The Prince's Trust

Every year our Lower Sixth students are given the opportunity to take part in the Queen Margaret's Prince's Trust (QMPT) scheme. Not only is this scheme an opportunity for our girls to unleash their inner entrepreneur, but it is an amazing chance to raise money for the Prince's Trust, a charity which works to help vulnerable young people to get into education, training and jobs.

Two teams operate each year, one in the Autumn Term and one in the Spring Term. Each team must form a business to sell products, services and run events with the aim of making as much profit as possible. All money raised is then donated to the Prince's Trust. Last week, this year's teams presented their successes, and their learnings, to an audience of staff and students.

'QMPT Queen' was the first team set up and operated in the Autumn Term. The team designed a logo and appointed members to roles including Managing Director, Marketing Manager and Finance Manager. Their business endeavours included a bake sale, selling sweets to 120 people at Fun Song, arranging a Christmas Party in The Wenlock Library and selling 55 pairs of personalised tracksuit bottoms. QMPT Queen raised a fantastic total of £1926.52 for the Prince's Trust. The QMPT Queen team members found their biggest learnings to be team work, understanding the operations of a business, how to communicate effectively and how to work in a high-pressure environment.

'QMPT Cupid' began trading in the Spring Term. Like QMPT Queen, they were quick to identify the strengths of each team member and created roles including Market Researcher, IT Manager and Production Manager. The team carried out surveys amongst students to establish what demand there would be for certain products and then went on to negotiate with suppliers in order to source them. Both teams found Instagram was a powerful tool in promoting their products to other students. QMPT Cupid sold tote bags, personalised pyjama bottoms and sweet bags, making a super £1742.42 profit overall - the QMPT Cupid girls all agreed it was an excellent learning experience.

A total of £3668.94 has been raised for the Prince's Trust through the QMPT teams' ambitious business plans. Well done to all of the girls involved.