[nellie.b]

the school i work at is building a new site for extra classrooms and in this plan,the headteacher wants to incorporate a patch for veggies and a wildlife garden.He knows that i garden so he has asked me to help set it up,but i don't know where to start wiht regard to getting things.He says he will write to the local D.I.Y stores to see if we can get a greenhouse,tools etc and put a letter out to parents to get helpers but i wondered if anyone knows if we can get any financial assistance from anywhere. It will also be a community garden to get local residents to join in.

[Bear]

Nellie

I've sent you a PM  - I may be able to help.

[Steve.P]

Hi nellie ,

Just a thought, by all means get what you can from local businesses, but how about starting off small by growing the basics, then selling them to the parents at a reduced cost. With the money you make, you can then purchase items such as a greenhouse, and more tools as the income grows. This would then teach the kids a little about business. Not sure if the school would approve but worth a try.

[peterjf]

dont go to the diy shops , go to your local allotment site and join as a member, usually less then £2-00 a year ,you will find most things are 50%cheaper,

ask the old allotment keepers for advice , even ask for their help , they love to help out a new novice,

[Salmo]

Never forget parent power.

Make a plan of what you want to do and get  some idea what it might cost.

Tell your PTA what you want.

Find out if any parents are builders, landscape gardeners, farmers etc from whom you can scrounge materials.

Ask your local garden centre or DIY store if they would like to sponsor the project. In return every parent who comes into the school will see how wonderful they are.

Allotment association is a good idea. They may well give you free membership. Are any parents allotment holders, or better still on the committee or even the Chairman or Secretary? Their members will probably have lots of spare tools. Ask and you may be given.

When you know what you need please ask us on this forum!!!!!!!

[Salmo]

Two more things.

School Governors are often well connected with local industry.

Make good use of the buiders that are building your new classrooms.

The Head should ask the site manager to tell him what is going to happen on site each week and this should go on the notice board together with a plan. This will keep the children interested. He might even do an assembly, could show the children safety gear.

Of  course you should ask the building company for materials, they might even build a base for your greenhouse.

[muntjac]

with this idea i also started a small garden at my local primary ... first thing is only grow  spring summer stuff .. toms radishes lettuces and runner beans and a few sweetcorn and pumpkins remember tho that schools close down in the hols and you need to think who is going to look after them during this time .go the education dept for help with leaflets and other teaching related stuff .they usually have some printed pictures etc that kids colour in these are great fun  also they have posters showing growing cycles for beans and other stuff ...be warned make sure you have support from the parents fully .... great ideas that involve others can come unstuck when its relying on parent power ,,,,,,,,,,here speaks a long time  a scout leader....... :?

[nellie.b]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. We won't be able to sell produce as the head wants to use it in the school kitchens for lunches(if there's enough!)and encourage healthy eating-but we could sell off any excess seedlings.
We don't yet have an allotment site nearby. I have been talking to the local residents association and they are considering reopening a site that was used years ago,so we could all work together.
There are parents that are farmers,builders etc and they may be persuaded to help.I will be able to access school grounds in hols as i will be getting a key to keep an eye on things. And yes,Munty I know what you mean about other parents not being helpfull-other things we've tried to set up have failed because people get fed up of helping after a while.

[peapod]

Nellie

Im also in the process of setting this up (and Bear is a wonderful helpful man btw!). I would google 'vegetable gardens for schools'- theres some links there for funding that may help, bear in mind its a long process though, and using the garden for enterprise e.g. selling produce to the staff will help. Theres always 'buzzwords' for the next 'sexy' idea to source funding. At the moment its enterprise. Also try your local garden centres/builders/scaffolders/seed companies and supermarkets, and a letter to parents may provide some good stuff.
Anyone supervising the kids alone will need to be CRB checked, and a risk assessment applied. I though it would be an easy thing to do, but its turned out much more complicated! But its great once you get the ball rolling  

Paula

[Salmo]

Morrisons supermarket did have a voucher scheme for garden tools for schools. I think it is still going.

[Yorkie]

There's a Gardening in Schools Scheme - don't know the details, but I think it may be run by the RHS?

[nellie.b]

Thanks Peapod.Iseem to remember seeing a post where you mentioned this.I am CRB checked myself to be able to work in the school and so is my friend who has kindly offered to help.She will be great cos she's a skip-dipper!
I will be getting some help from Bear when we get a bit further down the line.We will have to put the idea past the Goveners first,but as the idea has come from the Head,it shouldn't be a problem.
I have seen a few of these schemes and I'm trying to put together a few ideas to put to the Head.Please keep the ideas coming in folks,i need all the help i can get and i know i can rely on all you friendly garden-type folk out there!!

[nellie.b]

Hello again. I am so exited i can hardly type      
The school plot is GO,GO,GO!!The Architect has included the plot in the plans and the workmen will be digging and leveling a spot for a poly tunnel,which hopefully be built from goods sourced from local builders and farmers(from a plan found on here).There are also other members of staff involved now-the cookery club are joining in as they've found that many kids dont know where their food comes from.we also have a small patch put aside for building coldframes,and there may be a chance to visit another local school that has already done a similar thing.A gardening club is the next thing to set up.
This has fired me up so much,I think every school should start something similar-even if they grow everything in pots and bags and old tyres!! Please someone knock me back down to earth with something that i havnt thought of.

[peanut]

head to RHS website and sign up for campaign for school gardening - they will send you loads of free stuff

We've just received free seeds and has links to other sites - our school won a raised bed, seed trays, potato sacks, hand tools, seeds, books and seed box from something i forget I even signed up for  

also try www.potatoesforschools.org.uk
and www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools
or www.loveschoolgrounds.org.uk

[nellie.b]

Thanks v.much Peanut,will give these a try when I get 5 mins peace from the kids and will let you know how i get on.