A green idea devised by Ladybridge High School to ‘grow their own’ business has scooped them the title of North West winners in the regional heats of the Apax-Mosaic Enterprise Challenge.

The green-fingered team has been competing against hundreds of other North West students in the business simulation game since January. Supported by local business mentors, they developed their own business idea and learnt how to run it.

The winning idea devised by the ‘Ladybridge Legends’ team centred around encouraging the use of allotments within the local community. The allotments would be used for growing seasonal vegetables which could then be sold cheaply and locally, encouraging healthy eating and increasing activity levels for those tending to the allotments.

The students were thrilled to receive a video message of support from Imran Hakim, the Bolton founder of iTeddy, who wished them well before introducing one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs, Scott Fletcher.

Scott, who gave a presentation to the young hopefuls, commented:

“The Apax-Mosaic Enterprise Challenge is a fantastic initiative and helps to raise the aspirations of young people, improving their employability and providing them with the inspiration to start a business of their own one day.

“The North West teams were fantastic today and showed some really promising potential. I’d like to congratulate today’s winners, Ladybridge High School, for a brilliant presentation of a really great idea.”

Habeeb Hussain, speaking on behalf of the winning team from Ladybridge High School, said:

“The Apax-Mosaic Enterprise Challenge has been brilliant for understanding how businesses work, especially as we got to work with real life business people. Winning the Regional Finals has really made us think that we can win the whole competition and we’re so excited to be going to London for the Grand Finals – we can’t wait!”

This year’s judges were Tasnim Khalid (Chairperson) from JMW Solicitors, Azhar Siddique, entrepreneur and candidate on The Apprentice 2012, Siddika Ahmed, Founder of Breaking the Cycle UK, and Shabir Nawab, founder of Shabir Nawab & Co and Chairman of Mosaic’s West Midlands Regional Leadership Group.

The regional finals event, which took place at the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Training and Development Centre, included twenty five students from 5 schools in the region- Manchester Communication Academy, Salford City Academy, Oasis Academy Media City UK, Manchester Academy and Ladybridge High School.

The team will now participate in the high profile national Grand Finals event taking place in London in May. Here they will deliver a Dragon’s-Den style pitch to compete for a £2,500 cash prize for their school, and £500 seed fund to start their business idea.

The competition is co-sponsored by the Apax Foundation, and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) as part of its commitment to enable people able to realise their potential to get on in life, irrespective of their background.

(Photograph by Romana Love)