Member Article

Aspire Hosts Boardroom Challenge

North East managed services provider Aspire Technology Solutions has welcomed budding entrepreneurs from two local schools as it plays host to the semi-final of Newcastle Building Society’s Boardroom Challenge.

Gateshead-based Aspire opened its doors to year five pupils from Westoe Crown Primary School in South Shields and St Mary’s RC Primary School in Jarrow who battled it out in a Dragons Den-style business pitch to win £500 for their respective schools.

Organised by Newcastle Building Society in conjunction with Newcastle Education Business Partnership, the Boardroom Challenge is part of the Cornerstone in the Community campaign through which individual branches of the building society lend support to organisations and good causes in their local area.

Pupils from schools across the region took part in this year’s challenge which requires participants to come up with business ideas that will benefit their local community while also making a profit.

Speaking at the semi-final, Nigel Begg, Managing Director of Aspire, said: “As a business, we are always keen to nurture local talent and encourage up and coming entrepreneurs, so when we were asked to host the Boardroom Challenge semi-final at our headquarters, we were more than happy to oblige.

“We have the perfect environment for a competition like this with an impressive boardroom set up which further added to the experience for the competitors.”

Ann Newham, Branch Manager at the South Shields branch of Newcastle Building Society, added: “In our view, it’s never too early to start to learn about money and our financial education programme aims to do just that through creatively engaging with children.

“Focusing the children’s ideas on how they would spend the winnings to benefit their local community ties in closely with our ethos as a mutual organisation and helps to demonstrate that businesses can operate in a way which benefits society as well as make a profit.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Isabelle Bambridge .