From the Council:

Children at Orrishmere Primary School in Cheadle Hulme won first prize in the Stockport Young Entrepreneurs competition for the second year running. The children ran a company called ‘The Money Tree’ which gave out micro loans of £2 and challenged pupils to make as much money as they could. Children gave half of their profits and the £2 loan back to the school. The profits amounted to over £1,000! They received their trophy from Ruth Badger runner-up in the BBC TV series The Apprentice. Ms Badger is treating the winners to a business lunch at one of Manchester’s top restaurants. Runners up were Queens Road Primary School’s ‘Clock Clickerz’ who worked with their business mentor Phil Millar from Creative Apparel in Cheadle to design and produce personalised clocks.The best trade stand at the final, voted for by other children at the event, was Cheadle Heath Primary School’s ‘Pom Pom Pets’ who produced pom pom animals, complete with adoption certificates.

Over 250 children, some as young as seven, from 15 schools, were given £500 through extended schools funding to set-up and run a small business. They did their own market research and designed, produced, advertised and sold a product. Each child had a role within the ‘company’ such as finance director or marketing manager. Every school was supported by a business mentor – a local businessperson – who generously gave their time and expertise to help the pupils.

The finale, in front of over 600 people at Stockport Town Hall, was in the style of the Dragon’s Den. The children ran trade stands displaying their products with the school’s business links acting as ‘Dragons’ interviewing and judging them on criteria such as originality of design.

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