Falmouth and Penryn go head to head in fourth stocks and shares challenge

Teams from Falmouth

Community School and Penryn will be competing against each other over the next

six months to see who can make the greatest return on a virtual £100,000.

The Virtual Trading

Challenge, which is now in its fourth year, will see 28 teams from ten schools

across the county battling to see who can play the stock market the best.

The competition was

launched in 2007 by Truro and Wadebridge based independent

financial adviser,

Worldwide Financial Planning, and Cornwall Learning Education Business

Partnership.

The winners of this

year’s competition will have some way to go if they are to surpass the exploits

of the 2009/10 champions, Callington A, who returned a 58.24 percent profit.

Chris Rowe,

independent financial adviser at Worldwide, said: “Over the last three years

we’ve had some fantastic results, but this years competitors are going to have

to work really hard and get to grips with investing in shares quickly if they

are going to beat Callington’s total.

“We’re still in

interesting times in terms of the economy and the teams will have to factor in

aspects such as the potential impact that the Government’s cuts in public

sector spending may have on the country.

“The great thing

about this competition is that it gets the pupils engaged with finance and

really think about how important it is to manage their money.”

Schools taking part

this year are Falmouth Community School, Helston School and Community College,

Launceston College, Callington Community College, Penrice Community College,

Pool Business and Enterprise College, Penair School, Penryn College,

Saltash.net Community School and Hayle Community School.

The

challenge forms part of Worldwide’s commitment to the financial capability

scheme established by the Government aimed at improving knowledge and

understanding of personal finance.

Worldwide’s

managing director, Peter McGahan, said: “We’ve had some fantastic results in

the last three years with many of the pupils out performing some of the

country's leading investors.

“When

you think we’ve been through one of the worst recessions in recent history then

that is a fantastic achievement.”

The winning school team

will be treated with a visit to the Bank of England, a boat trip on Worldwide’s

RIB and £400. The second place team will win £200 with £100 for the third place

team.

Kate Whetter of

Cornwall Learning Education Business Partnership said: “This is a fun and

interactive way for the students to learn about the world of finance and

investment.

“It’s been a great

success over the last three years with many twists and I’m sure this year will

be no different.”

For more

information on Worldwide Financial Planning please contact Peter McGahan on

01208 816667 or visit www.wwfp.net.