Hoodies top results in final of YE contest

IGNITE: Left to right, Maria Gabrilatsou, Saad Qasim, Freya Howarth, Phoebe Dickson, Hannah Buckley, Ishika Lamba, Anna Stevenson

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HULME Grammar School was on fire on home turf at Oldham's annual Young Enterprise final.

Ignite - the company set up by a seven-strong team of Year 12 students - was named the Best Business.

The event, hosted by the school, was the culmination of the YE company programme which sees teams of pupils set up and run their own businesses.

The Hulme students impressed the judges with their range of products with included commemorative hoodies for this year's school leavers and members of the school production, and hand-made gifts.

Hulme will now represent Oldham at the YE Greater Manchester final, at Manchester Metropolitan University on May 10, along with runners-up Essential Bubbles from Oldham Sixth Form College, which recycles bottles into trendy vases.

The teams had to set up trade stands, give a presentation and submit a company report. The judges were Laura Smart from accountants KPMG, Craig Dean from Oldham firm Web Applications and former Oldham College student Eric Bishyika, who runs a clothing company.

Ignite also won Best Trade Stand.

Hulme principal Craig Mairs said: "YE has long been an important component of our sixth form enrichment programme as we recognise that it builds key skills of teamwork, communication and problem-solving.

"We were pleased to host the awards and delighted Hulme was awarded Best Company from a strong field. I wish them and Oldham Sixth Form College well in the next round."

Revive, from Oldham Academy North, which produced hand-drawn colouring books for adults, won the award for the Best Report, while New Bridge Special School's mug and T-shirt printing business, Enspire, gave the Best Presentation. North Chadderton School also took part.

Mr Bishyika, who set up his business as a teenager, said: "The standard was phenomenal. The confidence the pupils showed to be able to stand up and speak in front of a large audience - there's a lot of adults who can't do that.

"It really showed the talent of young people in Oldham and it was hard to pick a winner."

Torrell Ugowe from Essential Bubbles said the competition had helped the team to become more mature and confident: "Getting through to the next stage is a moment that we will cherish and we will be proud to represent Oldham."