Schools Role of Honour - 2011 Awards

To become a Social Enterprise School, schools must submit a living business plan, demonstrate that they are trading, are sustainable, and that their profits are being used for a social cause at home or abroad. Many of the young people involved have had to apply for the posts in their enterprises and all have been involved in running different aspects of their social businesses.

During 2010/11 we awarded the following schools for their socially enterprise activities. In June 2012 we will award this year's young social entrepreneurs.

Armadale Primary, West Lothian

Pupils from Armadale Primary brought generations together by seting up a social enterprise to create a local history book, capturing the stories and memories of their community’s older population. The 500 enterprising pupils aged between 3 and 12 interviewed local residents, collecting and recording their stories in a fascinating book. There are plans afoot to use profits to expand the business to two books a year with extra profit given to charities for elderly people.

Auchenlodment Primary, Renfrewshire

The pupils from Auchenlodment Primary – some as young as 3 - have established themselves as environment entrepreneurs by regenerating local woodland next to their school. The pupils began by clearing a whopping 140 black bags of rubbish and got expert advice from the Forestry Commission and the RSPB to bring the woods back to their former glory. They now run themed walks for the benefit of the whole community and use the space as an outdoor classroom. All profits from the walks are re-invested in the project and in the future they hope to be able to install solar powered lighting and a solar powered generator.

Banchory Academy, Aberdeenshire

Pupils at Banchory Academy tapped into local social enterprises and employers to devise ways to best promote and sell their arts and crafts. The group now run regular events selling their handmade Christmas decorations, friendship bracelets and Easter gifts. Profits are reinvested in the raw materials necessary for production with any surplus donated to charity. This Banchory social enterprise naturally develops the business skills of its entrepreneurs as they look to enter the world of work.

Bishopbriggs Academy, East Dunbartonshire

The motto of Bishopbriggs Academy is “Education, Inspiring, Empowering” and it’s new social enterprise is doing just that through it’s new, early morning cafe. The Academy’s first year pupils  are building the school community by running the cafe for both pupils and teachers between 8.15 and 8.45 each day. They use fair trade products and take turns to come into school early. Profits from their enterprise support charity and the development of the business.

Crosshouse Primary, South Lanarkshire

A group at Crosshouse Primary School developed an interest in citizenship, social justice and ethical business and were looking for a business idea that would tie these elements together. After carrying out market research the group uncovered a high demand for stationary amongst their peers. With support from ethical stationary suppliers, Wild Hearts in Action, these South Lanarkshire entrepreneurs have set up very popular weekly shop, the profits of which provide small business loans to people in the developing world.

Hill Of Beath Primary School, Fife

The pupils from Hill of Beath in the Kingdom of Fife wanted to promote Healthy eating in their school. They targeted their existing tuck shop and reinvented it as a healthy eating shop. The tuck shop is open daily and staffed by a cooperative of 22 primary 6 and 7 pupils. The group’s emphasis on selling reasonably priced healthy food has been a hit with pupils, teachers and staff as has their commitment to limit their carbon footprint by focusing on foods with low air miles.

Kirkcudbright Academy, Dumfries and Galloway

Pupils at Kirkcudbright Academy are peddling a new model of business with their bicycle repair and recycle social enterprise. Old bicycles are donated by parents, teachers and pupils. These social entrepreneurs have also reduced waste going to landfill by building links with the local recycling centre, who reserve thrown away bikes for them. Reconditioned bikes are then sold back to the community for between £10 and £30 with supply often exceeding demand.

Kirkintilloch High School, East Dunbartonshire

The social enterprise at Kirkintilloch High School have helped to keep locals warm during the long, East Dumbartonshire winter by teaming up with grandparents and the elderly to make  “Super Scarves”.  The business makes the scarves from recycled materials and markets and sells them to the school and wider community. Profits from this enterprise are used to support local community groups.

Kirklandneuk Primary, Renfrewshire

Kirklandneuk Primary are leading the way as their local Renfrewshire Council aims to make its  young people ‘successful learners, effective contributors and responsible citizens’. Developing a healthy eating tuck shop, this enterprising primary want to encourage their classmates to make healthy eating choices. They also look to encourage responsible finance by using the shop’s profits to run a popular credit union.

Lesmahagow High School, South Lanarkshire

Pupils from Lesmahagow High School developed a passion for fair trade and were keen to raise awareness of trade justice by marketing and selling ethically produced foods and crafts. The pupils didn’t limit themselves to their school and looked to boost community awareness too by setting up a weekly street stall in Lesmahagow, distributing self-produced leaflets about fair trade and running competitions. Think global, act local.

Munlochy Primary, Highland

Munlochy Primary’s pupils were keen to switch on a light about fair trade and healthy eating in their Black Isle community’s minds. Their weekly shop has proven popular with pupils and staff alike who have been tempted to its till by the group slick advertising, including self-produced posters and even a jingle. The pupils have now expanded their business to sell fair trade teas and coffees at school events.

Our Lady of Peace Primary, Renfrewshire

Our Lady of Peace Primary have gained UK-wide recognition for their social enterprise, Eco-forms -  a uniform recycling enterprise run by pupils. With the help of the community this group collects, washes, irons and sells unwanted uniforms to parents and carers at competitive prices. Profits are used to support local charities and the world-famous micro-finance organisation KIVA.

Paisley Grammar School, Renfrewshire

Paisley has just got a little bit more glamorous. Pupils from Paisley Grammar School have set up a nail and beauty bar on campus with the mission and slogan of ‘Bringing Glamour to the Grammar’. This enterprise, however, doesn’t just aim for that.. It has a social mission. Its profits are used to provide free nail and beauty services to a local care home building community links.

Portlethen Primary, Aberdeenshire

Sitting only 7 miles from Aberdeen, Portlethen lacked a local cafe for residents to meet. The enterprising pupils at it’s local primary spotted a social enterprise oppourtunity and established ‘The Porty Cabin’. The cafe runs for a half-day, once a month and the profits it generates are invested in different charities and social causes that sit close to its workers hearts.

Quarter Primary, South Lanarkshire

Young social entrepreneurs at Quarter Primary have helped to turn their primary school into a social hub for their community in Hamilton. Pupils there have set up an events company which stages concerts and bingo afternoons for local residents – especially elderly groups. The group also find time to grow and sell their own vegetables. The enterprise’s uses its profits to help fund renovation work on the village’s play park.

St Fillan’s Primary, Renfrewshire

The young entrepreneurs at St Fillan’s Primary in Houstoun, Renfrewshire have struck gold by setting up a community fair trade cafe at their school. This primary school is already a thriving Eco School whose pupils look to reduce their impact on the environment wherever possible. Today it will also be officially recognised as a Social Enterprise School today for its enterprising approach to building its town’s community.

St Nicholas Primary, West Lothian

Pupils at St Nicholas Primary in Broxburn officially launched their fair trade café, Food for Thought, at the school last week with the help of multi millionaire and entrepreneur Shaf Rasul,  from Dragon’s Den Online. This social enterprise has high hopes for the future as they plan to take Food for Thought out into the community to serve vulnerable groups. Profits from the business will be used to provide further support to these groups and a sister school in Ghana. Showing great marketing awareness the pupils have set up a blog and twitter account and plan to expand the enterprise by producing branded, fair trade cotton bags.

Slammanan Primary, Falkirk

Primary 7’s at Slammanan Primary run a popular café which is very well supported by the whole community. The young people are involved in all aspects of the business and take up various jobs as waiting staff, accountants, chefs, servers and advertising executives. The profits from their enterprise helps to fund a local group called Indepen- Dance, who provide creative movement dance classes for people with diverse abilities, including those with disabilities.  

Strachur Primary, Argyll and Bute

Strachur Primary pupils run the event management social enterprise “The Hub” from their school on the banks of Loch Fyne. These busy pupils also run ‘Room 13’, an arts-based enterprise that produces art work for local events and craft fairs. To complete a trio of ethical enterprise these groups also help to produce the school newspaper “The 567 Express”.  Some of the profits from these activies are reinvested in the businesses with the remainder going to charities of the children’s choice.

Udston Primary, South Lanarkshire

The pupils at Udston began with the social purpose of creating a garden for their Hamilton community to enjoy.  To fund this aim they established a dynamic clothes re-cycling business that has already attracted attention from the media. With themed monthly collections such as ‘January Jumpers ‘, pupils, staff, and the wider community donate unwanted clothing which is sold on to a local recycling organisation. Plans for the garden are underway already, and the pupils are helped by a range of volunteers including ex prisoners.

Westerton Primary, East Dunbartonshire

From their school at the top of a South Bearsden hill, the pupils at Westerton Primary have been using social enterprise to spread the word about fair trade. Having established a popular fair trade cafe, these ethical entrepreneurs are looking to expand their social business by providing catering to school events. The profits from their hard work help to fund development work at a sister school in Malawi.