We are pleased to announce the arrival of the new Campaign for School Gardening Regional Advisor for Yorkshire and The Humber, John Hickling. John's role is to encourage schools to sign up to the campaign and to support schools throughout the region in their gardening. John will be delivering twilight training in practical gardening skills to teachers, school support staff and parent helpers at a number of school venues in Yorkshire and the Humber. Twilight training will be available shortly.
Prior to undertaking this position John, who lives in Beverley with his wife and three children was a Senior Lecturer in Horticulture at Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire where he has been teaching and managing a range of courses which include National Diploma Courses and the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture. John enjoys all aspects of horticulture and particularly enjoys the practical and creative aspects of gardening. (At present he is considering designing his own garden to include a Beach Hut which will double as his new office but is still trying to persuade his children that this would be a good idea).
Having children at both primary and secondary schools he is enthusiastic to work with teachers and relishes the opportunity to assist in introducing children at such an impressionable age to the wonderful and diverse areas of gardening and to find interesting and fun ways to link gardening to the National Curriculum. John feels that school gardens should be treated as an outside laboratory and all should feel free to experiment and enjoy themselves in them.
John who has a keen interest in the environment has hobbies which include mountain biking, cross country running and tennis. He will be working in the Yorkshire and Humber area and you will be able to contact him on schoolgardeningyork@rhs.org.uk