An autumn term highlight: a visit to 10 Downing Street

On 17th November Karen Pollard, Enterprise Coordinator for Hackney, Haringey and Islington, was invited to 10 Downing Street for ‘Lessons at 10’. Here she shares with us her autumn term highlight.

As an Enterprise Coordinator for the Central London Careers Hub, I support schools and colleges in my network to organise some amazing careers events and activities, but a highlight of this autumn term was receiving an invitation to No.10!

This was in recognition of my support to Maureen, Careers Leader at Greig City Academy, and her colleagues. I was honoured to receive an invitation to accompany her and a group of ‘STEM Club’ (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) students, to visit No.10.

With ‘Enterprise’ and ‘Entrepreneurship’ a passion at Greig City Academy, the extra-curricular STEM Club and Beehive Club, available to students interested in broadening their interest in enterprise, allows students from Year 10-13 to participate in enterprise challenges, successfully competing with schools nationally, and winning many awards and trophies (I’ve seen the trophy cabinet!).

They have created sustainable products linked to beekeeping at the school and will showcase them at trade fairs during the academic year. As importantly, the students learn and develop key employability skills along the way, with their enterprise companies requiring creativity, teamwork, communication, organisation, problem-solving and positivity.

To celebrate their 60 Year Anniversary, and their strong relationship with Greig City Academy, Young Enterprise UK (Ruth Sullivan and Russell Winnard, COO) invited the school to participate in a ‘Lesson at 10’ event, a series of themed events organised by the No.10 team and hosted by the Prime Minister's wife, Mrs Akshata Murty, at No.10 Downing Street.

To coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week (13-17 Nov), the theme of the 17th November event was ‘Enterprise and Entrepreneurship’ and students from the school were able to present Mrs Murty with a gift of honey, and products created by them at the school.

During the event, and to showcase the 10X Enterprise challenge, the students participated in a workshop, delivered by Young Enterprise UK, to create, cost, brand, and market a sustainable product, with Mrs Murty providing enthusiastic input to each group, resulting in some great ideas.

The students were inspired by the whole event, and the genuine welcome shown to us by the No.10 team, and by Mrs Murty herself.

What a wonderful day - we all have some lasting memories to take away, and now know what is behind that door!