Grow Organic - Manningham and Girlington
Aim: This programme, in partnership with the Manningham Healthy Living Initiative, supports local food growing, gardening and healthy eating by schools and youth groups in the Manningham and Girlington area.
The programme offers a flexible service, responding to the requirements of the setting, eg after school clubs, lunchtime sessions, or curriculum-time activities.
While preferring to work outdoors, BCEP staff are always prepared for poor weather, with a range of fun and educational activities. These include sowing seeds, apple tasting (comparing English varieties), fruit and vegetable bingo, composting experiments and cooking.
BCEP staff also offer sessions for parents, maybe helping out on the school plot or planting up a container of vegetable to take home.
During the first year of the programme (April 2008 - March 2009), we provided
Planting onions
• regular gardening sessions for 5 schools in the district, growing food and taking part in outdoor, physical and associated activities. These take place in school grounds, on BCEP’s allotment plot, in community gardens, or on the schools’ own allotment plots.
Going gardening!
• 14 taster or occasional sessions for schools and young people. For example, one school brings their reception classes to BCEP’s allotment plot for a session every term to experience the growing cycle throughout the year.
Berries from the plot
• Freshly picked, organic produce for groups to take home, with information on its healthy preparation.
Preparing vegetables
• 14 cooking and tasting sessions using seasonally available produce and own produce, supporting the 5-a-day message. These can be indoor or on-site sessions, teaching children to take produce from the ground and preparing it ready for the plate.
Manningham Library Launch - sowing seeds
• A range of activities for children, young people and other residents at community events to promote growing crops, taking exercise and healthy eating.
For example, BCEP organised planting up the beds at Manningham Library with edible crops, and visitors could also sow a pot of seeds to take home.
The highlights of the year for Grow Organic in Manningham & Girlington are the Allotment Open Day, with over 250 visitors,
Prize winners at the award ceremony
. . . and the Manningham and Girlington in Bloom best garden competition, with over 30 entrants including schools, businesses and community groups. These events bring together people from a wide range of backgrounds and ages, united around a love of growing.
Feedback from participants in Manningham and Girlington . . .
. . . from the children
“This is fun – I didn’t think gardening was going to be fun!”
“It’s good to feel tired after exercise because then you rest and it’s rebuilding your body” (child after gardening session)
“I like being in the rain, and I don't mind being cold. I like getting wet! I like being outdoors.”
”That was well good” (child, tasting own produce freshly cooked).
“The food looked weird but tasted nice!”
. . and from the teachers
“The Gardening Club is a highlight of Year 4. Our children are very keen to work in the allotment. [The two BCEP staff] are very professional and always organise interesting and educational activities for the children to complete. Parents have also become interested in gardening through their children's involvement.” (Head teacher about on-going gardening club)
“We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the allotments… The children learnt a lot about growing and planting and looking for signs of Spring and it was a very worthwhile learning experience as well as being great fun! We even presented some of our paintings and writing about the allotments in a special whole school science assembly the following week. We also sang 'wriggly worm' as the children recounted seeing lots of worms whilst they were digging. Your team were wonderful and very patient and encouraging of the children. Thank you for all your hard work and support. We can't wait to visit again in the summer.” (Teacher after taster sessions for reception class)
“Even the naughty children were behaving because they were enjoying themselves so much!” (teaching assistant after a Cook & Eat session involving 60 Year 4 children)
Funding Body:
