YOUNG ENTERPRISE company GY1 went down a storm at the scheme’s awards night. It won the HSBC award for the best company while Laura Brogan received the Institute of Directors award for best managing director.

GY1 formed a market research company which worked for YE sponsor Cable & Wireless Guernsey researching its Lifestyle product.

Based at the Training Agency, the company also produced Christmas table decorations.

Company members presented the group’s achievements to a packed Beau Sejour theatre in a clever take on the TV quiz show Countdown, which was the idea of deputy MD Naomi Atkinson.

GY1′s Rachel Brookfield won the C & W young achiever of the year award and the company’s marketing directors, Annie McMonagle and Vicky Atkinson, jointly took Communique Marketing & Advertising’s best marketing director’s award.

GY1 will now compete against the best Jersey company for the chance to represent the Channel Islands in the regional finals in Horsham on 16 June.

It won against six other companies in this year’s scheme which saw a record number of more than 120 senior school students taking part.

Blue Cube also claimed several awards. Luke Gray was NatWest best finance director; Georgina Burrows was the YE Area Board’s best personnel director; and Bethan Boscher took the ICSA best company secretary award.

The company won the most innovative product award from the area board for its plaster of Paris hand-shaped jewellery holder.

Best operations director, sponsored by Intersurgical CGI, was won by Jo Langlois of Splice. The best sales director award, sponsored by Guernsey Electricity, went to Tristan Maubec, also of Splice.

Andre Marsh, of Big Shoes, Little Feet, won best ICT director, sponsored by Fusion Systems Ltd.

All the companies apart from SWAIN, the College of Further Education group, gave presentations of their companies’ highs and lows, with Bamboozle using an army format to illustrate its operation.

But it was Blue Cube which won the Investors in People best presentation while Bamboozle took the Orchard PR prize for the best stand, both being judged on the night.

Members of the company Branching Out, from Oakvale School, the only entry this year in the team programme for special-needs students, put on an inspiring presentation of the company’s successes and all received an achiever’s certificate.

Two members, Victoria Webb and Sara-Jayne Duquemin, were jointly awarded the Walbrook Trustees best team achiever shield for their outstanding contributions.

‘The nine members of this company have worked extremely hard on their business and we are delighted to be associated with such determination, commitment and will to succeed,’ said Walbrook chief executive Brian Dix.

The YE scheme runs from September to May with 15- to 17-year-old students running a company with guidance from advisers from various sectors of the business community.

Each young achiever received a certificate and the Guernsey YE Area Board chairman said that this year’s entrants were of a high standard. ‘All the aims of Young Enterprise – teamwork, ideas, business acumen and commitment – have been demonstrated in each company.’

Ian Watson, managing director of long-time sponsor Guernsey Electricity, said that he was astounded at the level of sophistication in the entries.

‘The students have all worked extraordinarily hard and shown resourcefulness, teamwork and a passion for their company,’ he said.