Youngsters at St Francis Xavier’s Primary School turned sweets into cash to support Falkirk Foodbank.

The Bainsford school’s Primary 7 pupils recently took part in a Dragon’s Den event at Larbert High School were they were given the opportunity to present their social enterprise idea to other schools and to a panel of Dragons.

Pupils were awarded £100 seed money to fund their idea and start their business with the St Francis children deciding that in the long term they would like to use the money to start a Fairtrade café in the school. However, they wanted to use the £100 initially to fund a small enterprise that would make a quicker, larger profit which they could donate to the Falkirk Foodbank.

Principal teacher Laura McQuade said the youngsters realised that in December and January there was a high demand on the food bank.

St Francis Xavier's RC Primary School, Faith and Action group handing over a cheque for £150 they raised doing various activities. Pic: Michael Gillen

placeholder image — St Francis Xavier's RC Primary School, Faith and Action group handing over a cheque for £150 they raised doing various activities. Pic: Michael Gillen

They used their £100 to make novelty chocolate snowmen and sold them at the school’s winter fayre making a profit of £150 which earlier this week they handed over to the food bank at its base in Tamfourhill Industrial Estate.

The pupils now intend to use their £100 seed money to start a Fairtrade café, from which a portion of the profits will be donated to the food bank each month.

There was also support for Falkirk Foodbank from the Primary 5 pupils who organised a food collection throughout the month of December and were able to donate 183kg of food before Christmas from the entire school community.