Schoolchildren in Middleton are learning about growing their own food in an exciting new project supported by local Councillors.
Middleton Park Councillors Kim Groves, Judith Blake and Paul Truswell have worked with pupils at Sharp Lane Primary School and Middleton Primary School to plant vegetable gardens.
The children have planted ‘edible beds’, full of tasty vegetables, as part of their healthy eating programme. They have learned how to grow and look after the plants, and will also be taught how to cook and prepare the vegetables. Councillor Groves visited the schools to see the children’s hard work first-hand and officially opened the edible beds.
The edible beds are part of the Sharp Lane Urban Garden (SLUG) – a joint project between the two schools, where the children have created an interactive garden to learn more about plants, animals and growing your own food. Areas of the garden include fruit trees, bird boxes, and homes for hedgehogs and insects. The children are also growing strawberries, pumpkins and beans, and have made a pond which frogs and tadpoles have recently made their home.
As reported by South Leeds Life, Sharp Lane Primary also had the honour of winning the Leeds City Council Edible Beds competition which meant that one of their pupils’ designs was used in an edible plants flower bed outside Leeds Civic Hall. Children from the school recently met with the Lord Mayor, Councillor Tom Murray, to see their beds first hand.
Councillor Kim Groves said:
“This project is fantastic as it helps to teach children about growing and cooking fresh vegetables. This will help to encourage healthy eating and living and ensure that the kids eat their greens.
“The gardens are excellent and offer children an interactive and hands-on way to learn about wildlife and looking after plants. It was so good to see them having such fun. Credit must go to the children and staff at the schools for their hard work.”
