Graphic Design students win awards showcasing next generation of talent

Three Graphic Design students from University of Gloucestershire have achieved success across national awards aimed at putting learning into practice and showcasing the next generation of industry talent.

Alice Brett, Kesley Lindsay and Kesley Hall, who are all working towards a degree in Graphic Design, were recognised for their creativity in designing imaginative solutions to challenging briefs set by industry professionals.

Alice (main image) won £3,000 in prize money after being named the Ultimate Creative Champion at the South West Digital and Design Awards (SWDDA) 2023 for her design project ‘Between Bread’.

Alice’s design was inspired by a New York sandwich and, longing to bring a taste of New York City back home with her, she wished for local brands of the same calibre.

With fast-food chains dominating the sandwich market in the UK, Alice crafted a health-conscious sandwich brand called ‘Between Bread’ that impressed the SWDDA judges with its strong sense of identity.

Alice said: “I still can’t believe I won the South West Design and Digital Student Awards Ultimate Creative Champion 2023. It was a great day meeting all the wonderful finalists and getting to present my project ‘Between Bread’ and the rest of my portfolio to the judges.

“A massive thank you to my lecturers, as well as Proctor and Stevenson for putting on such a great award ceremony, and all the judges for their time and brilliant feedback.”

Kelsey Lindsay and Kesley Hall were successful at the Starpack Student Awards 2023, which enable students to present their ideas and solutions directly to industry.

Kesley Lindsay (pictured left) won the ‘World Cup Qatar 2022: Promotional Soft Drinks Bottle’ category, sponsored by international packing company Logoplaste, for a design that feeds into the competitive nature of football to encourage positive green messaging and behaviours, as users crush the bottle to scan a QR code and win prizes while they recycle.

Kesley Lindsay said: “Thank you to my lecturer for putting Starpack on my radar and helping me on this project and to the Graphic Design course for the years of growth and guidance.”

Kesley Hall won the category that asked entrants to design to design a metal gift pack for Champagne or sparkling wine, sponsored by the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association.

Kesley designed Cadeaux De Reims to appeal to the high-quality gift market target audience of the judges, with the packaging constructed as a champagne gift idea based on accessorising champagne flavours.

Kesley (pictured left) said: “This is amazing news. Thank you to my lecturers for their support.”

Claudia Brewster, Senior Lecturer in Design, said: “We are extremely proud of Alice for being recognised for her hard work and creative talent by the judges at the SWDD Awards.

“Congratulations to both of our talented Kelsey’s on their award-winning designs. We are so proud to see their work being showcased internationally and celebrated for innovative thinking and strategy in partnership with design.”