PUDSEY: Gibbs & Dandy, has set pupils up for a fruitful new year, with the opening of a primary school’s very own allotment, after they asked teachers for more outdoor learning spaces.

Thanks to donations of material by builders’ merchant Gibbs & Dandy, Southroyd Primary School now has its very own vegetable patches and gardening space.

Featuring numerous raised beds where pupils will be able to grow seasonal produce, the scheme is designed to encourage healthy eating, as well as developing the budding green-fingered gardeners’ skills.

Speaking on the innovative scheme, Dave Manton, acting head teacher at Southroyd Primary School, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Gibbs & Dandy for its generous donation. It’s provided the school with a fantastic outdoor learning environment, where the children can grow and nurture their own plants and establish the concepts linking growing with eating.

“When we talked to our children about what they wanted from a learning experience, they talked about opportunities to work more outside and be active in their learning. Having our own set of allotments within the school has presented some excellent opportunities for exactly this, with our children able to explore science and develop a love of growing, as well as developing a healthy diet.

“Using the materials provided by Gibbs & Dandy, staff and parents worked so hard to turn the raw materials into an excellent resource for the children to use. We are so grateful to the whole community who has been involved.

“We have already developed a plan to utilise the growing space, and the children are already excited about their first harvests.”

Andrew Barlow, branch manager at Pudsey Gibbs & Dandy, added: “We’re delighted to have donated product for this project – anything that promotes healthy eating and encourages pupils to enjoy the outdoors is a cause worth getting involved in. The timber we supplied has been used to create raised beds, which provide better drainage for the plants, as well as making them more accessible for the pupils.

“It’s great to see the vegetable plots being used and the school and pupils benefitting from the produce of their labour.”