Luton Point welcomed the Pioneering Learning Trust on Thursday 3rd October, (with pupils from Chantry Primary Academy, Southfield Primary Academy and Whitefield Primary Academy) for a special look at everything that goes on behind-the-scenes at the shopping centre.
The pupils were welcomed by the marketing team and given an introduction about the newly rebranded shopping centre, followed by a quiz. Students were challenged to guess how many shoppers are welcomed through the doors each year and how many jobs exist at the centre (amongst other questions) to grasp the scale of the shopping centre, which is home to over 120 stores.
After finding out more about the various job roles at Luton Point, the pupils were taken on a behind the scenes tour of the centre to areas usually inaccessible to the general public, to find out more about the importance of keeping the shopping centre safe, organised and sustainable.
Following their tour came the challenge of designing a shopping centre of the future. Using their knowledge of how Luton Point operates, students were encouraged to consider digital innovation, sustainability, wellbeing and the surrounding community in their designs, which were then presented to their peers and the Luton Point team.
After some fantastic and unique designs, and much deliberation from the judges, the winning entry was decided. The team had decided upon a wilderness shopping centre with lots of flower themed shops, bee hives, trees and robot hairdressers! They received a prize for their brilliant efforts, alongside student Samson who represented Luton Point’s signature values of Respect, Integrity and Connectivity.
Jo Lunn, Children’s Champion – Pupil and Community Opportunities at Chantry Primary Academy, commented: “This has been an amazing opportunity for our pupils and we are incredibly grateful to Luton Point for allowing our pupils to visit. To be able to experience what life is like behind the scenes of such a busy shopping centre has been fascinating. They loved receiving their special tour as well as interacting with the Luton Point team, to learn about all the different jobs that exist within the centre. It was an insightful experience which we all enjoyed.”
Lavinia Douglass, Marketing Manager at Luton Point, commented: “It was an absolute pleasure to welcome the pupils from the Pioneer Learning Trust to find out more about the inner workings of Luton Point. We pride ourselves in being a key place in our community for people of all ages to shop, eat and connect with friends, and it was fantastic to see our next generation considering what is of importance for them when thinking of shopping centres in years to come. Congratulations to the winning team on their inspired design, and we hope to welcome the school back to our centre very soon.”
Further information can be found on Luton Point’s website.
