A group of students from the Isle of Wight officially launched their ‘Walk The Wight’ themed boardgame yesterday (Wednesday), where they received the first High Sheriff Award from High Sheriff Nigel Hartley.
The team, who go by the name ‘Boundless Wight’, comprised of 8 students, Louie Wakefield (head of development), Conor Dean (head of marketing), Isaac Millington (finance director), Kinga Kurowska (head of design), Liv Adraienssens (director of social media and marketing), Harry Shand (director of fundraising and sponsorship), Sophie Sanders (head of sales) and Sebastian Flower (CEO) from years 12 and 13 at The Island VI Form.
Earlier this month, the team travelled to Cardiff to compete against the very best young businesses in the UK in the Young Enterprise Best Company Competition.
Having begun their journey to the top in March when the start-up won the Isle of Wight award, they then travelled across the Solent to compete against several Hampshire schools, again winning the title and securing an award for Best Overall Company as well as Marketing Awards.
Sweeping the board in the Hampshire round meant that the team of young entrepreneurs were through to the final, made up of just 12 teams from across the country.
On 3rd June, Boundless Wight descended upon Cardiff to compete in the national heat of the competition, which saw 12 young businesses from across the country go head-to-head. The team showcased their work to a specialist panel alongside their peers, and although unsuccessful in winning the title, the team secured the highest income out of all participants.
However, their efforts in Cardiff did not go unnoticed; the team picked up the Delta Air Lines Pursuit of Opportunity Award for their achievements, as well as student and head of sales for Boundless Wight, Sophie Sanders, earning a ‘You’re Hired’ medal.
In conversation with Boundless Wight, CEO, Sebastian Flower said:
“ The support from the press that we’ve had has been immense actually. I think being young people and working with Mountbatten and other businesses local to the island has really given everyone the initiative to jump on board with this. So this has been not just promotion for ourselves and the Walk the Wight boardgame, but for everyone involved.
“We’ve loved the process of it, and everyone being with us from the beginning of course has really meant a lot.”
As reported by Island Echo, the team flourished when putting on a ‘Dragons Den’ style pitch in front of some of the Island’s most prominent business leaders and operators, a venture which saw them secure crucial funding for the continuation and development of their flagship product, the ‘Walk The Wight’ board game
The team of 8 set about entering the competition with the driving force of encouraging people to spend more time outdoors and reconnect with the Isle of Wight.
At the official launch of the Walk the Wight Boardgame yesterday evening, the Boundless Wight team were presented with a High Sheriff Award from High Sheriff and former Mountbatten CEO, Nigel Hartley.
Speaking on the success of the boardgame which has significant ties to his previous position at Mounbatten, Nigel said:
“I think this Boundless Wight and the Walk the Wight board game is such a unique kind of combination of many things, they started off as a new team together, they’ve worked together, they’ve had an idea that they’ve seen through to fruition and I think as well, with it being Walk the Wight, it belongs to the community.
“I’m very proud of them and very happy to give them an award.”
Isle of Wight Site Manager of Gurit, James Daw, who have supported the team throughout the development process said:
“ I think it’s great because it gives young people the opportunity to understand what business is about and broaden their horizons, often the fact we’re on an island means people can be a little bit closed in their thinking, and this just opens up what people can do.
“Boundless Wight have gone to the mainland, they’ve gone and won various different rounds and competitions. I just think it’s really good to give young people that opportunity.
“As Gurit is a big employer here on the island, it’s important for us to support local kids and, and hopefully grow the businesspeople of the future.”
