From ESOL to Award-Winning Design: Peterborough Student Arina Labels Local History

A student who arrived in the UK just over three years ago with limited English is now leaving her mark on the local craft beverage scene.

Arina, a Graphic Design student, was one of the students selected to have her label on the bottles of Iceni Meadery for the prestigious Katharine of Aragon festival.

Arina’s story is one of remarkable determination and rapid progression. Arriving from Russia in December 2022, she began her educational journey at the Entry 3 ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) level. After a year of building her linguistic confidence and progressing through Functional Skills, she transitioned into her true passion: Art and Design. Now studying for her Level 3 in Graphics, Arina has proven that language is no barrier to creative excellence.

Leigh-Anne, Assistant Head of Faculty for ESOL said “It fills us with joy to see ESOL learners progress and succeed in vocational areas. ESOL learners have a harder journey than most young people due to language barriers, so seeing their hard work pay off is really rewarding and motivating for current ESOL learners.”

As part of the city-wide Katharine of Aragon festival, Iceni Meadery in Peterborough commissioned local graphic design students to create bespoke labels for mead served at the festival’s commemorative feast. Arina’s work was chosen for its professional quality and historical resonance. The experience went beyond the digital canvas, as Arina was invited to the Meadery, where owner Bob Caracciolo allowed the students to experience the production process firsthand. Arina was able to follow the journey of the mead from the initial brew to the final application of her own labels and the official sealing of the bottles.

This collaboration highlights the vital link between Peterborough’s creative students and the local business community. Arina’s labels represent more than just a design project; they are a symbol of her hard work, her integration into the community, and her burgeoning career as a professional designer.