Ballymena student is crowned ultimate sixth form survivor

BALLYMENA student Joanne Hamill cooked up a treat last week to take home the Ultimate Sixth Form Survivor title.

The Dunclug College student went head to head with four other Sixth Form students from across the Province to battle it out in food related challenges in front of a packed audience at the Ulster Museum.

Joanne walked away with the Ultimate Sixth Form Survivor title and was presented with her award by celebrity chef James Martin.

The live final was a culmination of an online recipe challenge launched in January to encourage students to enter recipes online to win a place in the final.

The finalists took part in challenges including an omelette challenge and a James Martin copy cat challenge.

As the winner Joanne received 1,000 of home economics equipment for her school, 250 Clockwork Orange and a bespoke award. The four runners up also received 50 Clockwork Orange vouchers along with an award.

The purpose of the ‘Sixth Form Survivor Competition’ was to bring the Food Standards Agency ‘Survival Guide To Food’ to life and encourage sixth form students to learn how to cook and help to communicate important messages such as how to eat healthily on a budget, what to eat during exam time and basic hygiene information.

Elaine Donaghy, Communications Manager, Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland, said: "The ‘Sixth Form Survivor Challenge’ has been a great success resulting in a fantastic, fun event with five finalists and an audience full of teachers and classmates cheering them on. James Martin was a great host and provided lots of entertainment for the young budding chefs.

"Hopefully the event has inspired sixth formers to think about their own recipes and how to eat healthily. A big congratulations to Joanne Northern Ireland’s ‘Ultimate Sixth Form Survivor."

To view the five finalist’s recipes, or for more information on the ‘Sixth Form Survivor Competition’ log on to www.food.gov.uk/survivor.