We’ve been busy bees recently helping Midfield Primary with their Edible Eco Garden project.

The forward thinking school want their students to not only understand the benefits of growing vegetables and fruit, but to be actively engaged in the growing process.  The ambitious project, which began in March 2016, aspires to create a garden packed with vegetable plots, wildlife hotels, a pond, a large greenhouse to house a class of 30, as well as a growing bed for each class to take ownership of.   The aim is to help give the children and their families an appreciation and understanding of growing, cooking and eating fresh fruit and vegetables as well as attracting wildlife to the area.  The garden will also have the potential to link in with other subjects in the curriculum.

Well-known horticulturalist, journalist and presenter, and our friend Peter Seabrook is a real supporter of the project and has already given the young students a motivational talk at a recent assembly to help inspire the children and get them excited about the project ahead of them.   We have also been supporting the school, with lots of ideas, inspiration and of course, much needed labour!  Our Managing Director, Gary Carvosso, started proceedings by volunteering himself and some members of the Coolings team for a few days of free labour to help construct the perimeter fence. We have also marked out their growing beds and advised on design and we are already looking forward to our next stint on the project!

The children from Midfield Primary Autistic Unit, The Treehouse, will also have growing beds to work on with the mainstream children.  It is hoped that a large number of school staff will want to become involved in the running of the garden, including the school chef and kitchen staff, and that volunteers from the proposed, new Midfield Summer School will oversee the garden during the Easter/Summer breaks.

Midfield Primary anticipate that this project will engage parents, families and the local community.  The goal is not only to educate but to empower and inspire children and parents to a better level of health and wellbeing.  The school will be busy fundraising through events, grants and sponsorship to meet their fundraising target.

Good Luck Midfield with this great initiative – your experience with Coolings is definitely growing!