A team of budding entrepreneurs from Stewarton Academy are heading to Hampden Park later this month for the Young Enterprise Scotland Company Programme Finals. 

Their business, Corsehill Crafts, will be pitched against 16 others from around the country for the title of Company of the Year and a chance to represent Scotland in the UK finals in June. 

The team of 10 (Struan Northorpe, Ryan Dillon, Grace McAulay, Jessica Robinson, Thomas Logan, Rob Miller, Rory Anderson, Finlay Cowan, Tom Martin and Jamie Steven) set up and ran Corsehill Crafts, which designed, manufactured and sold a wide range of customised wooden products from hardwood offcuts.

Using industry standard software and machinery, their range included chopping boards, cheese paddles, bottle holders and placemats, which could all be custom made. 

Generating sales through school and community events and through their social media platforms, the team made a profit of more than £2000, which has been invested into new equipment for Stewarton’s Design & Technology department. 

Emma Soanes, CEO of Young Enterprise Scotland, will be hosting the Company Programme Finals, which celebrate the teams and their teachers, who have encouraged and supported them along the way.

She said: “The Stewarton team are an inspiration and I wish them every success in this month’s Scottish finals.

"Setting up and running their own successful company is a wonderful experience and will have given them new skills to take forward into their learning and their future careers. So, whatever happens at Hampden Park, they are already winners.” 

Taking place on May 31 at Hampden, the Young Enterprise Scotland Company Programme Finals are part of the three-day Festival of Youth Enterprise.

Finalists will have a chance to show off their products and will give a presentation to a panel of judges before the winners are announced.