Junior Dragons’ Den

Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, together with support from local businesses are searching for Oldham’s next entrepreneur!

Teams made up of up to six pupils will be set a challenge to design an innovative gift, work out how to manufacture it and write a business plan. We will allocate each team a Business Mentor and a member of Dr Kershaw’s Fundraising Team who together, will support, guide and encourage them via team meetings and emails.

Teams will bring their gift idea and business plan to the Dragons’ Den in May/June and bid for a business start-up loan of £30. Once they have secured the loan, teams will purchase materials, make their gift and market and sell the product to their local communities. The overall winner will be the team that declares the most profit at the Grand Final in July, and there will also be runners-up for recognising skills in presentation and innovation.

All profits made will support patient care at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice.

Junior Dragons’ Den 2024 Highlights

Launched in May, schools were invited to put forward Teams of up to 6 pupils who were set a challenge to design an innovative gift, work out how to manufacture it, and write a business plan.

Each of the Teams presented their product and business plan to the Dragons’ Den in a bid for a business start-up loan of £30. Once secured, the teams purchased materials, produced their product, activated their marketing, and took the product to market to sell to their local communities.

24 Teams took part, producing an array of goods; from cupcakes, to personalised wooden keyrings, handmade paintings, bracelets and jewellery, candles and wax melts, to football maths workbooks, and so much more. Teams sold their goods in schools, at Fayres, and even had stalls in Spindles Shopping Centre. The quality of products and the enthusiasm and dedication from every child was outstanding!

The Grand Final was held at Oldham Events Centre, where each team presented once again to the Dragons with the results of their hard work. Our 8 Dragons included our very own CEO Adele Doherty; Luke Summers, Managing Director from Northern Pest Management; and Suzy Chapman, Business Innovation Advisor from the Oldham Pledge. With Frank Rothwell, local businessman and Oldham Athletic owner, in attendance to help deliver words of encouragement, support, and to present the prizes.

The standard was high and the Dragons deliberated the winners for quite some time. Every school took home a beautifully inscribed glass trophy, courtesy of sponsorship from Spindles, and a surprise family ticket for a game at Oldham Athletic for each child, courtesy of Frank Rothwell, and three winners were announced.

The overall winning Team, which declared the most profit, with a Net profit of £400, was Cromwell High School, Dukinfield. The ‘Boy Builders’ (pictured above) had produced beautifully crafted wooden keyrings with personalised inscriptions and had smashed the competition with their sales.

Runners up, for their skills in presentation, were Firbank Primary School, Royton, and the final award for ‘innovation’ went to Medlock Valley Community Primary School, Chadderton. School teachers shared how the initiative had helped the students with real life maths, develop new skills, make new friendships, and build confidence. 

A big thank you to all the volunteers and businesses who supported the competition. The initiative really caught the imaginations of all the schools involved, and will be an annual activity for the Hospice going forwards!

We are delighted to say that Junior Dragons’ Den raised £3,578.92 to support patient care at Dr Kershaw’s. We are truly grateful to each and everyone who took part, thank you for your support!

To see all the photos from the day, check out our Junior Dragons’ Den photo album on our Facebook page here.

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