The winning team, back from left, Zoe Byrne, Harry Kinman, Hannah Hiley, Beth Cree and Lauren Keenan, are pictured with, front from left, Janet Warren, member of Midcounties’ Environmental Steering Group, Peter Forsey, Head of Sixth Form at Campion School and David Hughes, Business Class Manager, Business in the Community.

Students at a Leamington school switched on their creativity to come up with energy reduction ideas and pitch them to a Dragon’s Den-style panel.

Some 60 Year 10 pupils at Campion School took part in the World of Work Enterprise Day organised by community retailer The Midcounties Co-operative.

They were challenged to devise a campaign to raise awareness on how to reduce energy usage in the workplace. They worked in teams supported by volunteers from Midcounties to tackle the issue and say how they would target, communicate and evaluate their campaign.

The ideas were presented to a panel of judges from Campion and Midcounties. All participants received a Fairtrade goodie bag and the winners, the Economic Energisers team, were presented with a key ring solar torch and will have their idea featured on the Co-operative Energy website.

Peter Forsey, Head of Sixth Form, said: “It was a well organised day which the students enjoyed. They gained valuable enterprise and presentation skills. Everyone put together a well thought out and developed presentation. Such experience will help them in the future when they attend job and university interviews.”

Midcounties Community Manager Barbara Dunne said: “We wanted to set a practical exercise to get the students to think about a real business situation and to work together. They all rose to the challenge and came up with some great ideas.

“It was also a chance for us to highlight the International Year of Co-operatives which is all about working together for a better future.

“At Midcounties we are determined to reduce our environmental impact, to cut our CO2 emissions by five per cent and to find nearly £380,000 a year in energy savings across the business.”

Eight volunteers from Midcounties’ energy, environment and community teams took part in the day. The Society has linked up with Campion School through Business in the Community and gets involved in projects and shares its expertise and skills with the school.

Midcounties has an extensive colleague volunteer programme that provides assistance where it is needed in the communities where it trades. Each colleague can spend up to three days a year on volunteering activity as part of their paid work time.