Green Dragons' Den - Winners Announced!
On Saturday 21st April, students from across Scotland arrived at People & Planet’s Green Ideas Den, ready to pitch their ideas to make their colleges more sustainable to our ‘Green Dragons’ - Robin Parker, President of NUS Scotland, Hamira Khan, Chief Executive of the Scottish Youth Parliament, Reuben Chesters, winner of the Young Scottish Green List 2012, and Sharon McAllister, head of Entrepreneurship at Jewel and Esk College, and contestant on The Apprentice. After hours of deliberation, the Dragons selected 13 entries to support…
Students from Elmwood College, winners of £350 in the Green Dragons Den
Overall Winners
These were the projects which most impressed the dragons
- Enterprise Learning Community, Elmwood College This project so impressed the dragons that they awarded it their top prize of £350 towards a new polytunnel. Read their project proposal below
Elmwood College’s Horticultural Department as an Enterprise Learning Community running alongside its rural skills course for school students. There are currently six high schools involved in this project. The school students grow plants for use on their school grounds at at other community projects they wish to support They organise plant sales and raise money for projects and charities. For example the students grow thousands of wildflowers in cell trays then organise eco days within their schools where they lead classes of pupils planting bee corridors in the school grounds. They would like to have more polytunnels for plants allowing the project to grow and meet demand
Landscape Students at Angus College These students received £300 towards their ‘Soup to Seed’ project to develop a wormery and vegetable patch to allow students to eat more healthily, and save the planet at the same time.
Introduction to Landbased industries at Borders College The dragons loved this project to make and sell briquettes out of waste paper, and have awarded to group £300 to develop the idea into a social enterprise.
Runners-up
These projects will all receive funding of between £100 - £150
Jewel and Esk College’s General Preparation Class - £150 for their potato growing kits
NQ Fashion Retailing students from Dundee College - £150 for a trip to an upcycling social enterprise and new clothing rails
Anniesland College Engineering Students - £125 towards their efficient lighting pilot study
The Green Dragons hearing some pitches
Bethany Gale and Marta Slonka from Cardonald College - £125 towards training in how to campaign on campus
Students at Cumbernauld College - £100 towards their wildlife garden
Intermediate Education and Childcare class from Coatbridge College £100 for a trip to an upcycling social enterprise
Jewel and Esk Students’ Association - £100 towards their allotment project
John Wheatley Hospitality and Catering Students - £100 towards their herb garden
Patrick Neville from Aberdeen College - £100 towards the gardening project, and help in applying for further funding
‘Special Mention’ projects
These projects have been offered special support by our Green Dragons
Katarina Mcpake, Coatbridge College
Robin Parker, President of NUS Scotland, is arranging to meet with Katarina and the principal of her college to discuss her idea for a bike hire scheme.
Reuben Chesters, winner of the Young Scottish Green List 2012 is going to hep Katarina to apply for further funding for the project.
Intermediate 1 Care Students, Dumfries and Galloway College
- Hamira Khan, Chief Executive of the Scottish Youth Parliament, has offered to support this project by arranging meetings with local politicians, and helping the students to lobby Costa Coffee
