Waitrose encourages 'green fingers' among school children

Thursday 14 June 2018

Following the huge success of Waitrose’s ‘Grow and Sell’ scheme, the supermarket is once again distributing gardening packs to schoolchildren across the Channel Islands.

The scheme began in 2013 and aims to encourage 7-11 year olds across the UK and Channel Islands to grow their own food to either sell at their school fete or to Waitrose customers. The ‘Grow and Sell’ kit has been specially designed by Waitrose to encourage the cultivation of school vegetable patches and includes seeds, equipment and step-by-step growing instructions for the children. Its aim is to promote the importance of healthy eating and to help children learn about where fresh food comes from.

Last year Guernsey primary schools developed their own allotments and grew vegetables including lettuce, courgettes and basil.

The schools use the produce they have grown as a healthy snack or for selling at their school fayre and any money that is made goes back into the school funds.

La Houguette Primary School teacher, Janette Savage said: “The students really enjoyed growing and selling the vegetables, they were even able to take some home. The profits from the sales have allowed us to reinvest back into the scheme and we have bought compost and equipment for our future classes so that they can also learn about where their food comes from and how it grows.”

Branch manager for Waitrose Admiral Park branch, Ian Burdekin, said: “Supporting local primaries with our gardening packs will hopefully inspire children to grow their own produce at home. The project is also designed to encourage entrepreneurial skills as schools will be able to sell their own fruit and vegetables outside our shops or at their school fete. Our Waitrose Partners will provide support along the way to help the children grow some bumper crops.”

Pictured: The growing kits supplied by Waitrose

To accompany the kits a specially designed ‘Grow and Sell’ app is available to advise teachers, parents and children about when to plant their crops and how to care for them. The app also provides information about where food comes from, how it’s produced and environmental issues such as the importance of seasonality and sustainability.

This year’s ‘Grow and Sell’ kits, which were recently given out to schools, will see a change in the assortment of seeds, to provide variety for the schools taking part.

Pictured top: Pupils at La Houguette Primary School