Sale school joins scheme to supply families with zero-waste household products
Pupils at two more schools in Trafford are selling bubble bath, shower gel, hand soap and washing up liquid to family and friends – re-using plastic containers and saving on waste.
Pupils at Brooklands Primary School © Trafford Council
Brooklands Primary School in Sale and Davyhulme Primary School have joined Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s ECO Refill Shops network which combines enterprise skills and environmental awareness. The third wave of action follows shops set up by St Mary’s Church of England Primary School in Sale and Sale Grammar School in 2024 and 2025.
Brooklands and Davyhulme are among 19 schools across Greater Manchester to sign up – involving 239 children in a ‘refill revolution’ helping communities to discover the power of re-use and re-purposing more than 1,000 plastic containers. Under the scheme, devised by enterprise in education organisation Pupils Profit, pupils undergo training, decide on roles, present a business plan and run their shop at a profit.
Parents and community members bring empty containers to buy low-cost household products, chosen and stocked the children who tackle marketing and publicity, advise customers, handle cash and keep track of orders and supplies.
Helen Cunningham, eco lead at Brooklands Primary School, said: "The children have learned so many entrepreneurial skills, it’s fantastic, and we’re only just at the start of the journey. There’s a real buzz around this project."
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said: "We’re delighted to encourage our schools taking part in this great scheme – a fabulous way to think globally and act locally. Parents, guardians, families and friends are getting into good habits by re-using containers and children are developing a whole range of skills in addition to their usual curriculum studies."
