Turning Children's Ideas into Reality – Loo Ambassadors Meet the Washroom Industry

At the Loo of the Year Awards, we firmly believe that the people who use washrooms every day should have a voice in how they are designed and improved. That is why we were delighted to return to Madley Primary School to continue our exciting Loo Ambassadors project with eight enthusiastic Year 3 pupils.

Following our previous visit, the children carefully assessed their school washrooms and created an inspiring wish list of ideas. Their suggestions covered everything from colours and fragrances to education, sustainability and creating spaces where every child feels safe, comfortable and confident to use the toilet.

Our latest visit was all about bringing those ideas to life.

We invited a number of our valued industry partners to meet the children, listen to their thoughts and discuss how they could help make some of these ideas a reality. It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to see that their opinions matter and that leading organisations within the washroom industry genuinely want to hear what young users think.

A Day of Learning on Cardboard Box Day

The visit took place on Cardboard Box Day, which celebrates creativity, imagination and the endless possibilities that can come from something as simple as a cardboard box.

The children explored how cardboard can be transformed through play, design and innovation before learning about the importance of recycling and how everyday materials can be given a second life. It proved to be the perfect theme for a day centred around sustainability, creativity and problem-solving.

Sustainability in Action

Stuart Hands from Tork, an Essity brand, explained how recycled cardboard is transformed into paper hand towels that are used in washrooms across the country. The children were fascinated to discover how something they would normally throw away could become an essential washroom product, helping to support both sustainability and their school's Eco initiatives.

Designing Washrooms Through Children's Eyes

Brendan Dunham from Dunham Washrooms brought the design process to life by showing the children a range of cubicle colours, finishes and materials. Together they explored what modern school washrooms could look like and discussed how colour, layout and design can make washrooms feel brighter, more welcoming and enjoyable to use.

The Importance of Fragrance

Mark Wintle from P-Wave introduced the children to the role that fragrance plays in creating pleasant washroom environments. He explained how urinal mats and fragrance systems help improve the user experience and encouraged the children to think about how smell can influence whether people feel comfortable using a washroom. He also talked about the products to whether they were recyclable or bio-degradable.

Learning About Healthy Toileting Habits

Vicky Stables from Healthy B's – Bowels, Bladders and Bathrooms talked about healthy bowel and bladder habits. Using educational posters, she spoke with the children about understanding what healthy poo and wee should look like and discussed whether these visual guides could be displayed within school washrooms to help children recognise when they may need to seek advice or support.

Creating Safe, Comfortable Spaces

Joining us via Microsoft Teams was Professor Charlotte Haines Lyon from York St John University, whose research has helped shape national understanding of children's toileting behaviours.

Charlotte spoke with the children about the importance of drinking enough water throughout the day and feeling able to use the toilet whenever they need to. Together they discussed why children should always feel safe, comfortable and confident when using school washrooms, and how good toilet facilities can positively impact wellbeing, concentration, learning and overall health.

Every Child's Voice Matters

One of the most rewarding aspects of the day was seeing every child actively involved. The sessions encouraged discussion, creativity and hands-on learning, allowing children with a wide range of learning styles, including neurodivergent pupils and those with additional learning needs, to participate in ways that suited them best.

Their confidence continues to grow with every visit, and it has been inspiring to watch them become genuine advocates for improving school washrooms—not only for themselves, but for future pupils too.

Collaboration That Creates Change

This project demonstrates exactly what can be achieved when education, industry and research come together with a shared purpose.

By listening to children, involving leading experts and working collaboratively with industry partners, we are helping to create school washrooms that are more inclusive, sustainable, educational and welcoming for everyone.

We would like to thank Madley Primary School for once again welcoming us, and our fantastic partners—Tork (an Essity brand), P-Wave, Dunham Washrooms, Healthy B's – Bowels, Bladders and Bathrooms, and Professor Charlotte Haines Lyon of York St John University—for generously giving their time, expertise and enthusiasm.

This is only the next chapter in the Loo Ambassadors journey, and we cannot wait to see which of the children's ideas become reality over the coming months.

After all, if we really want to create better washrooms for future generations, who better to ask than the children who use them every single day?