Students at Merchants Academy in Withywood are to benefit from a £25,000 cash injection from Barclays' Bank into the Young Enterprise South West Company Programme.

The scheme gives pupils the chance to learn about the financial skills they need to succeed in the future, both in the workplace and with their own finances, and has allowed more new schools to participate in this years programme.

Young Enterprise aims to educate young people aged between 15 and 20 about how to start and run a business and the importance of budgeting and managing debt.

Students learn to work as a team, manage time and money, have the chance to participate in regional, national and even international trade fairs before presenting a report and accounts to shareholders.