As part of the Appetite for Action Competition, schools across the UK were encouraged to pick a challenge such as ‘Get Growing’, ‘Reduce Rubbish’ or ‘Greener Grub’. Topsham’s pupils won the competition by taking on the challenge, ‘Greener Grub’. They formed a team called ‘The Garden Gang’ who demonstrated a serious commitment to their chosen challenge. Activities they organised included growing their own vegetables in the school garden and in an allotment located in a local organic farm, giving some of the surplus to a local charity or selling it at a local market and the school summer fair. The children also composted their school’s cooked food waste, as well as planted an orchard at the local organic farm.
Justin Vernon, head teacher at Topsham School said: “The children have had so much fun working on Appetite for Action and have learnt so much about reducing waste and making the most of the resources we have. We’re thrilled that our achievements have been recognised with this award and the children are obviously really excited that they might be on TV when the Sky Real Lives film crew come to visit!”
Topsham School is not new to Appetite for Action. They were indeed runners-up in the last school year’s competition and invested their prize money in new equipment for this year’s Appetite for Action competition.
Trewin Restorick, CEO of Global Action Plan, said: “It is fantastic to see that Topsham School in Devon have not only continued expanding their veggie patch from the Get Growing challenge last year but have stepped up to the next big challenge with enormous success this year achieving Greener Grub status! Well done to the Topsham Green Team and all those involved for making sure that everyone in your school benefits from a leaner, greener lunch box packed with locally sourced and delicious produce from the garden with little or no packaging that can’t be recycled. Congratulations to all the schools that participated in our second year of Appetite for Action, keep up the good work!”
“A special thanks to all the Green Teams, teachers and parents involved because without your help all those people that have shared the benefits would not have realised how much fun turning the school green can be. Also a big thank you to BSkyB for working with us to bring Appetite for Action to nearly 2000 schools across the UK.”
