ENTREPRENEURIAL pupils from the Llyn Peninsula have been recognised as some of the country’s brightest business minds.

A team of savvy school children from Botwnnog have beaten hundreds of pupils from across Wales to be crowned the winners of a Welsh Government national competition looking to find the next captains of industry.

Pupils from Ysgol Pont y Gof, Botwnnog, picked up the top title at the annual Enterprise Troopers competition which took place at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay on Tuesday, 4 July.

After demonstrating their entrepreneurial attitude and business acumen, Ysgol Pont y Gof were presented with the top prize for their business idea which involved reusing old wooden pallets to make decorative Christmas tree models. The pupils intend to use the money raised from the business to buy e-books.

Enterprise Troopers, an annual competition run by Big Ideas Wales – part of the Welsh Government’s Youth Entrepreneurship Service – brings together five to 11-year-olds from across the country, with teams of primary school children running their own enterprises, selling merchandise and services of their choosing in their schools and local communities. Showing their support for the pupils at the national final and each regional event were four ‘super-troopers’, which represent the key attributes of entrepreneurship: attitude, creativity, relationships and organisation.

Janet Roberts, teacher from Ysgol Pont y Gof said: “Our pupils are over the moon to have won!

"Participating in Enterprise Troopers has allowed our children to utilise their imaginations, get creative and show off their entrepreneurial flair. We’ve seen such value in teaching our pupils key business skills and we hope they will cherish this experience when they’re older.

“We’re incredibly proud of them and can’t wait to get back to the school to tell everyone the good news!”

Morgan Dryhurst-Jones from Ysgol Pentreuchaf, Pwllheli, was also awarded the 2017 Star Trooper Award.

Cheryl Gourlay, enterprise manager at NatWest, associate sponsor of Enterprise Troopers, added: “Ysgol Pont y Gof are worthy winners of this year’s Enterprise Troopers competition, facing tough competition from across Wales. This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for primary school children to practise and develop skills which will be important in the world of work, including teamwork, creativity, working to deadlines and budgeting."

Read the full story in this Thursday’s north edition of the Cambrian News