Following many months of hard work in their school garden and orchard, Whitchurch CE Primary School are thrilled to have been awarded a Gold, in the school category, from the Heart of England in Bloom judges.

The children sow, grow, harvest and eat over 30 varieties of fruit and vegetables in their school garden. Any excess produce is sold to the local community, along with fresh eggs from the school chickens; the donations they receive are used to purchase seeds for the following year.

In addition, their ECO schools lead, Mrs Donna Powell, was also awarded the RHS’ ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’, Outstanding Achievement Award, the only Heart of England in Bloom award within the seven counties.

Headteacher Mrs Claire McKeown told the Ross Gazette: “This is an amazing achievement, and one the staff and children are rightly very proud of.”

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening inspires young people through plants, and helps them discover the wide-ranging benefits of gardening.