Pupils grow in stature as veg box champions

Oyster Park Primary School beat off competition from 14 other primary schools from across Yorkshire to win the title.

It is the second year the Yorkshire Agricultural Society has run the competition to encourage young people to grow their food and learn about the benefits of being self-sufficient. Fifty-seven schools from across the region entered this year, with the top 15 invited to display their vegetable boxes at the Great Yorkshire Show.

The four runners-up were Stillington Primary School, York, St John’s Church of England School, Knaresborough, Horbury Primary School, Horbury, Wakefield, and Springbank Junior School, Farsley, Leeds.

Mike Prest, who organises the Garden Show and the children’s competition, said getting youngsters involved in growing their food from an early age is crucial. He said: “If we get primary schools interested it starts the process off. Lots of schools used to have their own allotments but somewhere down the line they were lost and a whole generation missed out on growing their own produce.”

But he said attitudes are changing, and added: “Schools used to struggle to get four or five pupils to join their gardening clubs. But I speak to some now and they have 30 children involved and a waiting list, which is a good sign for the future.”

The 15 veg box finalists were Oyster Park Primary School, Ferry Fryston, Wakefield; Horbury Primary School, Wakefield, Ravensthorpe I&N School, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury; Dishforth Church of England Primary School, Dishforth, Thirsk; New Earswick Primary School, York; St John’s Church of England School, Knaresborough; Stillington Primary School, York; Aspin Park Primary School, Knaresborough; Mill Hill County Primary School, Northallerton; Confederated Prim- aries of Arncliffe and Kettlewell, Skipton; Wood Bank Special School, Luddenden, Halifax; Morley Victoria Primary School, Leeds; Springbank Junior School, Farsley, Leeds; Willow Tree Primary School, Harrogate; Deighton Gates Primary School, Wetherby.