Friday 20 May 2011 Enterprising GSAL students have scooped 10 prizes at the Leeds Enterprise Advisory Programme (LEAP) award ceremony…with one company bagging an impressive six. In total, 17 honours were up for grabs and the school’s lower sixth students took 10 first places, three second places, two third places and two highly commended special awards at this year’s finals. The overall winning company was Treat Me Sweet, whose profits are going to aid youngsters in Malawi. They won the Westom Network Award for the Best LEAP Company 2011, as well awards for the best presentation at the finals, the best company report, best presentation 2011, best marketing at all trade fairs 2010/11, and best trade stand at the Merrion Centre for St Valentine’s Day. Other winning teams from GSAL were Impulse, who won the Spirit of Enterprise Award, as well as best trade stand at the LEAP finals; Vendetta, who won the Innovation Award; and Serenity, who won the Media Awareness Award. Treat Me Sweet is headed up by managing director Francesca Whalen, with other roles filled by Callum Kenny, marketing director; Jordan Bickerdyke, finance director; Sophia McDougall, sales; Sophie Stone, company secretary; Emma Anderson, marketing; Isabella Buono, production director; and Lizzie Tomkins, sales. The company sold a range of bath products to raise £1500 for two Malawian projects – the Open Arms Orphanage and Mary’s Meals, a charity which provides a free lunch to all children attending school. Six of the eight students who set up the company will take the proceeds to Malawi when they visit the country with school for three weeks in the summer. Francesca said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won so many awards! I would like to say a big thank you to the whole team for all their hard work throughout the year. “We worked incredibly well together as a team and had a strong philosophy for our business. It was really important to us that all our merchandise was natural and that our business was sustainable. We sourced everything from the UK and made sure that none of our products had been tested on animals and that our packaging was recyclable.” The company also continually updated its range to tie in with key buying periods, offering novelty candles for Christmas, heart-shaped soaps for St Valentine’s Day and a selection of scented soaps and bath bombs aimed at Mother’s Day.Winning team Treat Me Sweet show off their awards. They are (L-R) Sophia McDougall, Sophie Stone, Francesca Whalen, Callum Kenny, Isabella Buono and Emma Anderson. Senior School Sixth Form News
