Growing talent nurtured with gift of seed kits

Budding gardeners have been given everything they need to start growing their own produce, to help them learn about about where their food comes from.

The Marlborough branch of Waitrose donated 16 kits to six primary schools – Preshute, Burbage, Pewsey, Ramsbury, Great Bedwyn and St Katharine’s – as part of its UK-wide Grow and Sell initiative.

Children are being encouraged to plant and tend for the seeds, nurture the young plants, and reap the rewards at harvest time. The children will then be given the chance to turn their greens into cash, with the opportunity to sell their produce from a stall at the store, with proceeds going back to school funds.

Claire Kington, the store’s Community Matters ambassador, told the children: “This scheme offers an activity that includes teamwork and will enable children to appreciate the challenges around farming and weather conditions, and to understand investment.”

Clare Diamond, from Preshute School’s parent association, said: “Our Year Two pupils will be bringing back to life our neglected butterfly garden, raking the area, planting the seeds, and nurturing the plants. It’s a great opportunity for the children to learn about gardening.”