Students at Shireland CBSO Academy have used £85 of the profits from their student-run business, Happiness is Handmade, to buy food and other essentials from their local Lidl store for the school’s foodbank.
Happiness is Handmade began in July 2025 as an after-school Enterprise Club, supported by teachers and funded initially through a £400 start-up loan from the Principal. The students developed their own brand, launched an Etsy shop and created a range of products including stationery, portable games and customisable items.
The group meets weekly to design, test and refine their products, while developing practical skills in marketing, budgeting and product development. Profits from sales are reinvested into the business to support further product development, with some also being used to support local causes. The students are now planning to expand their product range and explore new opportunities and events to sell their products.
The decision to use £85 of their profits to support the school foodbank gave the students an opportunity to put their enterprise skills into practice while supporting others in their school community.
School Principal, David Green, said: “Enterprise is about far more than learning how to run a business. It gives young people the confidence to take an idea, make decisions, learn from setbacks and understand the impact they can have beyond themselves.
“What makes this particularly valuable is that our students have seen how the skills they develop can be used to make a difference to others. By supporting our foodbank, they have connected their learning with a real need within their community, and that sense of purpose is something we want every student to develop.”
The project continues to give students first-hand experience of running a business while helping them understand how enterprise can have a wider impact on their school and local community.
