Designs for life at Quay show

Stitch-up: Chloe Williams with a design.

Hull pupils demonstrating embroidery machines over four days at Princes Quay got more than they bargained for. The pupils from Kingswood High arrived at the centre armed with orders for embroidering sweatshirts for the British Scuba Diving Association and tee-shirts for the Dales Fitness Centre at Bransholme.

"This would have been sufficient to show the scope of the machines," said Gary Maddock-Greene, community enterprise manager for Kingswood Community Enterprise. "But then people started going into the shops and coming back with tee-shirts and requesting messages to be embroidered on them. It was certainly a great experience for the pupils." He added: "A working exhibition like this is very beneficial. All the students were keen to show the customers what they could do and enjoyed meeting customers. "We have raised a lot of interest. People have signed up to visit us at the school to learn more." Kingswood Community Enterprise was established last year to develop a culture of enterprise and deliver lifelong learning opportunities to the community it serves, with the focus on advanced technologies and cultural and performing arts.

The school used its Toyota CAD/CAM embroidery machines at Princes Quay and aims to attract companies, groups and individuals into the school to find out more about advanced technologies.

Mr Maddock-Greene added: "My remit is to generate new enterprises that will be self-sustaining and benefit the school and the local community."