Edible Playground
Our Edible Playground was created in partnership with Trees for Cities, Chefs Adopts a School and School Food Matters supported by funding from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery Dream Fund.
Edible Playgrounds is a programme led by Trees for Cities. They transform areas in school grounds into vibrant outdoor spaces that excite and teach children about growing and eating healthy food in a lively, engaging, multi-sensory way. By instilling healthy eating habits at an early age, they help tackle obesity, food poverty and lack of access to nature head on, and provide a platform for fun and engaging lessons that support the school curriculum.
With the support of Trees for Cities, School Food Matters and Chefs Adopt a School, all the pupils at The Palmer Academy learn about the concept of ‘food miles’, where the food that we eat comes from, the implications on the environment and economy and the multiple intermediaries involved in bringing it to Reading. They see their food transform from seed to plate! We put healthy living at the heart of the community and provide new and transformational experiences to all our pupils.
It was launched on Thursday 12th November 2015 and opened by Councillor Sarah Hacker, Mayor of Reading. In addition to Planting days involving pupils, parents, staff and the local community, pupils have opportunities to experience and learn about growing and harvesting food throughout the school year either through their curriculum or as part of one of the gardening clubs.
Our partners:
The People’s Postcode Lottery Dream Fund gives organisations the chance to deliver the project they have always dreamed of, but never had the opportunity to bring to life.
Trees for Cities is the only independent charity working on a global scale focussed entirely on planting urban trees and providing volunteering opportunities to bring local people together. Originally established in 1993 as Trees for London, demand for our services has grown and we now plant trees in 25 cities across the UK and overseas.
School Food Matters help to ensure that every child enjoys fresh sustainable food at school and understands where their food comes from. They will be helping the school access food education, enterprise and events.
Adopt a School, incorporating Chefs Adopt a School and Hospitality in Schools, was founded in 1990 and is a national charity that aims to tackle specific health inequalities, such as obesity, and also the lack of knowledge about food and healthy eating. Chefs Adopt a School will send a professional chef to cook with the children and explore the wonderful taste of the food growing in the Edible Playground.