Two mums from Bournemouth have created some promotional items to help raise cash for local schools.
Kirsty Sedgwick and Hayley Parfett, who both have children at Hayeswood First School in Colehill, came up with their School Mug Scheme when they learnt that the school had to stop swimming lessons because of funding cuts, reports the Bournemouth Daily Echo.
Their idea is simple: get some branded items, like promotional mugs and printed keyrings, and print children's' self-portraits onto them.
They then sell them to parents and give £2 back to the school association for each promotional product sold.
It's a great way to raise some much-needed money for schools and give parents something to remember their children by.
Parents bought more than 300 promotional mugs, it was reported, helping pay for school trips, drum courses and building a garden pond.
Kirsty, who has two children, Daisy, seven, and George, four, told the newspaper she and Hayley were "just two mums" who came together and came up with a great business idea.
"We just got our heads together and wanted to raise money for our school," she said.
"Because of the cut backs we do feel that every Parent Teacher Association is always trying to think of ways to raise money, and with this you get a unique keepsake rather than just handing over the money."
The pair work in Hayley's garage for hours at a time, trimming the children's artwork and using a heat press to produce the promotional merchandise.
Kirsty said: "I think as a parent it is really nice to have something my son has drawn."
Now a host of schools and nurseries in Bournemouth are interested in the scheme, wanting items like promotional bags, printed keyrings and chopping boards.
"Colehill mums get creative to raise cash for schools". Bournemouth Daily Echo.