The aim of this project was to encourage children to enjoy healthy eating and trying new food by learning how to grow and cook fresh vegetables in an environmentally sustainable way. The fact that the children have grown the food themselves was hoped to be a major incentive to then eat it! Schools were then given help to ensure they are gardening in a sustainable fashion by, for example, companion planting, using organic methods, setting up a compost scheme, sharing tools and re-using materials where possible.

As well as providing a valuable teaching resource for the schools, the project aimed to develop strong links with the wider community. Local organisations and volunteers were invited to be involved with the pilot schools and the children were also be actively encouraged to take the skills and enthusiasm home with them.

The project built on the experience of schools already active and complimented existing initiatives such as Health Promoting Schools, enterprise schemes and the Eco-schools award.

HEN employed a Project Worker on a consultancy basis to carry out the following tasks working closely with the support of HEN members.

Schools were provided with the following support over a 12 month period:

• Schools supported by project worker, volunteers and where available local growers.
• Supported to grow produce in their school grounds in order to make a salad, pot of soup, a flour-based item or bowl of raspberries
• Face to face and telephone support from project worker – with tailor-made advice to the school’s individual needs
• Equipment and seeds to grow selected fruit or vegetables. 
• Help with sourcing volunteers from local community
• Guidance on further support available locally or through national food growing projects
• Ideas on how schools might continue with this project over next 2-5 years
• Guidance on how other schools might take this on without need of project support.
• A workshop to share experience held in October 2006.  Showcasing the successes of the project, issues that came up and how they were resolved. 

     HEN is now working closely with the relevant agencies and organisations in Highland to ensure the project has a broad and lasting impact.

     Now that the project has come to an end, the Plot to Pot resources can be found below.  Information from the Plot to Pot project will also be incorporated into an excellent new resouces produced by the Skye and Lochalsh Horticultural Development Association - for further information please visit www.slhda.org.uk

     The December 2006 edition of the HEN newsletter has a special focus on food and food growing, and also documents some of the findings of the Plot to Pot project, plus further sources of support.