Young entrepreneurs adapt with digital skills

Budding entrepreneurs have risen to the challenge of contesting a “virtual” final of the Young Enterprise (YE) Grampian Awards.

With Covid-19 having scuppered plans for the traditional Dragons’ Denstyle climax of this year’s competition, secondary school pupils used newly-learned digital skills to make their final submissions and took part in teleconference interviews with a threestrong panel of judges.

The overall prize – worth £400 – went to a group of pupils from Mearns Academy in Laurencekirk whose YE company, Touchwood, sold wooden products made from locally-sourced materials and launched a project to plant 2,020 trees during 2020 to help combat climate change. Touchwood also won the £100 prizes for best presentation and best company report.

Peterhead Academy pupils came second overall with their business, K9 Crafts, which recycled fabrics and fishing rope into dog accessories.

Product of the year was shared by Ellon Academy’s

“company” Warped, which repurposed old vinyl records and bottles into bowls and lamps, and Bee Natural of Hazlehead Academy in Aberdeen, whose beeswax candles and other items highlighted the declining bee populations.

Warped and a rival team from Ellon Academy, Dazzled Accessories, were joint winners of the Shellsponsored sustainability award.

There were two winners of the sustainability award