Campaign to inspire students into business

Barnsley Businesses Inspiring Students is the brainchild of Barnsley-based financial management company Lifetime and is being trialled in conjunction with Horizon Community College.

The project takes business people into schools to inspire the students and is based on a scheme by BBC reporter Robert Peston, called Speakers for Schools.

Lifetime communications director William Bottomley said: “There are so many excellent businesses and inspiring people who work in our community – and we believe this is a great place to live and work.”

He added: “We have been amazed at the enthusiasm we have encountered from the companies and individuals, from all walks of life, who want to get involved in BBIS. Everyone at Lifetime would like to issue a big, big thank you to them all.”

Lifetime, which gives advice on products from savings to pensions, has 54 people working for it, including self-employed advisers; up from 30 in 2009.

In the same time, turnover has gone from £1.6m to £3.2m. The additional office building is across the car park from the current base at Great Cliffe Road.

The company has been helped for several years by business support programme Enterprising Barnsley, which offers free coaching for firms with growth potential.

The advice has covered areas including marketing, branding and communications.