Primary school children make the perfect pitch in the Fox's Lair!

Pupils could make a packet out of their novel idea to recycle old crisp bags and turn them into must-have accessories.

Youngsters at Rowlatts Hill Primary in Leicester came up with their business idea when they discovered crisp packets could not be recycled. They collected them, cleaned them and turned them into pencil cases that were sold to classmates.



The seven year olds were invited to De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) to make a pitch in front of judges from the Fox’s Lair – the university’s award-winning scheme for entrepreneurial students.

The Foxes are leading business entrepreneurs who come from a range of industries. The Rowlatts Hill pupils presented to Phil Bateman of Lloyds TSB, Leicester Riders commercial manager Ian Davidson, management consultant Lollie Tuckey and newspaper publisher David Simms.

Yasmin Ibrahim, Uzair Aswat, Sanchezo Lukac, Liberty Cork, Liam Patel and Rajan Odedra, all year two pupils, explained their concept in a pitch which included a video they had made.

They asked the Foxes for £100 to buy bins to put around schools to put empty crisp packets in which the team could collect and use. It takes them three hours to make each product and there is a waiting list for them at school.

Mr Bateman said: “If you came in to see me or my colleagues at the bank you would get the money because it’s such a good idea.”

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David Simms, publisher of the Leicester Mercury, told them: “You were absolutely incredible. Ingenious. Well done.”

Rowlatts Hill head teacher Jay Virk, who is one of the Foxes, brought the pupils in after telling Fox’s Lair organiser and business lecturer Edwina Goodwin how they had won a school contest.

She said: “We had a Dragons’ Den-style competition in school and they won so I asked Edwina if we could come and present to the Foxes. I’m very proud of them. It’s a huge skill to be able to present and be confident and work as a team.”
 
Rajan said: “It was good. I did the computer presentation.”