the paying public”.

Principal James-Evans added:

“Not only did they raise the £1,700 for Hospitality Action, but they also helped raise awareness of a charity that helps 1,000s of people each year within the industry, not just to those in the room but also to a wider audience through social media posts from key stakeholders that were at the event”.

What Specific Role Did Student Polly Rees Play in the Dinner?

Level 3 Culinary Arts learner Polly Rees designed the dessert for the three-course menu, demonstrating the hands-on culinary skills the students are developing.

This represents a significant achievement for a Level 3 student, showing the practical application of their culinary arts education.

Which Charity Benefited and What Does It Support?

The dinner raised £1,700 for Hospitality Action, a charity that supports those working in the sector who may need support in their career, for anything from mental health to financial concerns.

The charity covers the entire Hospitality industry, from hotels restaurants, pubs, bars or cafes to schools, hospitals and event venues. Hospitality Action helps 1,000s of people each year within the industry.

How Does This Event Demonstrate Real-World Learning Experience?

As reported by Principal Sharon James-Evans, the college prioritises providing learners with “real, not realistic experiences”.

The Hospitality learners did a brilliant job of organising and hosting a charity function dinner for the paying public, which represents authentic industry experience rather than simulated classroom exercises.

Background: The Partnership Between Cardiff and Vale College and Hospitality Action

This charitable development stems from Cardiff and Vale College’s established partnership with Hospitality Action, a long-standing charity in the UK hospitality sector. The college’s The Classroom restaurant serves as a training facility where hospitality learners gain practical experience in real-world restaurant operations.

Celebrity chef Stephen Terry has an ongoing association with Cardiff and Vale College, regularly working with learners to impart his knowledge and expertise.

This isn’t a one-off event but part of Terry’s continued collaboration with the college, as he stated he’d like to repeat the experience and hopes his association with the College continues long.

The event featured not just Terry’s direct involvement but also support from other prominent chefs in the industry.

Tom Kerridge and Andrew Pern, both famous chefs in the UK hospitality scene, sent good luck messages to be shown on the night, demonstrating the wider industry support for hospitality education and charitable causes.

Level 3 Culinary Arts represents the highest level of culinary education at the college, with students like Polly Rees taking on significant creative responsibilities such as designing the dessert for the three-course menu. This demonstrates the college’s commitment to giving students genuine creative and operational control over real business events.

The £1,700 raised represents a substantial contribution for a student-led charity event,显示出 the effectiveness of the college’s approach to combining education with community service.

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Prediction: Impact on Hospitality Students and Industry Workers

This development will significantly affect hospitality students by providing them with validated real-world experience that enhances their employability upon graduation. Students who participate in events like this charity dinner gain confidence in managing full restaurant operations for paying customers, which is directly transferable to professional hospitality roles.

For hospitality industry workers facing challenges, the £1,700 raised will directly support Hospitality Action’s services for mental health support and financial concerns. As the charity helps 1,000s of people each year, this contribution strengthens their capacity to assist workers across hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes, schools, hospitals, and event venues.

The event’s success through social media posts from key stakeholders will raise broader awareness of Hospitality Action among the wider hospitality community, potentially leading to increased donations and support from industry professionals who may not have attended the dinner.

Students like Polly Rees who take on creative leadership roles such as designing menu components will develop portfolio pieces that demonstrate their capabilities to future employers, potentially leading to better job opportunities and career advancement in the culinary arts sector.

The ongoing association between celebrity chef Stephen Terry and Cardiff and Vale College, as he expressed desire to repeat such events, means students will continue accessing industry mentorship from established chefs, providing networking opportunities and potential career pathways that could significantly impact their professional development.

For lecturing staff, the successful event validates their teaching approach and may attract additional industry partnerships, enhancing the college’s reputation and potentially increasing enrollment in hospitality programs.

The charity function demonstrates to the wider education sector that hospitality programs can successfully combine academic learning with community service, potentially influencing other colleges to adopt similar real-experience models that benefit both students and local communities.