Member Article

Record number of local students battle it out in this year’s Christmas trade fair

Running for the ninth year, 350 young entrepreneurs from schools across Yorkshire will battle it out in the Merrion Centre’s Christmas trade fair on 29th November and 6th December.

This is the first year that the trade fair has been split over two days, due to a record number of students taking part, with double the number of schools participating than last year.

The fair is managed through LEAP, which is a registered charity that encourages young entrepreneurs. It enables young students aged 14-19 years old to set up and run their own business/company for a year, under the guidance of skilled business mentors. All students takingpart in the program must raise their own share capital, choose, make or buy a product, write a business plan and market that product.

Julie Brownrigg and Donna Booth, Co-Founders and Development Managers for LEAP explain; “We have grown and developed over the last year and invited brand new schools to participate, meaning the program is accessible to a much wider range of students. I am delighted that we have new schools involved this year. We’re also thrilled to have launched an online site, giving the participants more autonomy over their businesses, by allowing regular blogs and instant access to a range of workshops and advice.

“Next year we will be speaking at a national Enterprise Education conference for Enterprise Village, educating others on how to run a program such as LEAP. This is a flagship initiative for Yorkshire and we hope it will become a national scheme for schools across the country.”

For the first time ever, the initiative encompasses schools outside of West Yorkshire with some of those competing coming as far afield as York. There are also twice as many business mentors, 16 in total, including, corporate powerhouse, PwC, residential developers, Stonebridge Homes, designers, SpencerCreative and property, investment and development company, Town Centre Securities PLC, owners of the Merrion Centre, one of the main sponsors and a long time supporter of LEAP.

Helen Green and Doug Macfarlane, from Town Centre Securities PLC, are two of the mentors this year, Helen Green, Associate Director of Estates for Town Centre Securities PLC explains: “I’ve personally been involved with LEAP since it started nine years ago, but this is the first time I’ve been a mentor. Doug and I are mentoring the students from Swallow Hill Community College in Leeds and we’re in touch with them on a regular basis. Doug is managing the team of girls, Packapunch, and I’m mentoring the boys, Fr33domcouture, so there’s a bit of healthy competition between us! The students can call on us anytime for our input. We’re here to help and advise them in the planning and delivery of their business, it’s great to be involved and be a part of nurturing budding talent for the next generation.”

Students will begin selling their products at 9am in the morning and there will be between 12 – 20 stalls trading each day. The Lord Mayor will be making a ceremonial visit to talk to the students on the 6th December. Companies include, Record Industries, who use old records and vinyl’s to create recycled products. Flexi Bottle will be offering a range of innovatively designed plastic water bottles and Jammin has a selection of different flavoured jams up for grabs. There will also be a whole host of companies selling a range of clothing and phone accessories.

Julie concludes; “We’re delighted to be hosting the Christmas trade fair at the Merrion Centre for our ninth year, it gives students an invaluable experience by allowing them to practice their selling skills and take advantage of Christmas trading at one of Leeds prominent retail venues. We hope family, friends and regular shoppers will support our teenagers and come down and buy from them over the two days.”

At the end of their trading year, each company donates its profits to their chosencharity. All students will present their results to a panel of independent business advisors, as well as writing a detailed annual report with financial accounts, which then is celebrated in the Oscar style LEAP Annual Awards in late April. Trophies and vouchers to be spent in the Shopping Centre will be awarded to the best stand over the two days as well as giving away runners up prizes.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Janie Readman .