The University of Bedfordshire provided a fun and inspirational setting for a Tsu’Chu Biz course at its Bedford campus for a group of local school pupils.

The four-day course, which has been described as a ‘teenager’s mini MBA’, uses the power, skills and disciplines of football to engage young people and help them learn about entrepreneurship, business finance, teamship, leadership, stress management and personal development.

The course was completed by 14 and 15 year-olds from Biddenham Upper School in Bedford, who received coaching to create a relevant and meaningful business idea based on their own passions and interests, working it into a small but realistic business plan that they can start straight away on leaving education.

In just four days the students produced their own business plans, and presented their ideas to family, school staff, and a panel of entrepreneur judges made up of Nigel Hall - Associate Director of the University’s Knowledge Hub, Neil Atherton - Financial Director for Autoglass, and Matt Cove - Community Director for MK Dons FC.

Out of the eight businesses put forward, the judges selected three winners:

1st place: ‘Strawberry Stitch’ (sole trader) - a company that uses recycled fabric for making handbags for young girls and women and whose owner’s vision is to make her own designs and have a wedding dress shop.

2nd place: ‘Castle Car Wash’ - an innovative and trendy car wash company.

3rd place: ‘DLR Guitars’ - a company that will recycle old guitars and sell them on.

Former England Football International Tony Woodcock - now Vice President of Elysee Invest, and Susan Kaye – Managing Director of The Challenge of Excellence, founded Tsu’Chu Biz as they wanted to give something back to a younger generation through an innovative and compelling course.

Autoglass has also offered business mentors to all three winning students to help them take their ideas forward, and MK Dons FC provided two match tickets for all participants.