Dear Friends
Summer is here and it's time for an update.
COMPETITION
Many will have enjoyed watching the two winning films produced by St Matthew's and Trafalgar Infant for our competition. Both schools received beautiful allotment spaces, built by our sponsors, Mears, awarded on May Day by Blue Peter gardener, Chris Collins. The films still have pride of place on the SFM home page, so do take time to see what talented young filmmakers we have in Richmond and Kingston!
FARM VISITS
Competition runners-up, St Stephen's will be enjoying their visit to Rushall Farm on Monday 15 June. Rushall Farm continues its link with SFM and farmer Cliff Marriott has already hosted visits from Waldegrave and Trafalgar Junior School and is looking forward to seeing Sheen Mount and Fern Hill in the Autumn Term. If you would like to arrange a farm visit for your school, go to Find a Farmer on the SFM website. But you might not have to wait that long, as this Sunday is Open Farm Sunday. To find a farm near you, go to the click here.
WAITROSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
Good news for school gardeners. Already nine of the eighteen schools enrolled through SFM in the Waitrose Community Matters scheme, have been awarded cash for their growing projects. SFM will be doing another round of funding applications in the Autumn, so if your school has a project that needs some cash, get in touch. Updates will be posted on our Growing Ideas page.
MORE HELP FOR YOUR GROWING PROJECTS!
Capital Growth is looking for 2,012 new food growing spaces by 2012. Capital Growth gives groups with growing ideas access to funding, equipment, volunteers and expertise. SFM is now part of the Capital Growth working party, connecting schools with this wonderful resource, so if you need help contact SFM, or go to the Capital Growth website. Grey Court School Community Allotment has already benefited from this initiative, so your school could be next. Look out for SFM at the Capital Growth stand at the Hampton Court Flower Show in July.
SCHOOL MEALS
SFM is continuing its quest to get fresh sustainable food into schools. In Richmond, there are plans afoot to set up a working party of parents, head teachers and school governors to look at the current meal service and plan ahead to the next contract in 2011. There seems to have been a delay in the proceedings since our meeting back in March, but I remain optimistic that Richmond will keep this important issue high on the agenda. You can encourage LBRuT to do this by signing the SFM petition which already has over 450 signatures and continues to grow. See the link below!
Kingston is next and I am encouraged by interest from both RBK's contract manager, and the officer in charge of the Sustainable Schools framework. With head teachers on board and a parent petition to follow, we are on track to work towards a meal service that will make Kingston proud. Watch this space.
DO YOU LIVE IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF RICHMOND?
Would you like all Richmond children to eat freshly prepared sustainable food at school? Then sign here:
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