Nursery Name Takes Part in Grandparent Gardening Week

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[Nursery name] takes part in Grandparent Gardening Week

On [date], [nursery name] will be taking part in Food for Life Grandparent Gardening Week. The national initiative, taking place from the 27th – 31st March 2017, aims to help grandparents and others to pass on their growing knowledge and experience at the same time as enjoying the fresh air and the opportunity to socialise with children, staff and other community members. Willing volunteers will be offered tasty and healthy home-made snacks from the nursery kitchens / made by the children.

Pupils have helped to plan the event and, along with staff / nursery cook, decided what kind of crops they want to grow. The crops are linked to menus planned for the nursery kitchen and should provide great learning opportunities as well as fresh food for cooking activities or nursery meals.

(Insert name and job title of nursery manager) said: “Add quote. This could mention the importance of sharing, celebrating and educating children and staff about the benefits of knowing where food comes from and the opportunity to taste fresh and local produce, particularly home grown."

By participating in Grandparent Gardening Week activities and blogging about what they did on the Food for Life website, [nursery name] will be in with a chance of winning some great prizes including a Veg Trug planter from VegTrug.

Joe Denham, CEO of VegTrug Limited said: “We are really happy to support Food for Life’s Grandparent Gardening Week by sponsoring the competition.

By encouraging children to grow and eat fresh, natural food the Food for Life Early Years Awards programme sums up what VegTrug as a business was set up for. We truly hope the Vegtrug encourages the winning setting to grow their own vegetables and helps children to learn where their food comes from for many years to come”. The Food for Life Programme uses food as a way to improve the whole setting experience, making mealtimes a more positive feature of the day and enriching learning with farm visits and practical cooking and growing. ENDS For further information contact: [School’s contact details]

For enquiries about Food for Life, quotations or images, contact Lorna Picton - Communications and Marketing Manager - [email protected] 0117 987 4587 http://www.foodforlife.org.uk/grandparentgardeningweek @SAFoodforlife

NOTES TO EDITORS 1. More information about the school

2. The Soil Association Food for Life Early Years Programme is an awards framework which was developed as a partnership of nationally recognised experts (Soil Association, Focus on Food, Garden Organic, Health Education Trust and Royal Society for Public Health) with grants from the Big Lottery Fund. It now offers a range of packages, including expert resources, which support Early Years settings to provide fresh, well-sourced and nutritious meals and improve their overall mealtime experience. The evidence-based programme helps children, adults and Early Years staff understand the importance of good nutrition and where their food comes from through practical cooking and growing activities and farm visits. To find out more visit www.foodforlife.org.uk/early-years

3. The Soil Association Food for Life initiative aims to make Britain healthier through food by making good food the easy choice for everyone, whoever and wherever they are. Through their work with schools, nurseries, hospitals and care homes they aim to support the provision of nutritious, well-sourced meals as well as practical knowledge and skills. They are a leading voice in the campaign for positive change in all areas of food and health. To find out more visit www.foodforlife.org.uk

4. Food for Life Grandparents Gardening Week: Running from the 27th – 31st March 2017, Grandparent Gardening Week aims to support schools to kick start their gardening and to involve the wider community by engaging the support and advice of grandparents, carers and the wider community (including local allotment holders).