PUPILS AT Manorfield primary school in Tower Hamlets launched their edible playground last week. No – they’re not down on their knees gnawing at the tarmac. The pupils are growing fruit and veg – and scoffing it when it’s ready for harvest.
The Edible Playground is an initiative run by Trees for Cities, which helps schools to integrate healthy food into the curriculum by growing it on site and learning how to include it in a day to day healthy eating plan. Alongside a stunning variety of plants, there’s an outdoor classroom area – as well as a nature garden, to encourage the wildlife.
There’s even more good news for Manorfield: its project within the Edible Playground scheme has been awarded a Bronze Food for Life Award. They were assisted in making their submission for the award by School Food Matters, whose Dela Foster said they had been delighted to help. “On the journey to apply for the award, the pupils have become more involve with decision making about both lunchtimes and the direction that food education will take in the school,” Dela explained.
Trees for Cities have been able to run the Edible Playground project with the assistance of £250,000 Dream Funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery, the Ernest Cook Trust and City Bridge Trust. Both Chefs Adopt a School and School Food Matters have also helped the Project.
Manorfield’s Edible Playground was opened by Tower Hamlets’ Executive Mayor John Biggs, who said, “Helping local children grow their own nutritious food can bring so many benefits to their health and well being and it was wonderful to see how enthusiastic and involved the children were in this project. I’m also happy to say it all tasted fantastic – a real tribute to their new found skills.”
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