It is one thing to talk about the future of design, but it is another to get in the room and help the next generation find their place in it. For me, building a stronger creative community starts with opening doors for young talent and showing them exactly where a career in design can take them.I recently had the pleasure of representing We Are Fred as a mentor at the Brandland Creative Futures event, getting to go back to the place that really helped launch my creative career, Norwich University of the Arts.

‍The afternoon saw GCSE students from North Walsham High School and City of Norwich School tackle an ambitious branding brief for Brick Pizza. The task was far from simple: createa brand new sub-brand from scratch, encompassing naming, positioning, logo and even the physical pizza box packaging.The team I mentored blew me away with their concept: 'Pizzanopoly'. Inspired by the nostalgia of Friday nights at home playing board games with the family, they designed the pizza box to actually function as a playable game.

It was a brilliant bit of lateral thinking, topped off with a clever slogan: “Take a slice and roll the dice.”Watching these students navigate brand positioning and pitch their concepts come to life in such a pressured timeframe was extremely inspiring. My highlight was the opportunity to guide their strategic thinking while giving them the total freedom to explore and visualise their own unique ideas, knowing what it was like to be in their shoes at that age.A huge thank you to Andy Judd, Martin Schooley, and Robert Jones for organising and hosting such an impactful initiative. Special thanks also to the judges, Anika Ramani and Robert Jones, for providing the kind of high-level industry expertise that truly elevates these workshops.

It was also fantastic to catch up with my peers in the room and meet so many new faces dedicated to the same goal of nurturing local talent. I am already looking forward to seeing the students' work showcased in the exhibition this June!