Published at 21:26, Wednesday, 14 May 2008

A WEST Cumbrian school is celebrating after scooping the county’s top Young Enterprise award for the second year running.

Globall, from Netherhall School in Maryport, was named company of the year at the Cumbrian final of Young Enterprise.

Globall’s nine young entrepreneurs are following in the footsteps of their friends from Making Waves, Netherhall School’s company from last year that made it through to the national final at London’s Savoy Hotel.

Globall, led by managing director Gary Charters, now goes through to the regional final at Aintree Racecourse on June 30.

Members of BagCycle, from Wigton’s Nelson Thomlinson School, also adopted a sustainable theme opting to run a recycling business.

Netherhall headteacher David Sibbit, who joined his students on Thursday at Carlisle Racecourse, said: “We’re all really proud and pleased for the group this year because they had a very hard act to follow.

“They have been their own company and they’ve had a very strong idea, which was ethically based around sustainability.

“They imported and sold sports balls from a Fairtrade producer in Pakistan.

“People know about cheap foreign imports so it has been really interesting to see how they have developed their company because their products have been more expensive, their challenges have been different. People have responded very well to it.

“Sustainability is obviously an issue in today’s world and for the teenagers taking part. The company from Nelson Thomlinson School was all about recycling.”

He added that Globall had the support of link teacher Mel Wright and business advisor David Davidson, from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – they had helped Making Waves last year.

Globall also won awards for having the best company report and best presentation.

Members of all of the six schools taking part in the county final enjoyed a three-course dinner on Thursday evening with business leaders, link teachers, guests and Carlisle mayor Liz Mallinson.

It followed a day of competition, which included their trade stand displays and presentations before judges. Members from last year’s Making Waves winning company also returned to talk about their experiences of making it to the national final in London.

Other schools that had won through from the district heats this year included Starz11 from St Bees School, Unique from Newman School in Carlisle, Stars from Dowdales School and Inertia from Casterton School in the south of the county.

Thursday’s final was supported by Sellafield and BAE Systems.

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