You need to be brave to enter The Lion’s Lair!

I’m Paul Kitchen, an ambassador for Action4Youth, and this week, I was invited to become a Lion!

I should explain…

Action4Youth delivers the NCS UK (National Citizen Service) program in Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes & Slough. One of the initiatives the young people tackle is a “Dragon’s Den” style presentation to bid for seed funding money (£40) from A4Y to kick off a series of fundraising activities within their time on the program.

We were treated to two excellent presentations in which both groups had the idea of making cupcakes, cookies and sweet treats (always popular) and then varying participation activities like shooting empty plastic water bottles with a Nerf gun and face painting. The seed funding would go towards ingredients, stock and marketing materials, and their task was to show us how they would make a healthy profit because of securing the cash. And this they did in great detail.

We were impressed at the thought that had gone into the pitches, from considering health and safety, to how to make it all look fun and attractive, and indeed where to pitch their stalls so as to achieve a sell-out.  Really well thought out and brilliantly delivered, and of course both groups achieved nearly their full ask.

For me, I really enjoyed watching the teams step up to the front and talk so confidently in front of complete strangers. That takes real spirit, and everyone in each team got the chance to speak and feel the fear, and I’m sure it was real fear too, we are Lions after all..

Well done teams, looking forward to hearing how you did on your activity days..

Paul.