GREEN-fingered schoolkids in Coventry will get help to grow their own food after Coventry University announced plans to expand a successful school allotment initiative.
A professor at the university has secured a grant to expand the project to more schools in the city.
Dr Jana Fried, Assistant Professor at Coventry University’s Research Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), has co-led a UNESCO award-winning pilot project with Earlsdon Primary School and Grow Coventry CIC since 2023.
The project has received funding to expand to more schools from the Nature Towns and Cities programme – a partnership between Natural England, the National Trust and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Through the initiative – part of Coventry City Council’s ‘Green for All’ programme – Dr Fried aims to build a network that brings together schools, council departments, academics, civil society organisations and allotment groups to promote hands-on nature experiences for children.
Dr Fried said: “Coventry has 45 allotment sites across the city but many people either don’t know how to access them or face long waiting lists. If you enable schoolkids and their parents to get involved, you’re opening up allotments to families who wouldn’t normally enter these spaces.
“This model could also encourage involvement from families who don’t want to take on a whole plot themselves, making participation more accessible and manageable. That can create more access for wider populations, including migrant communities who often have deep knowledge of food growing but lack access to green space.
“This funding will allow us to expand the pilot to new schools and build a network to support further growth. More people engaging with nature also helps protect it.
“As researchers in Coventry, it’s important to give back to the city. Coventry has many beautiful green spaces but not everyone knows or is interested in them. We want to change that.”
Staff at Earlsdon Primary School say they have already seen the benefits.
Headteacher Rebecca Bollands said: “Two years ago we took over a community allotment ten minutes from the school due to our lack of green space.
“Every week a class spends an afternoon there, supporting science learning and teaching food citizenship. Pupils grow beans, potatoes, chard, raspberries, sweetcorn, leeks, pumpkins, rhubarb and more. The produce is used in school meals, shared with families and donated to food banks.
“The impact has been huge – practical work helps pupils retain learning, being in green space boosts wellbeing, and they’re more willing to try new fruit and vegetables.
“We’re keen to share our experience with other schools because many more children could benefit from outdoor learning.”
Coun Lynette Kelly, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change at Coventry City Council, said the scheme’s expansion was a great opportunity to introduce more local people to the green space on their doorstep.
She added: “We will also be working with a range of partners and local people to develop plans and opportunities to help ensure our green and water-based spaces can deliver more benefits for both local people and nature.
“Introducing young people to allotments is a great way for them to learn about nature, pick up new skills and of course grow produce to share. Allotments are great assets in the heart of our communities; they support biodiversity and sustainable growing and it will be fantastic for more young people to have the chance to recognise them as part of the future too.”
