RHS eager to get schools growing
7 November 2011
The RHS is encouraging schools to sign up to the RHS’s Campaign for School Gardening, supported by Waitrose, in a bid to get 4.2 million children gardening by 2012.
The RHS Campaign for School Gardening has been running since 2007 and is free to join. Schools that register receive access to training courses and a host of online resources, including lesson plans, case studies and gardening advice. Each school is also sent a free starter pack; comprising of seeds, soil pH testing kits, posters and more.
Jacky Chave, Strategic Schools Manager for the RHS, explained; 'Four years ago we said we wanted to get 80% of UK primary schools gardening by the end of 2012, the equivalent of 4.2 million children. Currently we have 42% of UK primary schools on board which, considering the pressures currently on schools, is a really good number'.
However the RHS is still aiming high – so they are calling on all primary schools not registered to the campaign to join, with the hope that one day every child in the UK could have access to gardening in schools.