Drew Primary visits Thames Refinery

Last month, we were delighted to host 56 Year 6 students from Drew Primary School at our Thames Refinery to learn about geography, trade, and the journey of sugar.

In our onsite museum, students explored the origins of sugar cane, the climates and geographies where it thrives, and how our products and processes have evolved over time. The students were especially curious about topics such as Fairtrade, and the long history of our factory, asking our team thoughtful questions.

“Visiting the factory gave our pupils a powerful real-world context for everything we’ve been learning in geography. Seeing the supply chain in action, and hearing about fair-trade decisions and global partnerships, helped them connect abstract ideas to real people and places.” Mignon Reynolds-Hall, Year 6 Class Teacher

The visit focused on helping students understand how global supply chains work, from the sugar cane grown by farmers around the world to the raw sugar that arrives at our refinery. During a tour of our jetty and raw sugar shed, the students discovered how raw sugar is transported to Thames Refinery, the scale of these shipments, and the processes involved in safely handling and storing it.

We are proud to support learning in Newham and to help young people engage with real-life examples of global trade and sustainability.