Young business brains go into battle

(Left):- Judges listen to each team. (Right):- Dover Grammar for Boys business director Dave Howarth.

Report by Kathy Bailes

Who was on the panel?

Malcolm Cox, from Broadstairs and St Peter’s Chamber of Commerce.

John Hope, of Dover Water Sports Centre. Wayne Ready, from the NatWest East Kent Business Centre.

Avril Scully, from R K Barwick Construction Services Ltd.

Stuart Bean, of Cummins Power Generation.

A SEAFRONT bistro selling beach equipment, grooming sessions for men and a hi-tech watch are just some of the creations presented by pupils at the Dover Grammar School for Boys as part of a business challenge.

The youngsters, aged 14 and 15, entered The Business of Enterprise student challenge, run by East Kent Education Business Partnership, which sees teams pitch business ideas and plans.

More than 6,000 pupils and 2,000 employers across the county got involved in the challenge.

EKEBP chairman Anne McNulty said: “ The really important thing is that they are practising enterprise capabilities.

“They really have to take their idea and make things happen as a team.

“It makes them terrific for future employers as they get an understanding of business and what employers need.

“Some of these young people will go on to be entrepreneurs of the future.”

Youngsters split into teams of six or less to come up with their idea and researched costs, grants and loans, overheads and customer base.

After 10 weeks’ work, which included pupils talking with Kent firms, the teams gave five minute presentations on Wednesday to a panel of five business bosses in a bid to get through to the school final the next day.

Seven teams came out tops and had to do new presentations to the panel to get a place in the final.

Victors of the day were Easy Shoppers who impressed judges with their idea for getting rid of the plastic bag by creating environmentally friendly packing boxes which fit inside a shopping trolley or basket.

Team head Toby Fuller, during the presentation, said: “There is a situation in this country with plastic bags and there could be a possible ban. Easy Shoppers will have a series of boxes which you put straight into the trolley.

“You put whatever you’re buying in them and then pull them out and transfer it straight to the car. It is an environmentally friendly, cheap substitute for the plastic bag.”

Judge spokesman Malcolm Cox, from the Broadstairs and St Peter’s Chamber of Commerce said: “Easy Shoppers had a good, topical issue. It will be nice to see a prototype.”

Runners up were WHJ Music who planned to open a music shop with links to primary schools and the community for lessons.

School director of business, Dave Howarth, said: “They have done brilliantly. The standard goes up each year. Their confidence in presenting to the panel of judges has been amazing.”

Easy Shoppers will now head to the final at Pfizer on July 2 to compete for a prize in the four categories of Most Enterprising Idea; Best Written Presentation; Best Oral Presentation and Enterprise of the Year.

Atomik

Members: James Norworthy, Scott Blackman, Richard Hill, Harry Wall, George Revell and Matt Hunt.

Idea: To set up a male grooming shop in Canterbury and give male grooming sessions.

Richard said: “We got a town hall grant and went to banks so we could set up the shop.

We chose Canterbury because of the high population.”