Youngsters show their flair for enterprise

May 1 2008 by Sarah Miloudi, Western Mail

ENTREPRENEURIAL sixth formers have been congratulated for their business skills at the annual Young Enterprise contest.

Pupils from across South Wales competed for the 15 awards up for grabs in the 2008 competition, which was organised by the University of Wales, Newport.

Flair – a music industry talent-scouting enterprise created by sixth formers at St Joseph’s High School in Newport – swept the board at the awards, winning prizes for the best company report, best team, best trade stand, best product, best use of IT and best presentation.

The pupils behind Flair will now represent Monmouthshire and Newport in the national finals of the contest to be held later this year.

Flair member Mathew Hughes, 17, said: “The aim of Flair was to promote local talent – both bands and individual artists – from the South Wales area.

“Our search revealed we’ve got a wealth of local talent and we included them all on a CD titled ‘Found’ which features music from various bands and information about gigs, contact details for local artists and an interactive quiz.”

The group, along with all other entrants, had to register their company, complete accounts, raise share capital and build up a successful and profitable enterprise in their chosen market place.

Host of the event Jonathan Deacon said: “The standard of entries this year was particularly high and it was no easy task for the judges to pick the winners.

“The young people who presented their business ideas have proved the future of entrepreneurship in Wales looks very healthy.

“They are to be applauded for the creativity and the commitment they have shown to their ideas.”

Other winners at last Friday’s ceremony included pupils at Maes Ebbw Vale Special School, who won the best team enterprise award for their company, Black Sheep Enterprises.

A group from Haberdashers Girls’ School in Monmouthshire also competed, and raised more than £800 for children’s leukaemia charity Latch through their fundraising enterprise, Vice Versa.