We had the pleasure of hosting Old Oratorian Adejare Doherty (OS 1994-1999) last Tuesday as part of our Loquitur Series, aimed at our L6 formers.

Adejare is a Business Owner and Consultant. He trained as a Barrister, and while travelling found that there was a huge gap in sustainable products globally.

In 2007, he became co-founder and CEO of The Wholeleaf Company, a global sustainable products company. The company makes plates and bowls out of naturally shed palm leaves, using a low-energy, chemical-free process. The items produced are vastly superior to any other type of disposable tableware item in every way. They are stronger, more versatile, more attractive and yet completely harmless to the environment and the people who make them. As Adejare said to our pupils: “it is absolute proof that natural products are better than 100 per cent man-made.” They supply their disposable tableware to large wholesalers, caterers, and also sell direct to consumers online. Some of their customers include the Soho House Group and more locally, The Crooked Billet.

As a result of his success, Adejare appeared on BBCs Dragon’s Den in 2009 and was runner up in a UK business competition run by HSBC, beating thousands of UK businesses. He has also appeared in a variety of media outlets including the business section of The Telegraph.

The talk was very timely, as single-use items like plastic cutlery, plates and trays were legally banned for takeaway food in England as of 1 October 2023.

Our pupils were actively participating and enjoyed asking Adejare about his time at The Oratory School, his studies, his passion for sustainability, and most importantly, what was it like to be in front of the Dragons?!

If you are interested in giving a talk to our pupils, please do get in touch : community@oratory.co.uk