BUSINESSES and charities attended a breakfast meeting organised by sixth form students.

Members of the business community in Harwich gathered at the Cliff Hotel, in Marine Parade, yesterday for a networking event.

Second-year A-Level students from the Harwich School arranged the day and organised speakers, including headteacher Nigel Mountford and Rachenda Smith, of Colchester-based Mosaic Publicity.

Mr Mountford said: “I am passionate about making the Harwich School a true community school.

“I am proud of the school and I want to make the community proud of the school.

“Sometimes I feel Harwich doesn’t shout enough about what it can do and its successes.

“Harwich can achieve so much more.”

He said the idea of the event was to forge links with local businesses to help students.

Hilary Sellens, employment engagement co-ordinator for Tendring and Colchester, who also spoke at the meeting, said: “The percentage of young people in Essex not in education is eight per cent. We are very concerned about that.

“In Tendring, it is at best 10 per cent and at worst 16 per cent. That equates to up to 500 young people either not in employment or with no post-16 course to go to.”

Lucy Proctor, 18, a second-year A-Level student at the school, said: “We are really pleased with how it went.”