Welsh rugby stars’ coffee company donates enterprise education packs to schools

Gower-based coffee company FabFour Coffee, which is run by four Welsh rugby legends, is supporting enterprise education in Wales by partnering with primary schools to deliver ‘The Bumbles of Honeywood’ skills programme. Created by 2B Enterprising Ltd, it is a suite of bilingual resources mapped to the national curriculum to help primary schools embed enterprise skills into their day-to-day learning.  Shane Williams, James Hook, Mike Phillips and Lee Byrne have each selected a school to support and are looking forward to sharing their own experience of enterprise development with young people in Wales.

The schools they are supporting are: Bancyfelin Primary School, Carmarthen (Mike Phillips); Newton Primary School, Mumbles (James Hook); Brynamman Primary School (Shane Williams) and St Mary’s Catholic School, Llanelli (Lee Byrne).

2B Enterprising is a Swansea-headquartered organisation that has created the first bilingual enterprise skills programme for school. The Bumbles of Honeywood programme has been developed by entrepreneurial business leaders and experienced educators with extensive input from teachers. Designed to fit with the Welsh curriculum, the programme has a strong environmental message and aims to nurture enterprise skills in pupils from a young age, equipping them for success in the workplace and in business.

The programme is built around a series of beautifully illustrated books and interactive extension activities that explore the environmental plight of the honeybee and help children develop skills such as resilience, problem solving, leadership, communication and teamwork.

FabFour Coffee was founded by four friends: former Wales and British & Irish Lions players Mike Phillips, James Hook, Shane Williams and Lee Byrne. With a combined 308 Welsh caps and 10 British and Irish Lions appearances, they amassed 742 points for Wales, earning the nickname ‘Fab Four’ when they starred together for Ospreys, Wales and the Lions.

All four have a passion for coffee, so they founded their business with the aim of creating great tasting coffee, keeping their long-standing friendship intact and making a contribution to worthy causes. Its official charity partner is Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, but the team were on the lookout for further good causes to support. By partnering with2B Enterprising they hope to have a positive impact on children’s education and equip them with essential skills for the future.

James Hook said:

“When we learnt about 2B Enterprising’s The Bumbles of Honeywood programme we saw that it offered a unique way to nurture some of the skills that have been so important to us in sport and in business – the ability to lead, collaborate, be resilient and determined, and to solve problems. We decided to help support enterprise education by partnering with four schools, and we each look forward to visiting to talk to the children about the important skills they need for their future.”

2BEnterprising founder Sue Poole added:

“We’re delighted that FabFour Coffee are supporting enterprise education in schools through The Bumbles of Honeywood programme. Shane, James, Mike and Lee are great role models who really embody the enterprise skills taught by 2B Enterprising. By partnering with these schools they are helping to equip children with important skills for the future that will benefit them in life and in work.”