SCHOOL NEWS// FOUNDATION NEWS
FOCUS ON
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The Pocklington School Foundation
(PSF) Careers & Business Network
held its latest event in London
recently, with the focus for the evening
on entrepreneurship and business
leadership. The guest speaker for the
event was Old Pocklingtonian James
Sweeting, Director of award winning
coffee roasting company Lincoln &
York Ltd and the UK’s acclaimed ‘best
snack brand’ Pipers Crisps.
Both companies appeared in The
Grocer’s annual ‘Fast 50’ list for 2017,
which names the fastest growing food
and drink businesses in the UK. James
has also recently been named in the
Sunday Times/Maserati top 100
entrepreneurs list, which recognises
innovators in the business world.
James left Pocklington School to
become a trainee coffee buyer at Lyons
Tetley Ltd, learning the trade and
travelling widely. After five years, along
with a business partner, James started
Lincoln & York Ltd. 24 years later, the
company supplies almost 19,000 coffee
shop outlets and are experts in sourcing,
roasting, packing and delivering
completely customised coffee products.
In 2003, James and his partner entered
the speciality crisp market, with Pipers
Crisps, producing gourmet hand cooked
crisps to supply independent retailers.
The crisps are now available throughout
the UK, in Europe and the USA, and
Pipers Crips has been identified as one
of London Stock Exchange Group’s
‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.’
More recently, James and his partner
diversified into machinery production
and purchased Sumo (UK) Ltd, a
manufacturer of agricultural cultivation
and seeding machinery. The business is
being restructured to enable it to supply
farm machinery to dealers around the
World.
The networking event, which was
attended by a mix of former students,
current and former parents of
Pocklington School, was held at the
University Women’s Club, Mayfair and
followed on from the launch of the PSF
Careers & Business Network held at
School in 2017 and a networking event
in Leeds in March.
James shared with guests his insights into
being an entrepreneur and how his belief
in persistency, consistency and strong
and focussed leadership has enabled him
to successfully grow his businesses. This
included understanding the importance
of the ‘break even’ point, always looking
out for good people even if you don’t
have an immediate need and grasping
opportunities as they arise.
Sheena McNamee, External Relations
Director, Pocklington School said:
“Since leaving Pocklington School,
James has had a fascinating career and
we are very grateful to him for sharing
his truly inspirational story with us. His
determination and focus is remarkable
and he is a fantastic example to our
School community of how if you set
yourself a goal, whatever challenges
you meet along the way, you should
persevere.”
The PSF Careers and Business
Network is open to everyone in the
wider Pocklington School community,
including current and former parents,
Old Pocklingtonians, current and
former staff and supporters. Its aims
are to help each other thrive in a highly
competitive world and, by working
together, to help inspire our students,
and each other, for life.
10 Pocklington students who have chosen to be confirmed
into the Church of England this year, writes the Pocklington
School Chaplain, Rev Jan.
Bishop John spoke to them with real understanding about the
challenges of adolescence, reflecting on his own childhood in
Uganda and his education in a Scottish boarding school. He
acknowledged the world around us can sometimes feel chaotic,
whilst internally we can be confused about who we are and
where our life is going. Through all of this, Bishop John said,
God is our constant and faithful companion.
PUPILS CONFIRMED BY BISHOP
OF SELBY
“You’ll never walk alone.” These were the words of the
Right Reverend Dr John Thomson, Bishop of Selby, to the
20
THE POCKLINGTONIAN
The Confirmation Service took place on Monday 29 January
in the school chapel. The candidates’ ages ranged from 11 to 16
and they came from both the boarding and day communities.
This group of young people have been a real delight to work
with. They came to each preparation session as themselves,
talked very honestly about faith and doubt and, I hope, came to
know themselves as loved and valued by God just as they are.