Enterprising young siblings launch their own green business from their family home in Edgehill

Chloe Paynton,14 and Lewis Paynton, 12, established CL Country Shed, cutting, making and selling eco-friendly kindling from recycled pallets.

The Kineton High School students have sold hundreds of the boxes from their home at Upton Estate and through eBay, to help fund their hobbies, including Lewis’ passion for motorsport.

He said: “One weekend we were throwing away an old pine wardrobe and dad got us to cut it up and split it into kindle. We put it in bags out the front of our cottage with a cardboard sign saying it was for sale and it sold in literally minutes.

“Our dad works for Upton Estate and we get loads of pallets from deliveries of materials and stock. We’ve just started selling boxes of kindle wood made from these pallets that would otherwise go to landfill or just be put on the bonfire. The boxes we

pack it in are 100 per cent recycled cardboard and even the tape on the boxes is a paper tape so it can be recycled. We even use the sawdust from cutting up the wood as bedding for our chickens and ducks and any nails are recycled as scrap metal.

“We started by selling out the front of the cottage but now Dad has got us a little log store shed.”

The promising young racer, who is named after Lewis Hamilton, competes and coaches at Shenington Kart Racing Club, and is hoping his share of the business profits will help drive his ambition to race in endurance competitions.

He said: “In 2023 I am aiming to do Shenington Club Championship and Little Rissington Championship with Tim Wilson Motorsport but this is going to need sponsors. I have been lucky this year to be sponsored by Upton Estate for my transport, United Fresh Consortium with tyres and ACS Customs for my in-ear comms. Everything else our business has paid for. Next year will take some doing but I am hopeful we can achieve it.”

Chloe’s share of the profits help fund her hobbies, including her collection of crystals – some of which, Lewis says, he keeps in his pocket on race days – to help keep him safe!

The eco boxes have also proved popular with local businesses, including Winchcombe Farm in nearby Upper Tysoe where the wood is provided for guests’ use.

Co-owner Jo Carroll said: “Being a small, independent family run business ourselves, we maximise the use of local suppliers wherever possible to help support the rural economy and reduce our carbon footprint.

“Lewis is a very enterprising young man and we are delighted to be working with him and his sister Chloe, who offer a wonderful kindling wood delivery service to local businesses.

“They provide an eco-friendly product, which fits in extremely well with our business ethos and will help us in our application for a Green Tourism Award.”

Julian and Olivia Paynton said of their children’s enterprise: “We are very proud of them both – they work very hard with their little business as well as at school.”