EnterprisingWetherby High win trophy

Enterprising Year 10 students at Wetherby High School have won a nationial competition to test their business skills.

The nine pupils - Rachel Cox, Olivia Cox, Abby Watts, Evan Whiteley, Leo Knapton, Jacob dundon, James Brent, Thomas Swan and Harry Walshaw - created an eco-friendly candle with a twist.

“The candle was made using soy wax and had a wooden wick,” explained a school spokesman who added that they were partnered with Managing Director of Reel Film Adam Chandler and centre lead Amy Jennings.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Their aim was to reduce the amount of pollutants that are usually burnt with most high street candles that can contribute to both global warming and asthma.

“The team further differentiated their product by giving away cress seeds with each candle, with the intention of growing the cress seeds in the candle pot when the candle had been fully burnt to again reduce the amount of waste that is created by buying and burning candles.

“The team worked hard to develop and make their candle in school over the year, and then to ensure that they had the necessary finance and marketing skills to keep cash flow running and to grow the business.”

The students promoted their product on social media, and at Wetherby Lions’ Dickensian Market and sold them at Bradford’s Oastler Shopping Centre and White Rose Shopping Centre.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After winning the West Yorkshire Young Enterprise Final Sustainability Award and being named as overall winners, they went on to do the double in the Yorkshire and Humber finals.

“Judges liked the students’ emphasis on making their candle environmentally friendly as opposed to having just a profit focus which is quite rare in the current economic climate.”

Morrisons and the Wetherby Lions made the initial investment to enable the students to enrol on the program and gave them the opportunity to promote their products at various events.