Castlebrae’s pizza oven wins Initiative Prize

Castlebrae Community High School has scooped a prestigious prize for their pizza oven designed and built from recycled materials.

Five S4 students from the school won the tenth annual Merchant Company Initiative Prize which was presented to them by Pat Denzler, Master of The Merchant Company.

Paul Morris, Peter Wood, Robert Souter, Callum Jordan and Ryan Johnstone, aged 14-15 years, designed and built a wood-fired pizza oven at their school working with teacher, James Donald.

The pizza oven was made completely from recycled materials.

Money will be raised by donation from those who have enjoyed pizza and will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support and The Maggie’s Centre at the Western General Hospital in commemoration of a much loved teacher at the school who recently died of cancer.

The final three entrants presented their project on 5 October when the judges made their final decision for this year’s winners.

Pat Denzler said: “The Merchant Company’s Initiative Prize is a challenge to young people to think creatively. We are keen to see enterprising ideas in business or philanthropy as this is at the core of what the Merchant Company is all about and our membership reflects forty-three professions in Edinburgh.

“We hope that the Initiative Prize will encourage young people to play an active role in their city of Edinburgh and beyond to develop their skills and confidence in their own future.”

Richard Barron, Chairman of the Initiative Prize at The Merchant Company, commented: “The standard of entries to this year’s competition was excellent and the judges’ decision was not easy. However, the team from Castlebrae Community High School really impressed us with their idea, the motivation behind it, the work they carried out and the standard of the presentation they made to us.  We congratulate them and wish them all the very best for the future.  Thank you also to our other finalists, shortlisted entrants and to everyone who showed an interest in this year’s prize.  We encourage everyone to participate again in 2017.”

Norma Prentice, Headteacher at Castlebrae Community High School, said: “We are delighted to have won this prestigious award. The staff and parents are so proud of  the pupils involved and are looking forward to many homemade pizzas in the coming months!

“The boys have decided to make a donation from the prize money to Macmillan Cancer in memory of  Stewart Allen, a much respected and inspirational teacher.”