A donation from the Jordans Trust in Biggleswade has helped a group of green-fingered Letchworth schoolchildren to grow their own fresh produce.
Pupils from years one to six at Garden City Academy have been growing a range of fruit and vegetables in their allotment, thanks to the trust run in association with Jordans Mill.
Children visited the historic building – which dates back to the Victorian era – to present a collage of the food they had grown, much to the delight of Jordans Trust founder Bill Jordan.
“It’s great to see our young enthusiasts getting more involved with the food they eat and more importantly learning where it comes from,” he said.
“I wholeheartedly believe it is the best way to teach because it opens their eyes to a world of possibility and helps us to engage the future generations to help preserve and protect our planet.
“We like to make learning fun and do this in our trails, free children’s events and mill tours so we can educate and preserve a little bit of history.”
While at the mill, children were given the opportunity to learn about germination and what plants need to grow, and then practised their new skills at their school gardening club.
The academy were awarded funding to continue developing their after-school gardening club.
Teacher Donna Crampton thanked Jordans Trust for their donation, saying: “We are delighted with the donation because it has allowed the children to enjoy growing vegetables and tending to them.
“Our after-school gardening club has helped children learn all about the different types of flowers and plants and the diverse habitats they need to thrive.
“They have grown some lovely vegetables and herbs and the children have enjoyed tasting mint, courgettes, potatoes, and tomatoes.
“It has all helped to enrich the children’s learning.
“Not many of them will have an allotment or even a vegetable box at home.
“Now they’ve seen it’s possible to grow fruit and vegetables, and that there are many different varieties for them to choose from.”
A photo from the Garden City Academy gardening club will be displyed at the Mill Museum, off Langford Road on the banks of the River Ivel.
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