Case study KITCHEN GARDEN PROJECTS PROVENANCE Understanding food c 24
Helping children understand where food comes from is important to their learning and development and their relationship with food, which are all vital elements to establishing healthy eating habits at a young age. For the past three years, Caterlink has been helping schools do just that through its School Kitchen Garden project
aterlink’s School Kitchen Garden project provides the opportunity for practical food education among its young school customers outside the dining room, by giving children the responsibility to grow their very own fruit, vegetables and herbs in dedicated gardens at their schools. This is part of the contract caterer’s campaign to help schools in local communities engage with children about the food they eat and to help them develop long-term understanding of eating healthily and having a varied diet.
June 2013
Every year, funding is set aside by the Caterlink Foundation to support School Kitchen Garden projects. Caterlink schools are then encouraged to apply for funding by demonstrating what it would mean to them to start and maintain a school kitchen garden, and how such a project would help them to educate children about food and the importance of provenance. Since 2010, more than 45 schools have benefi ted from the project and almost £90,000 has been provided by the Foundation. Alannah Chatir, school business manager at Hargrave School in London, one of the schools to have received
funding, says: “We were
delighted to be supported by Caterlink to start our vegetable garden. The
“The children
love caring for the chickens
and collecting the eggs”
children have so enjoyed building the planters and watching the plants grow. We have linked the garden to many topics of the curriculum, including growing, minibeasts and art.” However, it doesn’t just stop at school kitchen gardens. Through the Caterlink Foundation, some schools have benefi ted from funding to set up their very own chicken coop. St Mary’s
R.C. Primary School in Maidenhead is one example where the Foundation has supported such a project. Sally Andreou, cluster community liaison and fundraising coordinator, who oversees the project, says: “The children love caring for the chickens and collecting the eggs. “As a result of the project, they
now have a greater understanding of animal welfare and the difference between battery chickens compared to free range chickens. The eggs produced are sold locally, and the money raised is used to purchase chicken feed. For us, this has become a wonderful, long-term, sustainable project, which we hope to continue with Caterlink’s support.”
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