Local students impress judges at Young Enterprise Trade Fair
Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School took the title of Best Trade Stand at the recent Young Enterprise Trade Fair held at the Pavements Shopping Centre in Chesterfield on Thursday 7 March.
The school was one of six from North Derbyshire taking part in this year’s Young Enterprise competition.
As part of the competition, teams of students from Mount St Mary’s College, Eckington School, Brookfield Community School, St Mary’s Catholic High School, Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School and Lady Manners School descended on The Pavements to showcase a variety of goods which they are selling as part of their Young Enterprise experience. Many of the products have been handcrafted by the students who are all aged between 14 and 17.
Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School’s winning team – Kickers and Clickers – has produced a range of personalised shoes and bags. The judges, which included the Mayor of Chesterfield, Cllr Stuart Brittain and his wife the Mayoress Anne Brittain, and local business people Laura Jo Owen, owner of Adorn Jewellers and Andy Ingman of Ingmans, commended the team for their well thought out business strategy.
The Trade Fair is co-ordinated by the North Derbyshire branch of the education charity Young Enterprise which aims to equip young people to learn and succeed through enterprise.
Each of the teams have set up a company and are operating them for a year. As well as coming up with a product to sell, they must produce a business plan, market their products and services and also file accounts – which includes paying VAT and tax on their profits!
Hazel James, Chair of the Young Enterprise’s North Derbyshire Area Board, explained: “The scheme is designed to give students an insight into business and to inspire them to ‘learn by doing’. All participants are expected to operate in a professional manner as they would in the workplace.”
“The teams have been encouraged to be innovative and creative in the products they have developed and the ways in which they market their products to Chesterfield’s shoppers. We are all very excited to see what they have done so far and how they put their new skills into practice.”
Laura Jo Owen said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for these students to get some valuable hands-on experience in business and the retail sector. It was brilliant to meet the teams and find out more out more about them.”
Keep up-to-date with the teams’ young Enterprise journey on Facebook at ‘Young Enterprise – North Derbyshire Area Board’.
