Ex-Berkhamsted School pupil asks Government for £13.8m to fund 'pointless' ferry company

When former Berkhamsted School pupil Ellie Daghlian learned her career loan would be axed, she came up with a novel way to keep her finances afloat.
Ellie DaghlianEllie Daghlian
Ellie Daghlian

The 23 year old, of Great Gaddesden, did what any self-respecting student would do – she set up a “pointless” ferry company and petitioned the Government to give her £13.8million.

And Ellie has even taken to YouTube to make her funding appeal for Another Company Without Ferries Ltd which she filmed outside the Houses of Parliament – hoping the money that was going to Seaborne Freight could be redirected her way.

But there is a serious message behind her tongue-in-cheek posting as Ellie hopes to attend the School of Communication Arts 2.0 in September, where she will receive the training she needs for a job in advertising.

Ellie DaghlianEllie Daghlian
Ellie Daghlian

Ellie said: “The Government has these ridiculous spending priorities. Where they can cut a really vital piece of funding – yet be happy to throw £13.8million on a ferry company without even checking if it has any ferries. It’s disgusting, to be honest.”

After learning the Minister for Transport was willing to give £13.8million to Seaborne Freight, a ferry company without ferries, that was when Ellie decided to start her own company.

She is petitioning the Government to give her company the money that was going to go to Seaborne Freight, so she can turn it into a social enterprise, keeping students afloat without the loan.

“When you remove schemes like the Career Development Loan you have a huge, negative impact on social mobility,” she said.

“You make sure these opportunities are only an option for those coming from a family who can afford to help them out.”

As of 2014, the Career Development Loan has enabled more than 304,000 people to improve their employability, through technical or management training, diplomas and specialist courses.

No alternative funding has been put in its place.

The Government closed the scheme in January, forcing her to look for alternative funding.

You can sign the petition here: http://chng.it/WSRKYXQwBR

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