The BrightKidz Story
How We Started
In November 2003 we started a Walking Bus scheme at our local primary school to reduce traffic and encourage more children to walk to school. (In case you don't know, a Walking Bus isn't really a 'bus' - it's when children walk to school in an organised group wearing reflective, fluorescent jackets).
At that time it was very difficult to get practical information. After seeing the success of our own Walking Buses we set up our first website to provide help to other interested parents. The information is published on this site, supplements the support provided by local authorities and is written very much from a parent's point of view. We now provide information about a range of walk to school schemes here and through our printed publications.
The Bright Bit
On a Walking Bus children wear fluorescent, reflective (high vis) waistcoats. This not only makes them more visible to traffic but also makes group monitoring easier. Seeing the children in high vis made us realise how great these garments would be for all children walking or cycling to school, especially in low sunlight, mist or rainy weather.
If They Like It, They'll Wear It
Some of the local children were unwilling to wear the industrial style high vis. So we started a school design club and worked with the children to develop more exciting styles using different fluorescent colours, trims and coloured reflective tape. They also helped us to develop ideas for fun high vis badges, bags and other accessories.
BrightKidz Launches
Realising the potential for these products beyond our local school in Northamptonshire, we found assistance with manufacturing and launched the BrightKidz range. Together with our adult BrightSportz range and Bright Basics budget range, the products are now sold to schools, local authorities, businesses and individuals through this website to children and adults throughout the UK and abroad.
Social Enterprise - What Does This Mean?
You've probably heard of other social enterprises: the Eden project, Jamie Oliver's 'fifteen' restaurants and the Big Issue. A social enterprise is a business which fulfils a social need and is not just about making money.
We set up BrightKidz as a social enterprise in March 2004. Income from sales is used to support our organisation. In line with our constitution, any excess income is ploughed back or used towards schemes to promote walking to school, road safety initiatives and active lifestyles.
There are lots of different legal structures for social enterprise. As a worker's co-operative, BrightKidz is part of the common ownership movement and therefore cannot be sold for personal profit. There are no owner directors receiving dividends but all staff are paid a salary.
BrightKidz operates as a business and continues to provide free information and support to parents who want to promote walking to school. We are proud to have won several national business awards. Our principles remain at the heart of the organisation and include policies such as 'local and co-operative suppliers preferred' and 'family friendly employment conditons'.
