The Mayor of London’s Peer Outreach Team hosted the London Regional Final of the Young Consumers of the Year competition on Friday 6th October at London’s City Hall.

Young Consumers of the Year was developed as a trading standards educational initiative to help equip young people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to make well informed choices and enforce their rights.

Seven teams, from across the London Trading Standards region and beyond, battled it out. There were four challenges in the morning session and then a quiz in the afternoon bringing the day to a climax when Lampton School from Hounslow, narrowly beat Wrotham School from Kent.

The morning challenges were based on answering real consumer problems involving defective goods and services, a financial credit application and organising a publicity campaign about the dangers of misuse of fireworks. Not an easy start to anyone’s day, let alone students ranging in age from just 14 to 17!

Quiz Master Charlie Higson

The quiz in the afternoon was overseen by celebrity quiz master Charlie Higson, successful actor comedian, author and writer for television and radio.

This was closely and keenly fought through semi-finals and a final, with a combination of direct questions and fastest on the buzzer rounds covering consumer rights, safety, healthy eating, social responsibility, the environment, money matters and travel. The scores from the morning were combined with the quiz scores before the finalists were chosen.

The event was organised by Janice Chisholm of Islington Trading Standards and Chris Armstrong, Secretary of Greater London Branch. Supporting were Members of the Greater London Branch and College of Fellows from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI).

Sponsorship was also provided by Experian the credit advisory company, Which? Trusted Traders and Truecall the telephone scam stoppers.

Citizens Advice staff and the local representative from Experian came along to assist with the morning challenges.

Participants and winners:

• Lampton School, Hounslow – Winners – £500 cheque for the school and individual vouchers of £50 for the contestants
• Wrotham School, Kent – Runners up – £200 cheque for the School and individual vouchers worth £25
• Lewisham Police Cadets – finalists
• The Lynk Up Crew, Mayor of London’s Peer Outreach Team – finalists
• Islington Police Cadets
• St Pauls Academy, Greenwich
• Harris Academies

All participating contestants received vouchers and certificates.

The winning team from Lampton School, Hounslow