Keep on Growing at Surrey Square School
1
The Pitch
Problem statement
Keep on Growing will enable us to provide children at Surrey Square School with free weekly food growing and gardening clubs & workshops each school term. Currently we deliver workshops to nursery age children and school years 4 to 6 however we aim to extend to all school years - i.e. nursery to year 6. The project is needed to improve the local environment and food education in Faraday ward, which is among the top 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England in terms of quality of local environment and top 20% most deprived for children living in income deprived families (English Indices of Multiple Deprivation, 2019). Children will improve well-being and mental health via outdoor learning.
Solution
The project will enable delivery of weekly food growing and gardening workshops during term time and school holidays, by a qualified tutor, where 30-40 individual children per week will: (1) learn how to grow and harvest food, the importance of healthy eating and where food comes from. The food harvested will be donated to the School's kitchen with any excess donated to a local foodbank or pantry. (2) improve their local natural environment through constructing insect habitats and bird feeders using recycled materials, attracting butterflies, bees, insects, birds and other species. (3) children will improve their well-being and mental health in a unique outdoor learning environment.
Why are we best placed to deliver?
Edible Rotherhithe has a long track record of delivering food growing, gardening and arts workshops in primary schools and in 2019 constructed the outdoor polytunnel classroom space in Surrey Square School's playground garden. All tutors that we engage have a relevant qualification.
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| Tutor costs: 3 sessions x £60 per session x 6 weeks | £1,080 |
| Workshop tools, materials and equipment | £700 |
| Volunteer expenses | £220 |
Beneficiaries
30 people
Expected impact
30 children learn how to grow and harvest food, the importance of healthy eating and where food comes from. 30 children improve their local natural environment through constructing insect habitats and bird feeders using recycled materials, attracting butterflies, bees, insects, birds and other species. 30 children improve their well-being and mental health in an outdoor learning environment after a very difficult 2 years of covid lockdowns and restrictions.
Track record
"Dear Christina (Edible Rotherhithe volunteer) It's always lovely to bring children to gardening club, we really appreciate your hard work. A child who doesn't speak came up to you and said 'hello'. The children always look forward to coming to the polytunnel for gardening club every week. They learn so much about healthy fruits and vegetables. Your work is so valuable to us and you are amazing." Nazma, Surrey Square School teacher.