The adventure began early, with excitement building as the group made their way across the capital on the Underground. A highlight of the journey was changing trains at Vauxhall, where students were thrilled to spot the iconic MI6 building beside the Thames—an unexpected bonus that made the morning even more memorable.
On the train down from Birmingham, the team used the journey to think through the environmental challenge they would be tackling. By the time they arrived in London, they already had early ideas forming and a shared sense of purpose. Throughout the day they impressed staff and other schools with how well they worked together. Their final pitch, delivered in a professional boardroom-style setting, was thoughtful, confident, and clearly addressed the problem they had been given.
The judges were genuinely impressed, praising both the clarity of the idea and the teamwork behind it. Although the group didn’t take first place, Dr George, who led the trip, said he believed their concept may have been too wide—a community-wide solution rather than something limited to just one school. Regardless of the result, the students returned proud, inspired, and excited about their achievement.