From Bordeaux to Liverpool: Erasmus+ and Alder Hey

Alder Hey Children’s Charity has been delighted to welcome eight Erasmus+ students from Lycée Professionnel Philippe Cousteau, near Bordeaux in southwest France, to Liverpool for a two-week work experience placement.

The students, aged 16–17, are studying logistics, sales, marketing and English, and spent their placement supporting our charity shops in Huyton and Old Swan. During their time with us, they gained valuable hands-on experience in retail operations, customer service and stock management, while learning more about charity retail in the UK.

Accompanied by their English-speaking teachers, Jérôme and Sam, the students brought fantastic enthusiasm to our shops and quickly became part of the team. Their visit also helped build confidence, employability skills and cross-cultural understanding as part of the Erasmus+ programme.

As well as working in our shops, the group were invited to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to see first-hand how funds raised by our retail teams help support patients, families and staff.

Their first tour was led by the Alder Hey Children’s Charity team and included visits to charity-funded areas such as the MediCinema, the Alder Centre and other spaces supported by donations. The tour helped the students understand the impact of the work taking place in our shops every day.

The students also enjoyed a second tour led by Professor Iain Hennessey, Director of Alder Hey Innovation, who showed them around the Alder Hey Innovation Hub. There, they learned more about the pioneering work taking place to improve children’s healthcare through innovation, technology and research.

The visit left a lasting impression on the students. One student, Yasser, said: “I liked the guided tour because I didn’t know there could be a cinema in a hospital. Amazing!” Another student, Léna, shared: “I liked the visit because now we know who and what we work for as volunteers in the Alder Hey Charity Stores.”

We would like to say a huge thank you to the students, Jérôme and Sam, and everyone who helped make their visit so special. It has been a wonderful opportunity to share the work of Alder Hey Children’s Charity, celebrate cultural exchange and show how every contribution to our shops helps make a difference for children and families.

We wish the students every success in their future studies and careers.