UK Representatives Beartas appear in European Finals

18 July 2003

Six students from Sir E Scott School in Tarbert, Harris, ended a remarkable week today (Friday) by appearing as the UK representatives in the 2003 Junior Achievement Young Enterprise European Finals. Despite narrowly missing out on the top accolade in today’s awards, the Beartas team has been heaped with praise and congratulations following their national win on Tuesday.

The prestigious ceremony, which took place in London’s Savoy Hotel, involved the participation of twenty-one top Young Enterprise and Junior Achievement companies from across Europe. The business-minded youngsters were rigorously examined over three days and judged on business reports, displays stands, interviews and presentations.

The Harris group’s particular project involved the developing, marketing and selling of their own unique Isle of Harris tartan. A team from Switzerland took the top prize.

Their narrow miss today should not put an end to the celebrations, however.

Beartas have the historic honour of being crowned the first Scottish winners ever in forty years of the UK Young Enterprise Awards. Their Scottish Finals triumph also made Sir E Scott the only school in YES history to win two years in succession. The entrepreneurial group has rightly received immense praise from a wide spectrum of individuals, including Chancellor Gordon Brown and Enterprise Minister Jim Wallace, for their marvellous achievement.

Their epic journey has seen the group travel by private jet, defeat 12 other finalists from the UK for the National title, compete in the European finals and receive congratulations from the Scottish and UK governments as well as being whisked away for an audience with Gordon Brown and a personal tour of Downing Street.

The Beartas team: Caroline Morrison, Donald Ewen MacKinnon, Laura Hewitt, Helen Letham, Farah Naz Ghaffar and Iain Smith, their business advisers David Cameron and Morag Munro, and YES link teacher Donalda Macaskill have completed a marathon week with enormous success.

The team are due to arrive back in Stornoway airport around 13:00 tomorrow (Saturday). Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Alex A. MacDonald, will be among those present to congratulate the team in person. You are invited to send a representative to welcome our UK champions.

Councillor for Harris West, Morag Munro, commented;
“We have just been overwhelmed this week; the historic UK victory for Harris and for Scotland, the enormous amount of interest, the non-stop stream of praise. I am delighted for the Beartas team, who have committed to this project with an unerring enthusiasm and have been a pleasure to work with. They deserve a fittingly exuberant welcome!”

Chairman of the Comhairle’s Education Committee, Norman L. Macdonald, added;
“The success of Beartas on both a regional and national level reflects the sheer quality of entrepreneurial talent apparent in the young people of our islands. Beartas should be extremely proud of themselves - well done!

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 01851 706412 (Home)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk