Students will get the chance to show off their artistic talents and skills in Mansfield shop

The project is part of the Takeover initiative, which takes on groups of young people, aged 14-24, for three-month periods to engage in creative activities, including workshops on marketing, enterprise, volunteering and careers.

The initiative aims to teach young people the skills and experience to bring a creative concept to market.

Pupils from Mansfield’s The Brunts Academy will take over a shop unit in the town centre’s Four Seasons Shopping Centre on February 15, and 16, to sell their products, including baked goods, dry ingredient packs, hoodies, T-shirts and mugs featuring pupils’ original artwork designs.

The school said the experience is particularly beneficial for this year’s Year 11 pupils who missed out on work experience due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Laura Solly, academy arts teacher and Takeover facilitator, said: “Takeover has been a fantastic opportunity for our Year 11s, by allowing them to pursue a passion of theirs, whether that be music, art, poetry or baking and developing these into small businesses.

"Pupils have even gathered advice and feedback from local business owners to support their enterprise projects. Running the shop is a wonderful opportunity for pupils to display their talents to the public and get experience in retail and business.

“The pupils have been full of ideas and have shown great independent thinking and initiative in making their projects come to life.”

Carl Atkin, academy principal, said: “I am so proud of how hard our pupils have worked to bring their visions to life.”