THE entrepreneurial efforts of almost 80 students from across Warrington have been celebrated in the first stage of a national Young Enterprise competition.

Students from five secondary schools and colleges took part in the charity’s Warrington area finals at The Centre at Birchwood Park, on Tuesday, March 26 after setting up and running their own businesses since September.

It was students from Appleton College of Bridgewater High School who scooped the coveted top prize of Best Company for their business Contemporary Designs, closely followed by students from Culcheth High School whose company From Nature came second.

The Contemporary Designs team created the concept for a folding cooking pan, Compactapan. The pan can fold down to save space while camping or at festivals.

The From Nature team worked with a provider of waste wood to design and create handmade bird boxes from the wood that would normally be burnt releasing toxins into the air, so helping the environment.

Both teams will now go through to the Cheshire and Warrington County Board Finals on May 2.

Judge, Nicola Priest, group editor of the Warrington Guardian said: “It was a fantastic evening and great to meet so many enthusiastic young people. There was so much energy and commitment to the businesses it was great to see.”

David Hymers, managing director of Totalpost said: “Even though Young Enterprise has been providing an amazing experience in nurturing young business talent for 50 years, the event was as fresh and amazing as it probably was in the beginning.

“It was a difficult choice to select winners in the particular categories. I can hardly wait to attend the follow up event.”

Eileen Jackson, Young Enterprise manager said: “All the teams in the Warrington area have worked very hard this year to form social enterprise based companies and present themselves and their schools to a very high standard.

“The judges will have a hard decision to make at the next round of competition with the standards this year being so high.”

The Best Company Report Award, went to From Nature from Culcheth High School, Best Trade Stand and Best Presentation awards were both won by Contemporary Designs from Appleton College.