Enthusiastic Amersham & Wycombe College students were recently presented with an £80 cash prize and certificates for their Next Level clothes shop concept, as their entry for the Make Your Mark Challenge - part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The Foundation Studies course students had to come up with a sound business idea which was then put to a panel of local Dragons and assessed. Amersham & Wycombe College students came up with a novel way to sell used clothes and accessories from a retail shop within the college. The idea was well received and the shop will initially open on Monday, November 30 and Tuesday December 1, between 10.30 and 2.00pm in room C13 at the Amersham campus. Clothing will be assessed and graded bronze, silver or gold, depending on condition and quality. With every item sold, the college takes a cut – 75 per cent for a bronze item, 50 per cent for silver and 25 per cent for gold. The remainder is paid to the individual who provided the item. Any unsold items are returned to owners after a set period of time to ensure there are no long- term stock issues. Behind the scenes, students were all given specific roles within the project from MD to finance director and a good deal of marketing activity was also undertaken to identify acceptable prices via local charity shops. Additionally, college students were interviewed to find out which retail outlets they shopped at.

The college team will be put forward for shortlisiting for a place in the South-East regional finals. The UK final of Make Your Mark will be held in London on December 10.

In the meantime, if you have some clothes you would like to sell through the college, please get in touch with course tutor Gill Brownell on 01494 585242.