SODEXO HAS provided 150 of its client schools across the UK with a years supply of grow-your-own kitchen gardens as an extension to its partnership with supplier of organic vegetable and herb plants, Rocket Gardens.
Each recipient school has been sent a Sodexo/Rocket Garden voucher box and once the school has redeemed the voucher they start to receive one of three deliveries of baby plants. The deliveries come in the form of three boxes of seasonal fruit and vegetable plug plants that are made available to ensure schools have year-round produce that can be planted and harvested during term time
Many schools have already received the autumn/winter garden, which included baby plants including spring onions, pak choi, turnips, broccoli, broad beans. One is Our Ladys Abingdon school near Milton Keynes. Karen Gackowski, a teaching assistant at the school said:
Its an amazing opportunity for us to expand our garden. The gardening club really enjoy planting then picking their own vegetables; they are so proud to take home even one onion to share with their family.
The schools will receive a further two deliveries, the schools fruit garden, a collection of soft fruit bushes, canes and plants will be delivered in the winter term followed by a spring garden which will comprise a selection of baby plants, which will be delivered after the Easter holidays.
Sodexo has implemented the project as part of its STOP Hunger campaign with sponsorship from its own charity, the Sodexo Foundation. Jane Bristow, managing director for Sodexo Education said: Through the project we hope to children encouraged and excited to grow organic vegetables and learn about the food they eat.
