Lifetime’s Barnsley Businesses Inspiring Students project is really picking up pace as we head towards Christmas and 2016.

Horizon Community College was the first to take up the BBIS programme, which sees business people who hail from Barnsley or live and work in the town go into schools to deliver their ‘inspirational story’ to students.

The latest speaker to talk to Horizon’s Year 11 students was Barnsley FC chief executive Ben Mansford – and he was now been invited back in the New Year to speak to the Year 9s.

Now other schools are picking up the BBIS baton with real gusto. Holy Trinity have had speakers, including Stuart Turner, the owner of Japanese food company sushisushi.com, and Simon Biltcliffe, the inspiration behind print company Webmart.

Penistone Grammar School and Greenacre have also followed suit.

Andrew Painten, the director of Fluent Films Ltd, and Liz Paton, of Tarnished Studios, have both done talks at Penistone, while Amanda Heenan proved to be a smash hit as the first BBIS speaker at Greenacre.

Darton College and Kirk Balk are also contemplating inviting BBIS speakers, as are Barnsley College.