Superheroes and Social Value – Geldards learns a lesson from St Athan Primary

Over the past eighteen months, Geldards has been working in partnership with Year 3 pupils of St. Athan Primary School in the Vale of Glamorgan. As part of 2B Enterprising’s ‘Bumbles of Honeywood’ programme, Geldards’ colleagues have been helping the children learn more about jobs and the workplace.

Ella Harmer Associate in the Property Dispute Resolution team and Marketing Executive Ellie Hughes reflect on their time working with the children and share what lessons they have learned along the way.

Explain a little about your role at Geldards and what you do?

Ella: I am an Associate in Geldards’ Property Dispute Resolution team dealing with Contentious Probate matters. I advise clients throughout all stages of a dispute, from providing early strategic advice to representing clients throughout Court proceedings and settlement discussions.

I help clients navigate what can often be complex and sensitive issues, including will disputes and estate-related claims. So in short, I help people solve property and family disputes when things get complicated.

Ellie: And I am a Marketing Executive in the Marketing team. I spend my days juggling a lot of moving parts and making sure everything comes together the way it should. My role is a real mix of creativity and coordination. I bring events to life, support client initiatives, create content and keep lots of pieces moving in the right direction.

There’s always something happening and I love being in the middle of it all, making sure ideas don’t just stay ideas. No two days are ever the same. One minute I’m deep in event planning mode, the next I’m swapping the office for a classroom and talking enterprise skills with a group of future CEOs. It definitely keeps me on my toes, which suits me perfectly.

“One minute I’m deep in event planning mode, the next I’m swapping the office for a classroom.”

What is the Bumbles of Honeywood programme and how did you get involved?

 Ella: Bumbles of Honeywood pairs local businesses with schools to introduce young children to enterprise, life skills, and positive social values at an early age. The scheme uses stories, play, and real‑world business connections to bring the concept to life. When I heard about the programme it immediately stood out as a really lovely initiative and something completely new to me, so I jumped at the chance to be involved. I’m so glad I did.

Ellie: The programme gives children a positive introduction to the skills they’ll use throughout their lives not just in work, but in everything they do. It creates a space where they can work on solving problems, working as a team, sharing ideas and thinking creatively, all in a way that feels exciting and achievable.

I was new to the Marketing team when I got involved – I loved the idea of helping young people understand the world of work. The chance to show them work isn’t something to be nervous about really appealed to me – I didn’t need much convincing!

“The chance to show them work isn’t something to be nervous about really appealed to me.”

Geldards was partnered with St Athan Primary in the Vale of Glamorgan, tell us more about your first meeting with the pupils …

Ella: We first met the class in June 2024 when the pupils were in Year 2, and I couldn’t believe how enthusiastic they were! I remember being their age and I would have shied away from strangers in the classroom. However the children were really engaged and excited to take part in the activity, which was lovely to see.

Ellie:  Honestly? They were just brilliant. So much energy, so many questions, and absolutely no fear about putting their hands up and sharing ideas. I remember thinking how confident and imaginative they were and that was just the first workshop. Looking back, they seemed so tiny at the time, and now some of them are nearly the same height as me!

“The children were really engaged and excited to take part.”

How did you introduce the pupils to working life?

Ella: In our first session the children became businesspeople and created their own business cards. They were tasked with explaining something what they were good at. It was so positive to see the children reflecting on their own strengths at such a young age. It was amazing to see how something so ‘grown up’ could be adapted to suit younger children! The children presented their business cards to us at the end of the session.

Ellie: We started each session with a story from the Bumbles of Honeywood book series from 2B Enterprising, followed by an activity linked to what they’ve just learned. The highlight for me was the ‘networking event’ I imagine that it must have felt quite nerve wracking for the children to introduce themselves, but they were fab. Some of them walked up so confidently, shook hands, said their names and explained their likes and dislikes I was seriously impressed. It was one of those moments where you think, “I don’t think I was doing this at their age!

“It was so positive to see the children reflecting on their own strengths at such a young age.”

What other workshop activities did you run?

Ella: In other sessions we encouraged the children to consider why people need to work, and they talked about what they wanted to be when they grew up. There were some big ambitions!

We also arranged for the children to come to our Geldards Cardiff office where they were tasked with creating their own law firm. The ideas they came up with were brilliant, although our ‘spinny chairs’ stole the show!

Ellie: One of my favourite activities was the Marshmallow Tower workshop. The group decided we weren’t just building a tower… we were building a house. It was an ambitious choice, but we were all quite competitive so naturally we had to make it the best one in the room. It turns out providing emergency structural support to a marshmallow house is one of my hidden talents.

Another activity the children enjoyed was “The Exciting World of Work”. The children worked in pairs to play a ‘jobs’ guessing game, using clues to describe different careers. Afterwards, they created their own for what they want to be when they are older for us to guess. We had a few Marketing type roles, so I felt like I hit the jackpot with that one and I clearly have a very cool job!

“It turns out providing emergency structural support to a marshmallow house is one of my hidden talents.”

Sounds fun! How did you notice the children evolve along the way?

Ella: I hope we have introduced the pupils to job roles that they may not have considered and helped to broaden their understanding of different career paths. Hopefully, the programme has given them the confidence to ask questions and explore their interests. Even if it has simply encouraged them to think a little differently about their future, or sparked an interest they hadn’t considered before, that’s a really valuable outcome.

I definitely noticed an increase in self-assurance amongst the children. They were more willing to speak up, share ideas and present their thoughts to the group, without being afraid of getting something wrong. I hope they carry that confidence with them long after they leave St Athan Primary.

I hope that my explanation (using a superhero as my alter ego) of what a solicitor does has given them some understanding of what it’s like to be a lawyer! I am not sure I have tempted them that it’s more fun than being a Tik Tok or YouTube star though…

“I’m not sure I have tempted them that being a solicitor is more fun than being a Tik Tok or YouTube star …”

Ellie: I think the children have started to develop a much clearer understanding of what a ‘job’ actually means. It’s not just something adults do, they’re beginning to connect the skills they’re learning about with different careers. It’s quite subtle, but you can see them starting to think a bit bigger about their futures and what they might want to do one day. For me, that’s probably the most rewarding part.

They also seem more aware of what their strengths are. You’ll see some naturally step into leadership roles, others come up with creative ideas and some who are brilliant at keeping the team organised. It feels like they’re starting to recognise that everyone brings something different to the table and that’s a big shift.

“You can see them starting to think bigger about their futures and what they might want to do one day.”

Children say the funniest things….

Ella: One child couldn’t quite believe I had the same nails as his mum! I also had to speed read lyrics for any naughty words when the visit to our Cardiff office turned into a ‘dance party’ and the children were putting in song requests…

Ellie: One moment I don’t think I’ll ever forget: after I’d explained my job role, a pupil very quietly asked me “When you design social media posts for solicitors, do you ever make them look like Marvel characters? Because people always ask them for help… like superheroes.”

I had to try very hard to keep a straight face. I immediately started picturing colleagues’ faces photoshopped onto Captain America and Iron Man! It keeps popping into my head and I will be getting a coffee and start laughing…I’ve definitely been getting a few strange looks from colleagues. Now I find myself looking at social media post and think, you know what this needs? A shield!

“I had to speed read lyrics for naughty words when the visit to our Cardiff office turned into a dance party!”

What did you take away from the experience?

Ella: I didn’t have much experience working with children of primary school age, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. One of the most unexpected things for me was just how engaged the children were throughout the sessions and how much fun they genuinely seemed to have with the workshops. Their enthusiasm, curiosity and willingness to get involved really stood out, and it was refreshing to see how quickly they embraced the activities.

I did find I had to adapt my language so that the children could understand what I was explaining…a useful skill to take back into the workplace when simplifying technical jargon for clients.

“I had to adapt my language so that the children could understand… a useful skill to take back into the workplace.”

Ellie: The pupils picked things up very quickly, as soon as you had explained a concept they started applying it, adapting it and sometimes improving it. I was surprised by how honest they were. If something doesn’t make sense, they’ll tell you. If they think they can do it better, they’ll prove it. Give young people a clear idea and a bit of encouragement and they’ll run with it.

The programme has had a really positive impact on how I approach my creative projects. It’s been a great reminder of how powerful enthusiasm and curiosity can be. The children throw themselves into every activity with huge ideas and no hesitation about getting things wrong. That kind of confidence and creativity is genuinely inspiring and it’s something that’s definitely stayed with me in how I approach my own work.

“It’s been a great reminder of how powerful enthusiasm and curiosity can be.”

Why is this sort of social initiative important to Geldards?

Ella: Programmes like this ensure that children from all walks of life are given the same opportunities to learn what their future could look like. Not all children will be exposed to different career options through their family or parents, so initiatives like this can play a vital role in broadening their horizons.

By working directly with schools, we hope to have a long-term positive impact, raising aspirations and showing these types of careers are within their reach, regardless of background.

Ellie: Getting involved in this type of community programme genuinely reflects who we are as a firm. Supporting initiatives like this is one way we can give something meaningful back.

Large corporate firms can seem intimidating from the outside, especially to children. When we walk into their classroom (or invite pupils into our office), it shows that we’re just people doing interesting jobs, not some mysterious world behind closed doors. If we can give them a window into different careers and make it feel normal and achievable, that can stay with them for a long time.

We also reap the rewards of getting involved. It keeps us connected to our community and reminds us why investing time in things like this really does matter. Skills like communication, teamwork, confidence and problem solving sit right at the heart of legal practice. Helping young people start developing those skills early in life feels like a really positive investment in the future.

“Getting involved in this type of community programme genuinely reflects who we are as a firm.”

Sum up your experience in 3 words…

Ella: Fun, rewarding and lively!

Ellie: Energetic, creative and unforgettable!