Witham MP, Priti Patel brought her “Get Witham Growing” initiative to St Andrews Junior School in Hatfield Peverel as she continues to promote gardening and horticultural education across local schools.
Priti presented school pupils with growing kits containing a vast variety of vegetable and flower seeds to plant in the school garden as part as their gardening activities, while discussing with pupils their own interest in horticulture, planting and growing fruits and vegetables.
“Get Witham Growing”, was launched in 2023, and it supports local schools across the constituency to provide practical horticultural and gardening skills to pupils and an appreciation of nature. The initiative is part of Priti’s wider engagement with local schools and community initiatives across Witham and she donates growing kits and items to the schools she visits.
Over the duration of Get Witham Growing, Priti met with local schools and students from across the constituency. Participating schools were presented with their own growing kits, including baskets, plant seeds, and a variety of vegetable seeds, to help encourage further participation in gardening activities at school. The initiative has seen strong support from schools, staff, and pupils alike, with many schools continuing to develop their gardening activities beyond the campaign itself.
Priti Patel said:
“I was delighted to visit St Andrews Junior School and spend time with pupils to hear from them about their gardening activities and their excitement about planting new varieties of seeds. I enjoyed hearing about the different activities pupils have been taking part in and seeing the enthusiasm they have for gardening.
“Through Get Witham Growing, I wanted to encourage children to gain practical gardening and horticultural skills while enjoying the many benefits of spending time outdoors. It has been great to see schools across the constituency take part in this initiative and support these activities, giving pupils opportunities to learn new skills. I would like to thank all the schools, teachers, and pupils for participating in Get Witham Growing and I look forward to seeing how the schools’ gardening clubs continue to grow.”
