CHILDREN from primary schools across Coventry will swap the classroom for market stalls next week to sell fresh, school-grown fruit and vegetables to the public in support of a great cause.
The Young Marketeers Coventry Market Day will take place on Wednesday (July 8) from noon until 2pm in Broadgate Square.
Children from Aldermoor Farm, Broad Heath, Hill Farm, John Shelton and Joseph Cash primary schools have spent the past few months growing produce from seed with support from expert gardeners as part of Young Marketeers, a food education programme run by charity School Food Matters in partnership with Coventry-based social enterprise Team Springboard.
Now, they are preparing to harvest and sell their produce to shoppers, putting their new gardening, teamwork and marketing skills into practice while learning more about where food comes from.
Visitors to Broadgate Square can expect to find the children selling a colourful selection of seasonal produce, such as beetroot, carrots, lettuces, onions, potatoes, radishes and swedes, as well as herbs including chives and mint, alongside chilli and tomato plants.
Money raised from sales on the day will be donated to Langar Aid, a Coventry-based organisation serving the homeless, vulnerable and those struggling with poverty in the UK.
Young Marketeers helps children develop practical gardening and enterprise skills while nurturing a life-long positive relationship with food, providing hands-on outdoor learning opportunities and increasing awareness of food waste.
Stephanie Slater MBE, Founder and Chief Executive of School Food Matters, said: “Food education is a vital life skill, and hands-on experiences such as growing and selling fresh produce can help children build a real connection with food and where it comes from.
“For 15 years, our Young Marketeers programme has been giving children the chance to learn new skills, work as a team and take pride in what they’ve grown. Market Day is a celebration of the value of food education and a moment for hundreds of enterprising young gardeners across the country to shine.”
