Lemons launch more than lemonade

IT’S a small stall, just about as local as they come, but it’s having a broad impact.

Named Bits & Pieces, it was launched four months ago by school friends, 10-year old Cleo and nine-year-old Olivia. When the enterprise began, they offered a single product.

“One day I went over to Olivia’s house and she had a lot of lemons, so we decided to make some lemonade and have a stall,” Cleo said.

“We made $16 when we started and it was really fun.”

Attracting passers-by and generous cash donations, Cleo and Olivia decided to brand their stall, make it a regular thing, generate funds for charity and a little bit of pocket money, but the girls were ready to expand their stock, too.

“I was trying to look for a birthday present for one of my friends and came across a bead set,” Olivia said. “I thought it would be a good idea to make some jewellery for our stall.

“We made necklaces, bracelets, golf balls and slices, had flowers from my garden, bookmarks and stress balls with rice in them.”

With this range, Bits & Pieces has popped up three times, giving to various causes.

“Olivia decided to donate money to diabetes because her brother has it,” Cleo said. “My nanna suggested we donate to leukaemia which was a good idea.”

Diabetes Australia and the Leukaemia Foundation have each received $100 from the proactive pair. All money collected at their most recent outing, $308, has been funnelled to bushfire relief.

That number “really excited” Cleo and Olivia.

“We thought, oh my goodness, what is happening? We didn’t realise we were going to raise that much money,” Cleo said.

Planning when they might have their next stall, the entrepreneurial buddies are brainstorming Easter options and maybe another bushfire fundraiser. Either way, they’ll have a great time doing it.

“It’s really fun to hang out on weekends. I like helping people out and donating to charities,” Cleo said. “It feels really good.”