Congratulations to our Year 12 students, who won the Innovation and Technology Award at the Young Enterprise South Central Regional Final in High Wycombe before half term. Clean-Cut was one of two Berkshire school teams to impress judges at the Berkshire Area Final and secure their route to the Regionals.

Alfie Lamb, Managing Director, said, “We’ve worked really hard to create a sustainable and successful business, so winning the Innovation and Technology Award at the Regional Final was such a proud moment for us”.

The team: Max Bamford, Thomas Bennett, Mariana Carvalho, Juno Corney, Daisy Essen, Cora Francis, Charlie Gale, Alfie Lamb-Boyce, Harry Lardner, Euan MacLeod, Tori McDonald and Elodie Tucker, have gone from strength to strength. At the Young Enterprise Trade Fair in March, they took home the Sustainability Award and the Best Overall Company Award. In April, their business also won the award for Most Sustainable and Engaging Outlook at GreenFest 2025.

Earlier in May, the team took part in the Area Final, which involved submitting a company report on finances, team journey, impact and legacy. They also had to complete a 10-minute interview with the judges on production process, health and safety and sales and marketing, and this was followed by a four-minute presentation to all companies and the judges. Clean-Cut won Best Company Report and Best Presentation, earning them a place in the recent Regional Final.

Charlie Gale said, “We’re incredibly proud to have won the Innovation and Technology Award at the South Central Regional Final. Being one of just five companies recognised out of ten who got to the finals and over sixty in the region is a huge achievement, and it shows the hard work that we have all put into the young enterprise programme. Although we didn’t make it through to the nationals, the experience of presenting, being interviewed and submitting a company report has been invaluable – we’re so proud of how far Clean-Cut has come”.

Mrs Seward, Head of Business and Economics, said: “The Young Enterprise Company programme is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience the highs and lows of running their own business. From the outset it is their responsibility to come up with the idea, organise production, market and sell and keep accounts. They also take on the responsibility of participating in the Young Enterprise competitions – preparing for the trade fair, writing a business plan and company report, producing a presentation and preparing for the judges interviews. Clean-Cut have worked exceptionally hard throughout the program, particularly as they carried out the whole production process themselves. The standard at the Regional Final was very high – to reach this stage and to win an award for innovation is a fantastic achievement.”

Joey Russ, Educational Partnerships Regional Manager, South Central & East of England said, “As Regional Manager for Young Enterprise , I am incredibly proud of the outstanding achievement by St Bartholomew’s School at this year’s Regional Finals. Their creativity, teamwork, and entrepreneurial spirit truly reflect the values we aim to foster through our programmes. Their success is a testament to the talent and dedication of both students and staff.

We would love to see more schools across West Berkshire and Newbury get involved in Young Enterprise. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to develop real-world skills, build confidence, and gain experience that will benefit them for years to come. We’re here to support schools every step of the way and are excited to help the next generation of young entrepreneurs thrive.”