SCHOOLKIDS from Barrhead have been awarded a national accolade at the annual Social Enterprise in Education Award ceremony.

In its 12th year, the awards celebrate innovative young people right across Scotland who have been setting up businesses to tackle the social and environmental issues that matter to them.

St John’s Primary pupils received an award for their social enterprise community café and nail bar, which aimed to reduce isolation and loneliness and bring their community together, whilst St Luke’s had been supporting young mothers, local homeless charities and care homes through their social enterprise “Life to the Max”.

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At the ceremony, which took place on June 19, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney MSP, presented the two schools with their awards.

Laura Webster who oversees the Café Kids social enterprise, as well as teaching primary two pupils at St John’s told the Barrhead News that she was “really proud” of the pupils for the work that they put into their café.

“Our social enterprise involves primary six and seven pupils who work within the café and the primary sevens start doing application forms and interviews for the new P6 class - they then teach them the skills that they need,” she said. “It is a community café for everyone to be involved in.

“We are really proud of them - they put in a lot of work.”

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Stephen Jordan, who oversees the St Luke’s project and teaches at the school, added: “Life to the Max is run by a group of third year pupils as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award.

"They set up their own social enterprise project where they run a coffee stall. They have been raising money for young, single mothers and homeless charities.

“It is great because it develops their skills by working together and working with real money, working on their communication skills and problem solving - all the work-related skills with the values of charity added in.”