The Papillon Project
The Papillon Project is a Norfolk-based UK educational charity that helps secondary schools and sixth-form colleges establish and run school allotments, delivering hands-on horticulture, sustainability and well-being programmes to young people via a membership model, training courses and donated resources.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Papillon Project does
The Papillon Project is a UK educational charity (Charity No. 1189383; Company No. 12171611) founded in 2019 and based in Norwich, Norfolk. It works exclusively with secondary schools and sixth-form colleges in Norfolk to help them create, develop and maintain school allotments, framing its mission around sustainable living, environmental awareness, food-growing skills, and the mental health and well-being of young people. The charity is led by a small staff team of 6 supported by approximately 60 volunteers who contributed around 8,250 hours during the 2023-24 academic year.
Its core offering is a Membership Programme for Norfolk secondary schools, delivered through a bundle of products and services: Impact Days (in-person team visits to help build allotments), the Tool Bank (donated and restored second-hand gardening tools), Cocoon Boxes and Butterfly Boost (seasonal seed and plant distributions), SALT (School Allotment Leadership Training) courses, The Butterfly Effect (a peer support network for member schools), and The YES Award (a student recognition programme). Supplementary products include The Kaleidoscope biannual magazine, The Buddleia newsletter, and The Pap Up Shop, a nomadic upcycling social enterprise selling second-hand, screen-printed and restored items.
The business model is donation-led: the charity accepts one-off and regular donations via the Charities Aid Foundation, runs fundraising events, charges speaking fees, and earns retail margin from The Pap Up Shop, with no publicly disclosed membership fee. Reach is concentrated in a single UK county, and growth is driven by community-led outreach through social media, the newsletter, public events, and RHS-affiliated shows. There are no disclosed funding rounds, no institutional investors, and no revenue figures in the public source material.
The Papillon Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Papillon Project
- Legal name
- The Papillon Project
- Website
- https://thepapillonproject.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Papillon Project is a Norfolk-based UK educational charity that helps secondary schools and sixth-form colleges establish and run school allotments, delivering hands-on horticulture, sustainability and well-being programmes to young people via a membership model, training courses and donated resources.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Papillon Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Behavioral Support & Intervention Services (PBIS/Behavior Coaching) (EDAJALAH)
Keywords
The Papillon Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations: The charity accepts one-off and regular donations from individuals and organisations via its online donations page with the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).
- Pap Up Shop sales: The charity operates an ethical, nomadic charity shop selling upcycled crafts, screen-printed second-hand t-shirts, and restored gardening tools to raise funds. All profits go directly to supporting the charitable work.
- Membership programme fees: Schools in Norfolk can join a membership programme that provides access to impact days, the Tool Bank, Cocoon Boxes, Butterfly Boost, SALT training, The Kaleidoscope magazine, and the YES Award. No explicit membership fee is stated; the programme is supported by donations and fundraising.
- Fundraising events: The charity runs annual fundraising and celebratory events, public community events, and accepts DIY fundraiser contributions from supporters.
- Speaking fees: The charity team accepts invitations to speak at garden clubs and allotment societies, with fees requested for bookings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Membership Programme schools receive free SALT training |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
The Papillon Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Papillon Project is an educational charity that works with secondary schools and sixth-form colleges in Norfolk to help young people grow their own food through school allotments. It delivers a Membership Programme that bundles Impact Days, the Tool Bank, Cocoon Boxes, Butterfly Boost, SALT training, The YES Award, and The Butterfly Effect support network. Supplementary offerings include The Kaleidoscope biannual magazine, The Buddleia newsletter, and The Pap Up Shop, an upcycling charity shop that raises funds for the work.
Product overview
The Papillon Project is an educational charity offering a membership-based program for secondary schools and sixth-form colleges in Norfolk. The core offering centers on supporting schools to create and develop allotments through Impact Days, Tool Bank (second-hand tool sharing), Cocoon Boxes and Butterfly Boost (seasonal plant/seed distributions), SALT training courses, The YES Award, and The Butterfly Effect support network. Supplementary offerings include The Kaleidoscope (biannual magazine), The Buddleia newsletter, and The Pap Up Shop (upcycling charity shop) which generates fundraising revenue.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- School Membership Programme Annual membership package for Norfolk secondary schools and sixth-form colleges that bundles Impact Days, Tool Bank access, Cocoon Boxes, Butterfly Boost, SALT training, The YES Award, The Butterfly Effect support network, and The Kaleidoscope magazine.
- Impact Days On-site support visits by the charity's team to help member schools create and develop functional school allotments, providing hands-on guidance to students and staff.
- Tool Bank Resource-sharing programme that catalogs, restores, and donates second-hand gardening tools to Norfolk secondary schools.
- Cocoon Boxes Free seasonal inspirational boxes containing seeds and small plants distributed to member schools in early spring to kick-start the growing season.
- Butterfly Boost Follow-up plant donations sent to member schools after Easter to support the second half of the growing season.
- SALT (School Allotment Leadership Training) Training courses that equip teachers, teaching assistants, and youth workers with the leadership, sustainability, practical gardening, and health and safety skills needed to run a school allotment. Free for member schools in 2025-26, £15 donation per session for non-members.
- The Butterfly Effect Peer support network that connects member schools to facilitate shared learning, collaboration, and best-practice exchange around school allotments.
- The YES Award Award programme recognising young people's achievements in horticulture, sustainable living, and environmental awareness through school allotment participation.
- The Kaleidoscope Magazine Biannual (spring and autumn) magazine that shares positivity, news, ideas, and updates with member schools across Norfolk.
- The Pap Up Shop Ethical nomadic charity shop selling upcycled crafts, screen-printed second-hand t-shirts, and restored gardening tools. All profits support the charity's school-based work.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60 volunteers contributed 8,250 hours during the 2023-24 academic year, impacting hundreds of young people each year
Companies that use The Papillon Project
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Papillon Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Papillon Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Norfolk Safeguarding Children PartnershipcoreThe Papillon Project is a member of the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership, reflecting its commitment to child protection given that the majority of its charitable work takes place in schools. The charity maintains its own safeguarding team, policies, and procedures with annual training for trustees, staff, and volunteers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Papillon Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Garden Organic: UK charity dedicated to organic growing and horticultural education, running school programs and teacher training similar in scope to Papillon's SALT training and allotment support.
- Learning through Landscapes: UK charity that supports schools in using outdoor spaces for learning, including school grounds development, teacher training, and resources that closely mirror Papillon's allotment-based educational mission.
- The Country Trust: UK educational charity connecting school children with food, farming, and the countryside, providing farm visits and outdoor learning that overlap with Papillon's sustainability and growing-food mission.
Broad incumbents
- Groundwork UK: Federated network delivering environmental and educational programs for schools and communities, including school grounds, food growing, and sustainability education overlapping Papillon's offering.
- TCV (The Conservation Volunteers): UK-wide volunteering charity running school and community environmental programs, including Green Gym and outdoor learning initiatives that compete for the same school and volunteer audience.
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Campaign for School Gardening: The RHS runs the UK's largest school gardening program, directly overlapping Papillon's target audience of UK secondary schools and providing tools, training, and competitions to teachers and pupils.
Regional players
- Trees for Cities: UK charity running school greening and urban food-growing programs, including Edible Playgrounds, a model that parallels Papillon's school allotment and food-growing focus.
- Capital Growth (London Food Link): London-focused food-growing network supporting community and school gardens, with comparable program structure but geographically restricted to London, in contrast to Papillon's Norfolk focus.
Emerging players
- Sensory Trust: UK charity working on inclusive outdoor and nature-based activities, including school programs that connect with Papillon's mental health and well-being through outdoor learning angle.
- Earthwatch Europe: Environmental education charity running citizen science and school programs in sustainability, partially overlapping with Papillon's environmental awareness and young-people mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Papillon Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Papillon Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Papillon Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Papillon Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Papillon Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Papillon Project
What does The Papillon Project do?
The Papillon Project is an educational charity that works with secondary schools and sixth-form colleges in Norfolk to help young people grow their own food through school allotments. It delivers a Membership Programme that bundles Impact Days, the Tool Bank, Cocoon Boxes, Butterfly Boost, SALT training, The YES Award, and The Butterfly Effect support network. Supplementary offerings include The Kaleidoscope biannual magazine, The Buddleia newsletter, and The Pap Up Shop, an upcycling charity shop that raises funds for the work.
Is The Papillon Project a public or private company?
The Papillon Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Papillon Project founded?
The Papillon Project was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does The Papillon Project make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are pap Up Shop sales, membership programme fees, fundraising events and speaking fees.
Who are The Papillon Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Garden Organic, Learning through Landscapes and The Country Trust. Broad incumbents are Groundwork UK, TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) and Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Campaign for School Gardening. Regional players are Trees for Cities and Capital Growth (London Food Link). Emerging players are Sensory Trust and Earthwatch Europe.
Does The Papillon Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Papillon Project.
What industry is The Papillon Project in?
The Papillon Project's product category is Environmental Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJALAH, Behavioral Support & Intervention Services (PBIS/Behavior Coaching). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.