On Saturday 1st April, the fourth Orpington Children’s Business Fair, supported by Orpington 1st Business Improvement District (BID), took place at the Walnuts Shopping Centre.
With a mission to provide authentic, hands-on learning, Children’s Business Fair (CBF) tasks young applicants aged 7-17 with developing a brand, building a product or service, creating a marketing strategy, then selling to real customers and making their own money.
The Spring 2023 event saw the blossoming of 25 businesses, enabling 40 young entrepreneurs to acquire key skills for life in school and beyond, bringing in an incredible £3,385 in revenue.
Products on offer to town centre shoppers included cupcakes, jewellery, homeware, candles, and a particularly tempting Swiss roll.
Local business coach Lee Lam, Glorious Gazeebos owner Bret Davis, and Abhinav Virmani and Saveena Mills-Baptiste from HSBC, were appointed judges for the day – entrusted with selecting winners of 'Best Stand', 'Best Sales Pitch, 'Best Product' and 'Judges Choice' awards.
The Best Product award went to 'Fun & Friendship', 'Evbee Creations' picked up the prize for Best Stand, 'Triple Charms' were judged to have delivered the Best Sales Pitch, and the coveted Judges' Choice award went to 'Wool Works'.
Children’s Business Fair founder, Sam Rogerson, said: “It’s been another great day for CBF here in Orpington. A huge well done to all our impressive young entrepreneurs - they have all demonstrated great ingenuity and tenacity. And a big thank you to Orpington 1st for their continued support and belief in the CBF vision.”
Orpington 1st Executive Director, Chris Travers, said, “Thank you to the many Orpingtonians who came to support our fourth Children’s Business Fair. It is a fantastic initiative providing children with real world experience, and one which Orpington 1st is proud to support. Judging by this crop of young people, the future of business is in safe hands.”
Another fair is planned for July of this year.
Lots more great photographs on our Facebook Page
