A team of youngsters representing West Ham United have reached the final of the 2014 Premier League Enterprise Challenge.
The group all hail from east London and are members of the Community Sports Trust (CST) Premier League Kicks scheme, who won the Club Heats in February to represent us in the semi-finals. The boys were coached through the Enterprise Challenge by WHU Inspire Learning Centre teachers and CST Community coaches.
In the semi-finals at West Bromwich Albion FC, the West Ham team won through with their presentation on how the Hammers can expand their presence in the United States and Africa.
The youngsters from Stepney Green Schools and Noor Ul Islam mosque in east London explained in five minutes their strategy and the revenue streams that would follow to the judges.
Despite being the final team of the day to present their pitch, the Hammers impressed judges Alastair Bennett from the Premier League and Paul Lewis from Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) sufficiently to earn glowing feedback and a place in the final.
(Back row): Alastair Bennett (Premier League), Paul Lewis (BIS), (Front row): Naim (peer mentor), Ismaeel, Yaseen, Ashrabul, Hassan, Nahid, Baber Hussain (Inspire Learning Centre)
Inspire Learning Centre manager Pia Tanneraho expressed her great pride in the team's achievements, saying: "This is the first time that West Ham has taken part in the Premier League Enterprise Challenge. I'm absolutely amazed by the effort the boys have put in this project, as it was a very complex task.
"The teaching and mentoring teams also put in countless hours, and the West Ham media and marketing team gave their support and shared their professional expertise with the boys.
"We are absolutely delighted with the result and now we will need to work very hard to beat the the other teams at the finals at the BIS headquarters in central London in a month's time."