A dozen 10 and 11 year olds look to raise money for their business venture, Menter Llechan Lân, and use opportunity to prepare for the Entrepreneurs of the Year Award and World Heritage Status bid.
Salamanca Group, a Mayfair based Merchant Bank, will host a group of 10 and 11 year old Welsh entrepreneurs from Ysgol Pentreuchaf, Gwynedd, a small rural primary school in North Wales on 30th June. The children will pitch their Menter Llechan Lân (translates to ‘Clean Slate Enterprise’) in a similar format as the Dragon’s Den to senior members of the Salamanca Group Board including CEO & Chairman, Martin Bellamy and Executive Director, Lord David Triesman and International Advisors.
During the televised presentation the children will aim to persuade the board of Salamanca Group that there is a market for their bespoke high quality Welsh Slate products made from surplus slate mined in the local area. The pupils will present their business plan which has already started to reap results with their successfully launched Welsh slate cheese board at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show. Menter Llechan Lân has already received investment from South Caernarfon Creameries and is aiming to create a product for Anglesey Sea Salt for both the local market and international suppliers.
The children are looking to expand the business venture into new markets and generate funds for additional design technology materials to increase the product range and allow other children to become involved. To date, the young entrepreneurs have been invited to compete in the Entrepreneurs of the Year Award 2017 and to form part of the bid to gain World Heritage Status for the Welsh Slate industry. The presentation will be delivered by the Government to UNESCO in September 2017. Enthusiastic and motivated to succeed, the children will gain unrivalled presentation experience in front of the Salamanca Group Dragons and, if successfully pitched, the Salamanca Group Dragons may choose to donate up to £500 to Menter Llechan Lân and, importantly, to provide business development support to extend their network nationally and internationally.
Martin Bellamy, Chairman & CEO of Salamanca Group comments: “By hosting a Dragon’s Den, the team of adjudicators and I will be able to challenge the children’s business plan and product, enhance their understanding of business, finance, marketing and empower their ideas. When I co-founded Salamanca Group in 2002, we started in a spare bedroom and have now grown to employ 150 with headquarters in the heart of Mayfair. Perseverance is key. This will be an important message to get across to the children.” He added “running this business has challenged me far more than the 75 days it took to row the Atlantic.”
Gethin E Thomas, Head of Ysgol Pentreuchaf said: “Most of the children haven’t been to England, let alone to London, so we are delighted that Salamanca Group are welcoming these children into a corporate environment. This trip will have a lasting impact on developing both their entrepreneurial skills and opening the door to new careers. It will give them an unparalleled opportunity to prepare for their presentation at the Entrepreneurs of the Year Award and presentation for the World Heritage Status bid.”
The children’s business venture journey is being filmed by ‘Cwmni Da’ and will be broadcast on S4C later this year. If you are interested in attending the event to watch the children pitch on the 30th June, please contact Dominique Irvine.
For further information contact:
Dominique Irvine on d.irvine@salamanca-group.com or 0207 495 9152
Notes to Editors
About Salamanca Group
Established in 2002, Salamanca Group is a privately-held Merchant Banking business, which integrates traditional investment and advisory services with a dedicated Private Office. We build highly valued, long-term relationships with individuals, corporates, institutions and governments, offering strategic advice and specialist know-how through our four divisions; Special Situations, Corporate Advisory, Real Estate and Private Office. Each division tailors its services as well as draws on the wider Group‘s expertise to deliver integrated, consistent advice, always with the client at the centre. We ensure a collaborative approach with our clients, in order to enable their business, protect their assets and grow their capital.
About Menter Llechan Lân (Clean Slate Enterprise)
Menter Llechan Lân is an initiative fabricated by a group of 10-11 year old’s from a rural Primary School, Ysgol Pentreuchaf, in North Wales. The seed was sown when the pupils visited the Llechwedd Slate Museum and spotted multiple slate mounds in the local area – their aim was to come up with a good use for surplus slate. The project is currently evolving and a number of relationships have been developed with local companies which led to the successful launch of a Welsh Slate Cheese board for South Caernarfon Creameries and ongoing discussions with Anglesey Sea Salt. Menter Llechan Lân is in profit and looking to expand into new markets and generate funds for additional design technology materials for the school to increase the product range and allow other children to become involved.
Additional Materials
Video of Menter Llechan Lân (Welsh) htps://vimeo.com/194667848/88acbcaa3c
To read this article within the Mayfair Times, click here.