MEET THE ANGELS
Below the Angels at Pinewood Studio before they preview their appearance in Ashley Banjo’s Secret Street Crew, and sitting in the front row at Got To Dance and meeting Davina McCall!!
I would like to introduce you to my ‘Angels in Training’ and tell you a bit about what we do…
The Angel Academy was founded in 2003, but I was working with Students way before this. I Organised and promoted over 50 Charity Therapy Days where a select number of my
students were chosen to give their time and treatments in return for a fee that would go to a registered charity. This attracted Celebrity Clientele many of which are
still friends of the School today.
In February 2010, I was approached by a SKY TV researcher regarding getting together a group of Students for a challenge. At that stage 2 of the original Students could
not be used due to timing and commitments. A trailer was recorded and we heard nothing, so my husband and I went on holiday. Sitting in the airport waiting for a flight
to Edinburgh for work a day later, I was contacted by Sky TV who then gave me a few days to find a ‘Beauty Street Crew’.
Sleepless nights followed as I tried to find students who would be prepared to spend 3 weeks married to this challenge!! After almost giving up and against my better
judgement of NOT taking part myself in the challenge, it came together. For the next 3 weeks our lives were completely turned around. We literally ate, slept and worked at
the Studios with the Street Crew ‘Diversity’, in order to be able to become professional ‘Street Dancers’ and perform live. The Students I chose for the best part had
known me for years and our relationship was strong. This is one of the reasons we got through it.
Without a doubt, this was one of the most consuming things we have ever done and we worked effortlessly often regardless of family commitments which at times was very tough.
Since this most fantastic opportunity, ‘The Angel’s’ have become a marketable commodity. We have appeared on ‘May The Best House Win’, met and treated ‘Frankie Boyle’ and ‘Chloe’
from TOWIE, I have danced to ‘Beyonce’s All The Single Ladies’ for a new Channel 4 series and my husband and I have been recorded for several Vox Pops. In addition to this, we
have been featured several times in ‘The Daily Mail’. Deborah and her angels have appeared on “The Wright Stuff” and Deborah has appeared on the Alan Titchmarsh Show where she has had
her garden designed!
Check Deborah’s StarNow Profile
We are hoping to be able to bring our talents into the mainstream and to work for TV, Films and Screen as well as being able to continue to help ‘The Angel Academy of
Teaching and Training’ flourish but to be committed in our vision to bring the highest standard of Beauty and Therapy training to new students.
Hence… ‘Ashleys Secret Street Crew’ with the Beauticians at ‘The Angel Academy of Teaching and Training’ was born. You can follow the Angels on Ashley Banjo’s Secret Street Crew – The Beauticians – Facebook Page
Welcome to my ‘Angels In Training’:
Deborah is the founder and CEO of The Angel Academy which was established in 2003. Having started out as a freelance journalist and progressing to Promotions for different
television channels, Deborah became fascinated in the common link attributed to stress and illness. This began a relentless search for therapies and a sense of well-being
(which is inherent in our nature), which would benefit the lifestyle of any person and calm stress and induce a sense of peace in their lives.
Deborah trained in 33 therapies, all of which were one year long and the accreditations with ITEC, VTCT and City and Guilds were undisputed. This is where she found her real
passion to be.
Whilst running a full-time job and studying, Deborah began treating people at a elite Spa, and this led to the Principle of a College being so impressed at how well she felt
after one of Deborah’s treatments, that she asked her to teach at her College. Deborah had previously taught for many years in a prestigious school in Harley Street, before
being trained up as a professional Tutor and Assessor in order to continue teaching across many Colleges for a total of 8 years. This is where she met many Students who still
do courses with her today.
In 2003, due to increasing demand, Deborah founded the Angel Academy of Teaching and Training, which is accredited by the FHT and BABTAC and able to give CPD points for
courses. The Angel Academy is currently the only school accredited to teach Bamboo Massage under the FHT, whose requirements are stringent.
Deborah has organised over 30 Charity Beauty and Holistic Days at Spa and Hotel Groups. She has dealt with the organisation of the events from the date through to the
therapists chosen to work for the day.She has been a spokesperson for many Charities and has been a demonstrator at many exhibitions and events such as Cam Expo.
Today, Deborah lives out her daily passion by working as a Beauty Trainer three days a week, appearing in many television shows and promotions often discussing her work
and running the Angel Academy weekend courses.
More recently, Deborah was called to put together a team of her Students in order to work with a group of Celebrity Dancers called ‘Diversity’ for a show called ‘Ashley’s
Secret Street Crew’. The decision was tough but she settled on a group of her favourite students and therapists. Below are details of some of those students.
Born in Northern Ireland on 1st April 1968, Kieran is Deborah’s husband and is heavily involved in all aspects of the Angel Academy. He moved to Southern Ireland when he was ten and spent most of his
time since then living in farmland, surrounded by cows!! Since meeting Deborah in 2007 he is now a regular in Essex and loves the variety of his life! He has a lovely daughter, Jessica who lives close
to Belfast and whom he gets to see regularly.
Kieran is a Life Coach and tutor with the Angel Academy of Teaching & Training. He is a certified Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and is certified in
Advanced Subconscious Reprogramming, Ericksonian Hypnosis & Master Hypnosis. He is also certified in Reflexology and currently holds Level 4 PTLLS certification.
Kieran enjoys freeing people from limiting beliefs about themselves and allowing them to be who they were made to be. He runs one to one personal breakthrough sessions, training courses on NLP and
platform speaking courses. He conducts workshops on personal empowerment, goal setting, smoking cessation and weight loss.
He enjoys meeting new people through the Angel Academy and is able to use his skills to help them, even if it is only to give up muffins!!!
For my 16th birthday my mum took me to Miss Selfridge in Romford to have a beauty make over and purchase my first make up kit. The ‘make over’ was a real 80’s look, bright pink eye shadow and
electric blue mascara, pink blusher and big hair, beads and bangles. I never really thought about Beauty therapy after that, I got on with enjoying my life until…
In 2002 I became interested in Beauty and Complimentary Therapies once again, in part due to a long battle with illness. I just couldn’t sit about feeling so ill. So to keep my mind occupied I
decided to go back to college to learn beauty and complimentary therapies. I continued to take conventional medicine whilst giving and receiving therapies. I thoroughly enjoyed learning new skills.
In 2004, I was awarded Student of the Year for Complimentary Therapies. I was presented this award by the athlete Roger Black. Receiving that award was another amazing boost for me and the therapies
I had or performed enabled me to cope emotionally as well as physically and I was amazed by the positive impact different therapies actually had on my well being.
I am now hooked on retaining my knowledge, learning new therapies and teaching and training others. I have attended many enjoyable workshops at The Angel Academy of Teaching & Training including:
Swedish Body Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology and Anatomy and Physiology.
My future plans are to learn Heated Bamboo Massage, Ear Candles and Threading and enrol onto Cert-Ed 2 year course. To teach Level 2 Beauty Therapy – Facials, Manicures, Pedicures, Waxing and Eye
treatments, Level 3 Beauty Therapy – Electrical Face and Body Treatments, Level 3 Complimentary Therapy – Aromatherapy, Swedish Body Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology and
Anatomy and Physiology.
Nina has worked in the PR, Media and Publishing sectors for the past 15 years. Whilst these industries have always been her Monday to Friday day job her passion for sport
and holistic therapies has always loomed in the background.
Nina took it upon herself to study her Anatomy & Physiology at college taking up most of her weekends whilst working full time. Nina enjoyed these studies so much that
she continued with her studies for her gym instructor level 1 & 2. Aside from her studies, Nina would also spend her evenings training in martial arts which then led to
her competing at a high level. Now having a taster for the martial arts & boxing she decided to take her OUTBOX course and gained her qualification in teaching boxing
skills accredited by the BBBofC (British Board of Boxing Control).
Due to a few injuries, Nina had to endure many sports massages, which then raised her interests in the holistic side of sport and research on the internet courses to then
discover The Angel Academy.
Nina has now studied with Deborah at The Angel Academy for the past 3 years and has since qualified in Swedish massage, Reflexology, and Indian head and is now recapping
on her A&P.
In 2011 Deborah approached Nina with the opportunity to take part in a documentary for SKY1, which has since been given the name ‘Ashley Banjo’s Secret Street Crew’.
This was one of the most exciting challenges given to Nina to date and it proved to be an extremely fun and emotional experience which brought Deborah and her 5 chosen
students even closer and made them all realise that they may have had doubts in their dancing abilities before but after this challenge there is no stopping them!
Located on the edge of Epping Forest, The Angel Academy of Teaching & Training offers the best training in an exclusive, tranquil and relaxing setting. Our class sizes
are purposely kept small to ensure excellent student care is offered and everyone has the opportunity to fully participate.
I am a 44 year old wife, mother and teaching assistant at a School. I met Deborah and ‘The Angel Academy of Teaching and Training’ when a student took me with her on a
course. Deborah and I instantly clicked and I would like to do every course that Deborah teaches if I could. I am trained in Mendhi and have done this in several
open days. I have a real passion for helping people and hope to be able to share in the vision of working at ‘The Angel Academy of Teaching and Training’.
I have also studied with Kieran Kelly, Deborah’s husband in a strategic vision to stop me eating so many muffins!!
When Deborah asked me to do this challenge, I was not sure that I could do it and having a busy life already, was not sure how I was going to fit this in. I had an awesome
time! I remember the first time ‘Ashley Banjo’ walked into ‘The Angel Academy of Teaching and Training’ and left us speechless! We were whisked off to his studio almost
immediately where Diversity danced for us- Amazing.
Since then, I did not look back. The ‘Angels in Training’ along with our ‘Angel Tutor’ Deborah participated in the opportunity of a lifetime and we became a family
after appearing in ‘Ashley’s Secret Street Crew’.
I am 49 years old this year and am really enjoying what life has been bringing me. I have 3 fully grown children, one of which has just emigrated to Australia.
As well as being a legal Secretary, I first met Deborah from ‘The Angel Academy of Teaching and Training’ over 10 years ago now when she was a Tutor at Enfield College.
She told me that she had an instant rapport with me and our friendship blossomed from there. I have studied lots of courses with Deborah and help out wherever I can
with television performances and entertainment as an ‘Angel in Training’. When Deborah first approached me about being one of the ‘Angels in Training’ for ‘Ashley’s Secret
Street Crew’, I laughed and said ‘No Way’. I am quite shy and the idea of being taught to ‘Street Dance’ at my age seemed embarrassing. Deborah encouraged me and once all
of the ‘Angel’s’ got together it seemed the right thing to do. It has been immense fun and our final performance was incredible!
Being part of the ‘British Military Fitness’, it came in handy with the rigorous training and exercise we had to do with our Street Crew ‘Diversity’.
A. She purchased them about 9 years ago when The Spice Girls came into the Pop charts!
Q. Sammi T, Nina B and Deborah J had extremely long eyelashes but were they real?
A. No, Sammi T wears strip eyelash extensions, Nina B wears individual lashes and Deborah J wears Clusters
Q. What is the official uniform for ‘The Angel Academy of Teaching and Training’?
A. A pink T-shirt with a silver logo, white trousers and white flat shoes
Q. What Training Certification can Students receive when they study courses?
A. They can choose from BABTAC, FHT and shortly will have a choice of studying separate units in Beauty or NVQ level 2 & 3
Q. Why is Deborah Kelly so good at choreography?
A. She is a trained Dancer in Latin American and Ballroom Dancing and has studied Tap Dancing and Ballet
Q. Why did Ashley Banjo want the ‘Angels’ to ‘ Do it like Dudes’?
A. Ashley made the ‘Angels’ do a lot of their practice with no make-up and wanted to change them from being feminine in appearance to being very male
Q. How did Deborah choose her ‘Street Crew’?
A. Deborah spent a month organising a group where two of the closen members could not make the commitment. She then had a few days to find two others in order
for Sky to allow them to appear on ‘Ashley’s Secret Street Crew’.
Q. How much filming was done during the two weeks of training?
A. Deborah Kelly and her fellow students were followed everywhere for a two week period. The film crew came to training appiintments with Deborah and the only place she was
not filmed was in the toilet!!