At its recent Annual General Meeting, Slow Food Berkshire & Wiltshire (SFB&W) announced the award of a grant to the Shalbourne Community Growers group to support their educational programme. The funding will be used to purchase equipment, enabling the group to continue hosting school groups and providing hands-on learning experiences for children in the region.
SFB&W, part of the global Slow Food movement, is dedicated to promoting the value of good, local food within the community. Through its ‘Know Your Food’ initiative, SFB&W supports local groups working with children and young people, helping them discover how food grows, where it comes from, what it tastes like, and how to cook from scratch.
With growing concerns about the consumption of ultra-processed foods, SFB&W emphasises the importance of food education. As food education is not mandatory in UK schools, SFB&W is taking the initiative to support groups working to fill this gap.
The Shalbourne Community Growers group not only grows vegetables for sale locally but also provides a safe outdoor space for learning. The group collaborates with several local schools, offering children the chance to get their hands dirty, learn new skills, and have fun while engaging with food and nature.
Christine Garrod from SFB&W stressed that “We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to learn about where their food comes from and how to prepare it. By supporting local groups like Shalbourne Community Growers, we’re helping to foster a lifelong appreciation for good, local food and healthy eating habits. Our hope is that these experiences will inspire the next generation to make informed choices and enjoy the many benefits of real food.”
Polly Cox from Shalbourne Community Growers in accepting the cheque said “This grant is an important boost to our ability to run programmes for local children. Our ‘regulars’ can’t wait to come each week and seeing the joy on their faces as they learn is wonderful. One of the schools we work with has virtually no green space of their own so this is a huge value-add for their students.” SFB&W is inviting other groups in Berkshire and Wiltshire to apply for funding under the ‘Know Your Food’ programme – grants requests are reviewed twice a year, Spring and Autumn. Eligible groups should be working with children and young people to share food knowledge, either through an existing programme or a clear plan.
Warehouse & Operations Manager – Winsor Birch – Marlborough
