BUDDING tycoons from schools across the Abergavenny area and the rest of the county are being invited to attend the gala dinner at this year’s Monmouthshire Business Awards as part of a pioneering initiative to support grassroots entrepreneurism.

Year 10 and Year 13 pupils will receive VIP passes to the black tie event where they will have the opportunity to network with the cream of the county’s business community.

They will also play an organisational role by assisting sponsors with pop-up display stands, supporting the official photographer, and by escorting category winners on to the stage at The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.

The youngsters will even be responsible for greeting the 400 guests, which are set to include Abergavenny’s MP David Davies, Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science & Transport, Welsh

Government, Paul Matthews, Chief Executive of Monmouthshire County Council, and other representatives of the Welsh Assembly.

The scheme, believed to be a UK first, is a joint initiative between the MBAs and title sponsor Monmouthshire County Council.

If the pilot on October 23 is a success, organisers may extend it into 2016 and increase the catchment area of pupils.

Vanessa Janes-Evans, MCC’s Business and Enterprise Manager, said the initiative promises to nurture entrepreneurism by enabling young people to mix with inspirational figures in the wider business community.

She said, “The Monmouthshire Business Awards are noted as the Oscars of the Welsh business awards and have been celebrating the county’s best and brightest for four years now.

“They continue to go from strength to strength and the MBA Gala Dinner offers a fabulous learning experience that we believe will inspire tomorrow’s entrepreneurs by giving them a true and unique taste for business today.”

Paul Matthews, of MCC, added, “Cultivating a spirit of enterprise and of entrepreneurialism cannot be done in the classroom alone, which is why we have teamed up with the MBAs to provide these hardworking, talented pupils with invaluable, first-hand experience of business in action.”

Students from King Henry Vlll School in Abergavenny together with others from across the county

were selected by their respective head teachers for the ‘entrepreneurial flair they have shown throughout their year of study.’

MBA founder Janet Harris said all students would play an ‘integral role’ at the event, which has become a major date in the local business calendar.

“It is our sincere pleasure to be involved in this scheme, which all involved believe will benefit the students enormously,” she added.