Synergy MD Judges Business Enterprise Challenge
Mon 19 May 2008
Pupils from 19 secondary schools in the Portsmouth and Southampton areas, together with their teachers, mentors and parents, crowded into the Victory Suite at Portsmouth Football Club this week for the finals of the 2007/2008 Faith and Football Business Enterprise Challenge.
29 Teams from the schools were eagerly awaiting the announcement of the various awards arising from the challenge, including the overall winning teams from each area whom would be taking the trip of a lifetime to Goa in India.
The final winners were judged by a panel of local business entrepreneurs, including Gill Curran of telemarketing company Synergy Connections Ltd, Robbie Hammond of IT support company Technology House, and the event sponsors, PC World. Prizes were presented by Portsmouth footballer Linvoy Primus, a patron of the charity, and former Southampton Football Club Manager Dave Merrington, as well as the judging panel.
Each team of four to six members had worked in and out of school for several months to develop a business idea and plan that would turn into a practical and real way of generating income. Students were required to demonstrate enterprise skills including teamwork, communication, problem solving, risk taking, sales and marketing skills together with financial and economic literacy. All profits go to support the work of Faith and Football in the UK, India, Africa and Mexico, and this year a record sum of over £11,000 was generated.
Members of the winning teams received prize vouchers kindly donated by the challenge sponsors PC World. The members of the two winning teams will be visiting Goa in November 2008 to tour the area and take time out to visit the orphanage being supported by Faith and Football.
The winners were:
Portsmouth Area
Overall Winner
Warblington School, Havant (Team: ‘Tree Huggers’)
Business Excellence Award
Bay House School, Gosport (Team: ‘Thank Muffins Its Friday’)
Highly commended
Portchester School (Team: ‘WISH’)
Special award for outstanding effort
Mary Rose School, Portsmouth (Team: ‘Meal Deal’)
Southampton Area
Overall Winner
Wildern School (Team: ‘Recipe for Success’)
Business Excellence
Wildern School (Team: ‘Bows and Buttons’)
Business Drive
Chamberlayne Park School (Team: ‘Gift & Wrap’)
Special mention and commendation
Romsey School (Team: ‘Business Boys’)
Special PC World Award
For outstanding effort from a team from both areas
Mary Rose School, Portsmouth (Team: ‘Meal Deal’)
Synergy Connections Ltd offer a range of Telemarketing, Market Research, Appointment Making, Database Cleaning and Inbound Call Handling services from their offices in Fareham, Hampshire, UK. For further information please contact Gill Curran on +44(0)1329 229300.
-- END --
Business Challenge Judging Panel