Apprentice star thrills students on special visit

Elizabeth, who now owns three flower shops, credits her business success to her years on a Level 3 floristry course at the college and her inspirational tutor, the late Naomi Strachan.

During her talk to students, she talked about her memorable experiences with Lord Sugar as she battled through to the semi-finals of the BBC show and built a cult following among viewers.

And Elizabeth also spoke about her time at the Brooksby campus, from 1995 to 1997.

She recalled: “My most memorable times at the college include huddling around the electric heater at the Spinney Campus, where the floristry courses used to run, and sitting in the portakabin at break times attempting to warm up with hot chocolate, and chatting to the agriculture students.”

Elizabeth also spoke about her family’s long association with the college: “The Brooksby campus has been a prominent feature in my life as my mum was also a cook at the college in the 1960s, and my uncle studied agriculture here after the Second World War. My uncle always spoke very fondly of thecollege.”

Students also heard how Elizabeth made a presentation posy for the newly-engaged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, when they visited Nottingham in December.

Go to www.brooksbymelton.ac.uk to find out about the college’s floristry courses.