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.

A group of youngsters in West Yorkshire have been spreading the Fairtrade message with some promotional keyrings they've created.

Pupils at Springwood Primary School, Bradford, created the snazzy printed keyrings as part of their school's three-week initiative to promote the importance of fair trade in developing countries, reports the Bradford & District Advertiser.

Springwood was one of the first schools in West Yorkshire to be granted Fairtrade status three years ago.

As part of the project, the busy little team of six pupils created promotional items, ran a chocolate and bun shop and hosted a tea party.

Learning mentor Susan Little told the newspaper: "It's important they realise not all children are as fortunate as they are.

"Our children are very interested in children in other countries, particularly where school isn't available to all."

Great news this – and a fantastic example of how promotional products can be used to spread positive messages and raise awareness.

Have you thought about how you could use printed products as part of your school initiatives?

Posted by Carl Blackshaw

While it is popular to come up with some high-falutin' concept for a merchandise campaign, Bristol University has looked somewhere a little different for its latest project – its history and heritage.

The institution, which was founded in 1876, has launched a new range of promotional mugs featuring iconic buildings and symbols connected to its history.

Susan Taylor, a local artist, was commissioned to come up with two designs to celebrate the history and popularity of the university.

One features Bristol Students' Union's sweeping staircase and the other incorporates key images associated with the university and the city – including halls of residence and The Victoria Rooms – where the first conversation about the formation of the university took place.

Leanne Bramall, merchandise co-ordinator at the University of Bristol's Students' Union, said: "We first introduced the tea towel just before Christmas and it's proved to be really popular.

"Susan's wonderful design has lent itself well to the mugs too, which make a great souvenir and showcase just how many of the city's sights are linked to the university."

The promotional mugs will go on sale at the Students' Union – a great way to use branded merchandise to raise some cash.

"Fancy a cuppa? New mugs available in Icon Range". www.bristol.ac.uk.

Posted by Carl Blackshaw

A firm has used promotional products to help it drive a campaign to encourage its staff to save energy.

The company, Western Power Distribution, launched a competition in which school children were asked to devise a simple energy-saving design and slogan that could be used in all its depots and offices across the UK, reports Wales Online.

It was part of a wider campaign to reduce on-site energy usage, urging staff to turn off lights and power down computers.

Siobhan Pocock, from Afon Taf High School in Merthyr Tydfil won the competition, claiming £500 for her school, a promotional bag for herself and a framed print of her design.

The 13-year-old said she hoped the poster would encourage people to switch off lights to save energy, which was important both to save money and for the environment.

Posters are now on display to more than 6,200 WPD staff.

Cliff Smith, head teacher at Afon Taf High School, told Wales Online: "It's really nice to recognise a pupil's achievement; it lifts their morale and the school's morale.

"Siobhan was highly delighted with the fact that she won the competition for designing the best poster."

"Schoolgirl’s poster wins job of urging staff to help save energy". Wales Online.

Posted by Carl Blackshaw

Have you thought about the part promotional products could play in councils' community health initiatives?

Promotional mugs, printed pens and branded keyrings are all great ways of generating interest in such campaigns.

Take a recent initiative run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and transport charity Sustrans to get children interested in cycling.

A competition in schools was launched to write a letter Stoke-on-Trent's lord mayor, describing their ideas to get more people to travel to school by bike.

The winner was 11-year-old Thomas Hollins, from Eaton Park Primary School, who suggested a bike hire system.

Thomas won a bike and helmet and the runners-up were all presented with cycling-themed promotional bags as a reward for entering the competition.

The mayor, Terry Follows, told This is Staffordshire: "We received a number of fantastic ideas which made it really difficult to decide on an overall winner.

"I want to offer my congratulations to Thomas and the other winners."

"Pupils aim to give pedal power a push". This is Staffordshire. 

Posted by Cheryl Jackson-Leafield

Promotional bags will be given out to families attending a birdwatching event in Newmarket later this month.

The organisers of the day, the RSPB, are to make effective use of promotional items for the free day at a nature reserve in Lakenheath.

Designed to commemorate the anniversary of the charity's Big Garden Birdwatch, the free event will see a range of indoor and outdoor activities taking place all aimed at getting people more interested in birdwatching.

Guests at the drop-in event on Sunday, January 22, will also get guidance on identifying some common garden visitors, with all the youngsters taking part receiving a goody bag.

David White, information officer at the reserve, told Cambridge News: "This event is a great way to learn more about the Big Garden Birdwatch.

"You can learn how to take part and even to identify some of those pesky birds you only ever seem to get glimpses of."

"Watch birdies for free". Cambridge News. 

Posted by Cheryl Jackson-Leafield

E-learning is becoming an increasingly popular teaching platform in schools, colleges and universities across the country.

It's taken a while to catch on, perhaps – after some initial scepticism, but now many places are opening up to the possibilities of switching learning tools, resources and teacher and tutor contact online.

E-learning systems enable education providers to store huge amounts of information in one single place, they allow students to work more flexibly, and they allow those students to enjoy greater contact with their teachers, lecturers and support staff.

According to Grainne Conole, director of the Beyond Distance Research Alliance at the University of Leicester, e-learning programmes offer a "huge potential".

"They enable learners and teachers to connect, communicate and access information in an unprecedented way," she said.

"For example, through tools like Twitter you can get access to a global network of peers and get advice, links and answers to queries in amazing ways."

Opting for a complete overhaul of how you offer learning tools is always going to be a difficult task – there's a lot to think about, from buying in new equipment to whether students and staff will actually take to it.

One way to ease the transition is to use some promotional merchandise – equip your students and teachers with some printed USBs with your school or uni logo printed on. They'll be able to use the USB stick to store documents on, using the branded merchandise at home, in school and on the go.

Posted by Carl Blackshaw

A group of school pupils in Staffordshire are using a promotional mug as the core business idea they hope will help them win an Apprentice-style competition.

Young entrepreneurs from the de Ferrers Academy Sixth Form, in Horninglow, have entered this year's Young Enterprise competition, in which young people run their own companies for a year, the Burton Mail reports.

They've called their venture Qualitea and for their entry they've have come up with the concept of creating a humorous printed mug which also holds biscuits.

The year 13 students, who all study business, are really proud of the idea. They've managed to raise nearly £100 to put toward the project by running Christmas fairs in their community.

Hamza Orta, 16, who is managing director of Qualitea, told the newspaper: "After lots of brainstorming, we finally thought of a funny mug that holds biscuits.

"We think it's a great product because it’s something that everyone can enjoy and it makes a great, fun present."

"Cuppa team are hoping to make mugs of rivals". Burton Mail. Saturday December 17th 2011.

Posted by Carl Blackshaw