14th January 2008 More Businesses onboard to Make £5 Blossom
11 more blossoming partnerships have been set up between Rotherham Primary schools and local businesses, thanks to the ongoing success of Rotherham Ready’s ‘Make £5 Blossom’ scheme.
The scheme launched in October 2007 and involves companies loaning £150 to a class of eager pupils. Pupils use an initial investment of £5 each to launch their business within school, working individually or in groups.
Pupils decide what they sell, where they sell it and to whom, before checking the profits and presenting their final results.
Since ‘Make £5 Blossom’ launched, primary school youngsters from across Rotherham have been turning over high profits with their investments.
Blackburn Primary pupils invested their loan from UK Steel Enterprise into buying books at a discounted rate and re-selling them to make a profit. The total amount raised so far is £285 with all proceeds going to the Rotherham Hospice Fund.
Paul Swift, the Rotherham Ready trained Enterprise Champion for Blackburn Primary, worked closely with the students and said:
“Children clearly felt the ‘buzz’ that engagement in a worthwhile activity generates. It was a delight to witness the conversation betweenY5/6 pupils and younger children who needed help in choosing from the vast range of books and in handling the money.”
Parkgate Shopping, AESSeal, Maple Leaf Bakery and Corus are some of the companies involved in this next phase of the scheme and Billy Smith, Operations Manager of Parkgate Shopping said:
“We are very pleased to be involved in a scheme that could lead to a more prosperous Rotherham.”
This second phase of the scheme was launched at an event at Rotherham Town Hall on 14 January. Representatives from Rotherham’s local businesses and schools heard pupils from St Mary’s Primary talk about their experiences of using their £150 to run a school disco.
The event also included the management of a crèche and a cafe.
One pupil from St Mary’s School said:
“We had to think on our feet to ensure the business worked and the satisfaction came from being in charge and using our initiative. For example, at one point no one was buying hot drinks so we offered table service.”
Rotherham Ready is widely acknowledged as leading the way in enterprise education in the UK and is also attracting international interest. The programme is unique in that it targets children as young as four-years-old and provides the link between school and the real world of work, while encouraging business skills, confidence and creativity.
Rotherham Ready’s ‘Make £5 Blossom’ scheme.
the scheme and Billy Smith, Operations Manager of Parkgate Shopping said:
