TEAM Funnelling 4 Fuel from Avonbourne College in Bournemouth has been selected as one of the finalists of the countrywide enterprise challenge Tycoon in Schools, run by the Peter Jones Foundation.

After competing alongside hundreds of schoolchildren across the country, Team Funnelling 4 Fuel is one of four teams to be selected by a panel of judges, led by Peter Jones CBE.

The students, all sixth formers, are Kam Grernsranoi, Sydney Fensom, Harry King, Charlotte Hawtrey-Coombes, James Runnacles and Jake Murgatroyd.

Funnelling 4 Fuel aims to kick-start their community’s recycling routines, sourcing domestic eco-funnels for students and encouraging them to recycle their waste cooking oils. These oils are then transformed into bio-fuel at Avonbourne College and used to run their community mini-bus.

Team Funnelling 4 Fuel attended a ceremony at Buckingham Palace yesterday, where they were congratulated by HRH, The Duke of York KG, Patron of the Peter Jones Foundation, and Peter Jones CBE.

Commenting on the performance of Funnelling 4 Fuel, Alice Barnard, Chief Executive of the Peter Jones Foundation, said: “I have been truly impressed by the innovative business concept delivered by the Funnelling 4 Fuel team.

“Not only have they worked fantastically as a team to ensure that the college’s waste is recycled, they have also galvanised their whole community, including local businesses, to encourage them all to donate their waste oil.

“I wish the team the very best of luck with rolling out their business model to larger organisations and other schools, as well as generating enough revenue to purchase a new mini-bus.”

Team member Kam Grernsranoi added: “I’m definitely going to write to the universities I have applied to for my business degree. They are going to be so impressed!”