Enterprising students get ready for Winterval

Dylan de la Haye getting ready for Winterval 

Since the start of September, 350 transition year students from Waterford City and four Youth Bank community groups have been busy setting up small businesses and creating products to sell at Christmas stalls during Winterval - everything from handmade soap to natural wooden Christmas candles, sock teddies to Christmas cards and recycled draft boards to bracelets.

They have been assisted by their teachers and Waterford City Enterprise Board mentors, (including a first ever event for the national competition) three live webinars on manufacturing products, sourcing products and patenting.

This array of products will be sold from three Christmas cabins (The Enterprise Village) on Bailey’s New Street every weekend. This village is part of Waterford’s first Christmas Festival, Winterval, which runs from November 30^th to December 23^rd. 

For the first two weekends these unique seasonal items created by the students and teenagers of Waterford City will be on sale, offering the perfect Christmas gifts for friends and family. For the second two weeks the Enterprise Village will host a selection of Waterford City Enterprise Board’s developing ‘food and craft’ clients, selling a variety of indigenous seasonal products and gift ideas. 

Both these groups represent the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit that is alive and well in Waterford City, encouraged and supported by Waterford City Enterprise Board.

Ciaran Cullen, CEO of Waterford City Enterprise Board commented on the importance of the event, “The Enterprise Board continually tries to improve and evolve its services, this is epitomised by this year’s webinars, live seminars on line, and our association with Winterval. It is so important for Waterford City students to learn how to interact with customers and sell their products in a live environment. Winterval also gives us the opportunity to provide our newest food and craft Enterprise Board clients with a route to market.”

Waterford City Enterprise Board offers support services for start-up and existing SME’s in Waterford city. If you have a new business idea or are running a business that requires assistance you can contact the Enterprise Board by phoning Celia on 051-852883 or check out what they have to offer first on www.waterfordceb.com

Check out some enterprising talent of the future as Newtown School TY students are featured on RTE2 News 2Day (from 2min. 58 sec) http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/10089748/