Redbridge pupils impress with big ideas at social enterprise Dragons’ Den

Published: 03 June 2026 A group of eleven people stand together in a bright room with light blue walls and wooden flooring. The group includes several students in school uniforms and a few adults in professional attire.

Redbridge students showcased their creativity and community spirit at this year’s Social Enterprise Schools Dragons’ Den competition, hosted by the Social Enterprise Academy at City Gates Church in collaboration with Redbridge Connexions.

Six schools from across the borough went head‑to‑head, pitching their social enterprise ideas to a panel of industry experts. The ‘dragons’ included Smita Solanki from Careers Hub East, alongside Adrian Anthony and Ned Mitham from SAP.

Pupils presented a wide range of innovative concepts, from community flower‑making workshops promoting wellbeing, to accessibility‑focused “Bottle Buddy” lanyards, and reward‑based litter‑collection schemes designed to encourage pro‑social behaviour. The event offered students the chance to refine their business ideas, gain professional feedback, and build confidence in public speaking and entrepreneurship.

Fast Aid from Ilford County High School took the top prize, securing £100 for their winning pitch. Runners‑up Bloom Scrolling from Ursuline Academy received £75. A series of additional £50 category awards recognised standout achievements in sustainability, teamwork, branding, research, and strategy.

Participating schools included Little Heath School, Redbridge Home Tuition, Caterham High School, Ursuline Academy Ilford, Ilford County High School and Oaks Park High School

Now in its third year of funding from the London Borough of Redbridge, the programme supports Secondary, SEND and Alternative Provision schools, helping young people develop the skills and confidence to drive positive social impact.

Cllr Lloyd Duddridge, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “Our young people continue to impress with their creativity, confidence and commitment to improving their communities. The ideas presented today were thoughtful, ambitious and rooted in real‑world issues that matter to them. I’m incredibly proud of every student who took part, and grateful to the Social Enterprise Academy for providing such a powerful platform for their talent to shine.”

Will Crossley, Young People Development Lead (England & Wales) at the Social Enterprise Academy, said: “The standard of pitches and the level of detail in the young people’s planning was hugely impressive. Their passion for tackling the issues they see around them, and their determination to create meaningful solutions, really shone through.”

The Social Enterprise Academy provides transformational learning and development programmes for people and organisations working to drive social change. As a social enterprise, it supports individuals, teams and organisations to build sustainable businesses and increase their social impact.

Since September 2022, the Social Enterprise Academy has been supporting young people in England and Wales, engaging 65 schools and more than 1,000 young people across ten boroughs.

More information about the Social Enterprise Schools programme is available online.