Polymade, a company formed by a team of students from Monmouth Boys School swept the board at the Newport & Monmouthshire final of the Young Enterprise Wales Team and Company competitions.

 

The company won four awards including the overall title of best company at the event, held at the Newport City campus of the University of South Wales.

 

They will now represent the region in the Wales final taking place in Cardiff in June.

 

The eight-strong team created unique chopping boards manufactured from recycled plastic milk bottles. Roles were delegated to each member of the company so they would gain real life experience of what it is like to run a business and between them they sourced the supplies from their school and used an industrial shedder and equipment in their DT workshop to produce the chopping boards.

 

Polymade then sold their chopping boards at fayres and in local shops.

 

Hamad, 17, the sales representative for Polymade said: “Plastic isn’t biodegradable and a lot of it goes to landfills, so we became creative with it. The chopping boards are all unique, no two are alike. The red and green tops give them a speckled finish which really makes them stand out. We have all learned that operating a business is not as easy as you think. Lots of work goes into it before you can start selling your product. Organisation and good teamwork are key – you have to be a team player to make it work.

 

"We received fantastic support and advice from our teacher and Delyth Harris, our mentor, who runs Gwalia Consulting Ltd in Monmouth.”

 

The quality of the entries this year made the judging very difficult for the panel of business experts, including Jo Barnes, editor of Business Argus.

 

She said: “The creativity of the products and services on display at the final was quite inspiring.

 

“Each team had invested a lot of time and energy into their businesses and demonstrated a range of skills that will certainly benefit them when they begin their professional careers. The trade stands were very well presented telling the story of their journey over the last 12 months and the depth of knowledge provided by each team member when answering question was very impressive. The company reports produced were professional and clearly laid out, and when asked to make a five minute presentation to a packed auditorium they delivered well-rehearsed insights into how they have run their companies.”

 

There were several different categories in the final.

 

Over all company winner: Polymade, Monmouth Boys School; Over all team winner: MESy Makers from Maes Ebbw School, Newport; Best Company Report: Timber, Haberdasher’s Monmouth School for Girls; Best Trade Stand: Polymade, Monmouth Boys School; Best Presentation: Polymade, Monmouth Boys School; Best Individual: Saffron Rosier, The Crafty Clock Company, The John Frost School, Newport; Best Product: Solenoid Enterprise, Chepstow School; Community & Environment: Polymade, Monmouth Boys School; and Best Use of IT: A Sprinkle of Love, Rougemont School, Newport.

 

Kath Lewis, chairman of the Newport & Monmouthshire Young Enterprise Board, praised the quality of all the entrants this year and encourage other schools and businesses from the region to get involved in 2018.

 

She said, “Once again, the companies competing this year have demonstrated the talents the students in our schools have. We need to nurture and develop the skills our business leaders of the future have demonstrated and I urge other local schools and business to get in touch to find out about getting involved for the 2018 competitions.

 

"Young Enterprise is a not for profit organisation. We would not be able to run this competition without the fantastic support and assistance provided by the companies that sponsor the awards, the business advisors who volunteer to mentor the teams, the teachers at the individual schools who often spend their own time to help their students.”