Business Enterprise Challenge is a fantastic competition ran every year for Business and Travel and Tourism students to give them a chance to work as a team and create a marketable product that they can sell to the public in order to raise money for Weston Hospicecare. This is the fourth year of the Business Enterprise Challenge and, so far, their efforts have raised over £22,500 for Weston Hospicecare in the last 4 years!  

There were 21 groups in total and each group start the challenge with a £50 investment from local employers to be used as the start up for their products. They then design and create an innovative business plan to sell and reinvest their profits to further develop their sales and grow their product and community impact.  

Every group taking part in this challenge are provided with a business mentor from a local employer in Weston-super-Mare. These mentors provide support and guidance throughout the whole process, offering the students with invaluable advice in areas such as networking, financial management, sales and much more. This provides the learners with essential transferrable skills for future entrepreneurs.  

All groups came up with unique and innovative products, however three groups in particular took the challenge in stride and exceeded all expectations, raising large sums of money and going above and beyond during the selling process. During this challenge, we offer Bronze, Silver and Gold awards as an incentive to work harder and win the title. The winners also got public recognition and a certificate to reward their efforts.  

Our Bronze winners created personalised lip gloss keychains which were loved by all ages. By keeping costs low and sales high, their product remains popular among students and staff. Their dedication, even outside of lessons, helped them raise an impressive £519.16. 

Our Silver winners showcased creativity and smart reinvestment, selling bespoke Halloween and Christmas candles at high-profit margins. They leveraged each other's strengths, worked closely with their mentors, and attended external events, raising an amazing £627.25. 

All teams worked extremely hard, but our Gold winners, Wax and Walkies, smashed the record, raising more money than any other group in the last four years with a fantastic £1,100. Selling wax melts, hot chocolate, and dog treats, they created a diverse range of products to maximise sales. With mentor Sarah’s guidance, they built one of the project’s strongest brands, earning them the top spot—complete with custom T-shirts to further promote their products!   

This challenge allows the students to think creatively and independently in order to develop and sell products for profit. By working with local employers and mentors, the students got to engage with the local community, whilst also learning more about the logistics behind setting up a business and the importance of financial management and much more. It gave them invaluable experience from a real-world setting and provided them with transferrable skills for the future.  

Kirsty Simmons, the Community Fundraising Manager at Weston Hospicecare, thanked our students for the amazing work they have done for them over the years, adding, “This fundraiser is amazing for Weston Hospicecare and Weston College because we’re getting the community together. Not only are we getting fundraising, but the students are learning from mentors that are out in the business world where they can make new relationships and connections which they can use going forward.  

This money will go to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their family members. It’s really crucial to know that we are not just here for the patients, but we are also here for their families.”  

We are incredibly proud of all the students who have taken part this year, raising a total that has surpassed all other years once again with a fantastic £7289.87 which has been donated directly to Weston Hospicecare.  

Thank you to the mentors and local employers that invested in our learners, got involved with the project and supported them through the process. This challenge would not be possible without your involvement.  

If you’re interested in applying to one of our Business or Travel and Tourism courses, click here.  

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.