Bradford Young Chamber Launch Event

Young Chamber students from all three Young Chamber schools in the Bradford district decided that they would like to arrange a Bradford Young Chamber launch event. The students worked together over a period of four months to plan an event that would raise awareness of Bradford Young Chamber, showcase their achievements so far, and invite businesses to work with them on upcoming Young Chamber activities.

They worked with many local businesses including an event management company, a graphic designer, the events team at the venue, a dance choreographer, and a variety of businesses that they invited to sponsor the event. BTEC design students were given the opportunity to design the invitation for the event and BTEC business students wrote the event contract with the hotel and did an evaluation of the night. All of this work was then used towards their coursework portfolio. Young chamber students pitched their ideas to the General Manager of the hotel and impressed him with their presentation and negotiation skills. Students then worked closely with the event management team at the hotel to plan the evening.

 

On the night of the event students managed the whole evening. Over 200 guests from businesses, the public and third sectors, local councillors and young people attended the event. Derek Kozel, Quality and Performance Director at Young Chamber UK also attended. Students welcomed their guests and networked with them before dinner. Students from Grange Young Chamber opened the evening with a traditional Asian dance and the Vice President of Carlton Bolling Young Chamber, Shummell Udin, hosted the entire evening. Sandy Needham, Chief Executive of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the guests before they were treated to a wonderful two course meal. This was followed by an excellent presentation by Young Chamber Presidents from the three schools, Subiea Ali (Grange Technology College), Mohammed Shezad (Tong High School) and Shummell Udin (Carlton Bolling College). The students also arranged for Jeff Monks, a local business man and Chairman of the Association of Chief Executives, to address the guests.

The evening was bought to a close with a street dance by students at Grange Young Chamber who won G Factor, a talent competition organized by the Young Chamber at Grange Technology College earlier in the year. Bradford Young Chamber Coordinator, Michelle Pyman said "over 100 students were involved in planning and delivering this event and a wonderful night was had by all. Guests were inspired by how passionate the students were about enterprise and the event has generated many offers of support from local businesses that are keen to work with such an inspiring group of young people". Chairman of local firm Fisher Plastics and the business speaker for the evening, Jeff Monks, was very impressed with the Bradford Young Chamber: "The whole evening had such an air of excitement. There was enthusiasm in the youngsters at the table and those speaking before me, in the dancers, and in the audience too. The influence on those with whom the students came into contact with was immense - Enthusiasm is contagious".