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Liverpool leads the way with
revolutionary outdoor food education
LIVERPOOL Primary Schools are at the
forefront of an innovative approach to healthy eating, as 3 Edible
Playgrounds have just launch across the City, to encourage outdoor learning, growing
and engaging food education.
The 3 Primary Schools:- St Teresa of Lisieux Catholic Primary and Monksdown
Primary in Norris Green, and Holy Name Catholic Primary in Fazakerley; will
each be serving up seasonal home grown feasts to their local School communities
this afternoon as part of a nationwide initiative by charity, Trees for Cities,
to get children outside growing and learning about healthy food.
The Edible Playgrounds; which were officially opened by Liverpool's Assistant
Mayor, Cllr Nick Small; mark an experiential and innovative approach to food
education; each a bespoke design for the School and their pupils to create
outdoor learning hubs in the heart of the School grounds.
Councillor Small embarked on a tasty road trip across the City; cutting
celebratory ribbons of the new Edible Playgrounds and enjoying the home-grown
delights pupils have been growing; including herbs, salads and seasonal
vegetables.
Said Councillor Small of his visits to the three Schools:- "This is a
fantastic scheme which has so many benefits for School pupils, including
encouraging outdoor learning and growing and eating your own food. The Schools
are doing an amazing job coming up with creative ways to engage children in
learning and fire their imaginations."
Today's launch is of particular significance to St Teresa of Lisieux Catholic
Primary School, one of the largest Primary Schools in Norris Green, and a
flagship School for the Edible Playground programme; made possible thanks to
nearly ₤250,000 Dream Funding available from the generous support of players of
People's Postcode Lottery.
Thanks to the inspirational outdoor spaces, and ongoing support and training
from the Edible Playground team, the School can now enjoy seasonally grown fruit
and vegetables all year round.
Alongside using their outdoor classroom area of the garden to create stimulating
lessons and enrich teaching of the core curriculum, pupils will grow and harvest
apples from their blossoming orchard trees, strawberries and raspberries from
abundant soft fruit beds; as well as herbs, salads and root vegetables from a
network of raised beds and trellis archways.
In addition to incorporating outdoor learning throughout the wider School
curriculum, the School has also created an interactive Cookery Classroom where
their School cook delivers outdoor cooking lessons to students 2 to 3 times a week.
Andrew Tremarco, Head of St Teresa de Lisieux Primary School said:- "We
encourage our pupils to get outside, stick their hands in some soil and learn
about the benefits of healthy eating. Our Edible Playground is all about trying
to create a healthier, happier future for the children taking part. We want
everyone to have those all-important memories of growing their own food, knowing
where it comes from and experiencing the tasting of a wider variety of fruit and
vegetables."
This approach to integrated food education in the City comes at a poignant time,
following British Nutrition Foundation's report, released recently, has revealed that
nearly 1 in 5 children believe Fish fingers come from chicken, and almost a
3rd think cheese is from a plant.
Liverpool's new Edible Playgrounds are part of a wider programme:- a partnership
between Trees for Cities, School Food Matters and Chefs Adopt a School; to
create 10 further flagship Edible Playgrounds in London, Manchester, Leeds and
Reading. As part of the project, the pupils will also enjoy hands on cooking
lessons from Chefs Adopt a School and access to food education programmes
outside the School gate via charity School Food Matter's Membership for Schools.
Thanks also to Tesco, whose Bags of Help funding went towards the build of the
Edible Playground as well as clearing and enhancing the School's nature trail
area. Ernest Cook kindly supported teacher training and all School engagement
activities.
Trees for Cities are encouraging more Schools to create an Edible Playground on
their grounds, as a way to address growing concerns for food poverty, childhood
obesity and a disconnect with food origins.
For more information contact the Edible Playgrounds team on:- 020 7840 5956 or
via email.
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