Samantha Cameron hits Yorkshire campaign trail

She toured The Growing Zone, in Kippax, with founder June Perkin, before helping to paint a potting bench.

Speaking afterwards she said: “It’s great to be in Yorkshire. The best thing about the campaign is getting out and about meeting amazing people like June.

“The Growing Zone is an inspiration. It’s been lovely meeting everybody here today and seeing what an amazing job they do changing the lives of so many people with disabilities.”

Mrs Perkin came up with the idea for The Growing Zone after seeing young people with little to do in the area.

With the help of volunteers she has transformed an area of the Sykes Field Allotments into a vibrant garden enjoyed by young people with disabilities, pupils from local schools and as well as scout and brownie groups.

Mrs Perkin said: “It was brill to have her here. To use the words the kids use, it was cool, she’s lovely.

“She was very very interested, she’s a very very kind lady, she understands everything we are doing, what we are about and it was a real pleasure to show her round.”

Mrs Perkin first met Mrs Cameron at a Downing Street reception for “community champions” after she was nominated by Alec Shelbrooke who is defending the Elmet and Rothwell seat at the election.

Mr Shelbrooke said: “You see so many children young adults come here, quite shy, perhaps not got the social skills they need, and leave here as well developed adults and confident in their lives and confident they can do things.

“For me that’s one of the reasons that I went into politics because you want to try and change peoples lives and to actually be involved with a project like this and support June in any way I can is just fantastic.”