Grow your own

11:08am Saturday 28th June 2008

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A PRIMARY school which is tackling obesity problems by growing its own fresh produce is in line for a top award.

At Rufforth Primary School, near York, pupils are more than aware of the value of eating fruit and vegetables. Not only do the children grow their own food as part of a green club, but, when it’s time, they harvest it and the fruit of their labours is then prepared for them and served up at lunchtime.

Since Easter, more than 20 infant and junior children have attended the Rufforth Growing Club and are now beginning to harvest a number of healthy salads and vegetables for use in the school kitchen.

The hard-working pupils, alongside teachers and parents, have grown all manner of produce, including sweetcorn, peas, beetroot, chillies, lettuce, onions, radishes, beans, courgettes, pumpkins, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes and various herbs.

The green-fingered children have also done more than just growing vegetables. Through a new greenhouse, funded by City of York Council after a successful grant application to encourage an uptake in school meals, the children have helped brighten the school grounds by growing flowers such as nasturtiums, marigolds, sweet peas and sunflowers.

The surrounding fenced garden area, including raised beds and a sensory garden, was also funded in part from plant sales and support from the governing body.

Thanks to the pupils’ hard work, the school has been nominated under the Best Primary School project category of The Press’s Community Pride Awards.

Head teacher Mark McDermid said: “The area is a credit to the hard work of the whole school community and is fully accessible to disabled and wheelchair-users and will have a huge impact on the wider school curriculum and promote healthy eating for future generations to come.”

The Press still needs nominees for the York Community Pride Awards. If you know of someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the community, we would love to hear about them. To nominate someone, simply fill in the coupon via the link on the right.

Send in a non-returnable picture of your nominee along with a supporting statement setting out why your nominee deserves an award.

Send nominations to Community Pride Awards, Paula Homer, The Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN. Or you can email us at