Students design labels for Cheltenham and Gloucester Beer Week

A group of National Star students have put their design skills to work for Cheltenham and Gloucester Beer Week.

The six designed the labels for the two collaborative beers for the week, which runs from 14 to 23 September.

National Star is the event’s chosen charity. Profits from the sale of the collaborative beers will come to us to support young people with complex disabilities to realise their aspirations.

The students’ brief was that the labels had to feature hops and cocoa nibs. Each student traced an image of the hops and nibs to make their design unique. Then the tracings were transferred onto lino blocks to create a collage.

‘It’s a great experience for the students. The timings and deadlines are real, the quality has to be high and it’s not always of a theme that’s of their choosing – all of which they would deal with in employment,’ said Louise Adams, Creative Arts Tutor at National Star.

‘To see an image go from a picture to a print to a final design that they have been involved in and then used on or for a product is very exciting for the students.

‘It brings their work to life, gives opportunities for people to give them feedback and for the students to show off a little bit…and who doesn’t love that!’

A beer and food pairing evening will be held at StarBistro at National Star’s Ullenwood campus on Wednesday 19 September.

Leigh Norwood, of Favourite Beers in Cheltenham, and StarBistro chef Joe Parke, have created a menu which includes six beers paired with nine different tapas dishes.

StarBistro gives National Star students the chance to realise their potential by gaining work experience cooking and prepping food in busy commercial kitchens and serving in the restaurants.

‘National Star does great work, helping young people with disabilities realise their potential as equal and active citizens in control of their lives,’ said Leigh Norwood, who is the chair of the CGBW organising committee.

‘Rather than just give money to National Star, we involved the students and staff in the whole process.’