Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage was today joined by businesswoman, Karren Brady for a business and entrepreneurship workshop at Bay House School.
Students from a number of year groups were tasked with an 'Apprentice' style challenge - formulating an innovative business plan for empty units on Gosport High Street. After a morning of planning, they pitched their entrepreneurial ideas to Caroline, Karren and a panel of local business people. The successful group from Year 8 came up with the idea of opening a joke shop targeted at the younger market and even outlined how they could franchise their business model.
Karren gave an inspirational speech, detailing her rise in the business world and encouraging pupils to take the bull by the horns and realise their dreams. Students also heard from local business woman and record breaking endurance swimmer, Anna Wardley, who urged them to set their goals high.
Speaking after the visit, Caroline said:
"Karren is a fantastic role model for budding entrepreneurs and I am hugely grateful to her for joining us at today's business workshop.
I was extremely impressed by the students who presented their business ideas – pitching in front of such an esteemed panel is always daunting but they did a fantastic job and should be incredibly proud of themselves.
Having spoken to a number of pupils after the event, I know that they were enthused by Karren's passion for business and I hope that hearing from her will propel their aspirations for their own careers."
Karren built up a strong reputation as the managing director of Birmingham City FC and is currently the vice-chairman of West Ham United. She also works as an advisor to Lord Sugar on The Apprentice. She was visiting Gosport as part of her role as the Conservative Party's Small Business Ambassador. As Small Business Ambassador for the South, Caroline has been working with Karren and a group of MPs to promote the interests of small enterprises across the country which has culminated in the second reading of the Small Business Bill in Parliament this week.
The local business panel was made up of Anna Wardley, Gary Jeffries, Louise Whitmore and Joanna Murchie.