Theo Launches Ryman National Enterprise Challenge 2018

On Monday 13th November, Theo launched the Ryman National Enterprise Challenge at KidZania in London. This year marks the 5th year that Theo and Ryman have supported the UK’s largest entrepreneurial challenge for children aged 11-15. For 2018, the challenge welcomes a new partner, KidZania, the indoor City “run by kids” which is based in Westfield Shopping Centre, London. The event took place in the KidZania theatre where Theo spoke about the importance of the education of life, not just the things you learn in the classroom but preparing children to be work ready and able to stand on their own two feet.

Theo also spoke about how important the challenge was to him:

“Last year, I came down with one of those terrible bugs that really knocks you out, just the day before the finals. I have to tell you when I got out of bed that morning I looked like I was on death’s door and Mrs P said to me “You can’t go to work you look like you’ve died and been reincarnated!” But, I said I had to go. I got there, we did the challenge, I got back in the car, drove 3 and a half hours and thought I had died on the way home! But, that is how important it was for me to actually show my face, far more important than being on television, going to a business meeting, doing anything else, for me, I had to be there because when I looked around me it inspires me more than it probably inspires the kids. Because, what it also does for me, and everyone else involved, is it motivates us to actually make those dreams come true."

Other speakers at the event included Victoria Gregory, Sales and Marketing Director of KidZania London, Simon Childs, Head of B2B at Ryman, The Northampton Academy and Dr Vish Maheshwari, Head of Business Management and Marketing at Staffordshire University. Key topics included the importance of the challenge for enhancing life skills and the value it will have throughout the children’s lives.

This year Ryman will be setting the KS4 (ages 13-15) challenge which will involve students helping Ryman with a Back to School marketing plan and the winner will able to put their plan into action in their local Ryman Store! The KidZania Challenge for KS3 (ages 11-13) children will involve pupils devising a new activity which could join the existing ‘careers’ available for kids at KidZania.

Commenting on becoming the latest partner of the challenge, Victoria Gregory at KidZania said, “We are thrilled to be launching the KidZania Challenge for school pupils at Key Stage 3. Our challenge will allow children to use their creativity and develop valuable business skills.”

The location provided the perfect backdrop for the launch and Theo took part in many of the different activities from putting out a fire, riding in a fire engine and even a go as a radio DJ!

For more information about the Ryman National Enterprise Challenge please visit their website: http://www.nationalenterprisechallenge.co.uk/