Green Footprint on road to success
Report by Yamurai Zendera

ECO-FRIENDLY entrepreneurs from Dover Grammar School for Boys have finished runner-up at the UK finals of the Young Enterprise competition.

The Green Footprint Group were the top team in England and narrowly missed out on first place to a company from Scotland.

But there was still plenty to celebrate for the seven A-level pupils, who founded the company in January to raise awareness of green issues by selling re-usable cotton carrier bags.

They have already sold more than a thousand items to date and plan to set it up as a limited company following this latest success.

GFG managing director Jack Williams, 16, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled with how far we've come.

“Being named the top Young Enterprise company in England and second overall out of more than 3,000 companies is a great achievement.”

Dover Grammar School for Boys head teacher Sally Lees said: “I am overwhelmed by the professional approach the students have taken to their business.

“They are passionate about the issue of ecological awareness and they have already had great success in achieving the aims of their business.

“They have shown that Dover is a place which is producing young people who want to play their part in the global society of the future and who have the leadership and entrepreneurial skills to make a difference.”

The finals were held over two days at the Park Lane Hotel in London and featured 12 teams who had progressed through the district and then regional heats.

For the first time, Dover Harbour Board this year sponsored Young Enterprise in the district and provided business advisors for the various local teams.