Celebrity gardeners line up to help kids get growing this spring

Top name gardeners Monty Don, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Chris Collins and Sarah Raven have pledged to offer their top gardening tips in person to London's best young gardeners as part of a competition to get primary schools growing fruit and veg.

The Capital Growth schools competition was announced earlier this year by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to encourage young people to grow their own food. More than 100 schools have already taken up this challenge by registering for the competition. The Mayor has today confirmed that Monty Don, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Chris Collins and Sarah Raven have pledged their support by offering to visit a winning school. The top school in each category will win a visit by one of the expert gardeners along with cash prizes of £500, plants and a wormery.  Schools still have until 18 June 2010 to register for the competition.

Alongside the main winners, twelve runners up will be in line for other prizes including fruit and vegetable packs and gardening tools.  Just for entering the competition, green-fingered pupils and teachers will receive a welcome pack, free materials, lesson planners, volunteers, practical support and help with getting discounts on gardening items.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘Classroom theory is no substitute for getting your hands dirty and learning how to grow your own grub. There is plenty of time still to get involved in this competition especially now that Spring appears to have finally sprung. I hope the chance to receive a master class from some of the UK's top gardeners will inspire even more primary schools to get growing.’

Rosie Boycott, the Chair of London Food Board, who launched the competition at a primary school in Islington in January, said: 'Spring is definitely upon us making the ideal conditions for kids and teachers to start growing. This is a wonderful time of year to start a food plot as recent warm weather is finally seeing seeds and buds burst into life.'

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There are three categories for schools to enter: 'Bugs and Slugs', with a focus on biodiversity, 'Collect and Create', a garden encouraging the re-use and recycling of 'waste' items, and 'Climate Cool' – a patch designed to cope with a changing climate. Schools with existing gardens will be encouraged to start growing food, expand their plots or start planting food from scratch. Judging London’s top school gardens will be Rosie Boycott, the chair of London Food, Peter Holman, CEO of London in Bloom, Katie Law from the Evening Standard and a representative of London Food Link, the charity that manage Capital Growth.

For more information on the schools competition including how to register, visit: www.capitalgrowth.org/schools

Prizes and support for the competition are being provided by London in Bloom (http://www.londoninbloom.co.uk/); Gardening Express (http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/); Garden Organic (http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/); the Royal Horticultural Society (http://www.rhs.org.uk/); Fiskars (http://www.fiskarsgarden.co.uk/) Wiggly Wigglers (http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/); School Food Matters (http://www.schoolfoodmatters.com/); the Seed Pantry (http://www.seedpantry.co.uk/) and Rocket Gardens (http://www.rocketgardens.co.uk/)

The competition is part of the Mayor's Capital Growth scheme to cultivate 2,012 new food-producing spaces across the capital by the end of 2012. Managed by London Food Link, Capital Growth has already signed up hundreds of plots across London in a diverse range of places including by stations, alongside canal banks, in housing estates and on roofs.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• The competition has been organised to promote Capital Growth – a scheme funded by the Mayor of London and by Local Food, part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food Scheme.  To enter the competition, schools need to register with Capital Growth.
• The competition is open to all London primary schools that have set up a food growing space since January 2009; those who are expanding an existing food growing project; and schools that wish to start new food growing project.
• Each school can enter only one category and submit only one application.
• The closing date for competition entries is 18 June 2010.
• The Capital Growth team will make a shortlist of schools at the end of June 2010 followed by visits to the finalists.
  Announcement of category winners will be in July 2010. Visits by celebrity gardeners to winning schools will be arranged to take place in 2010.
• A talented writer, broadcaster and campaigner, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is widely known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food. His books, journalism and series for Channel 4 have earned him a huge popular following. Hugh started living in the original River Cottage in rural Dorset in 1998, determined to start growing and rearing some of his own food. His steep learning curve was documented in the Escape to River Cottage series (1999), which won him a big audience. Following this success, and the publication of The River Cottage Cookbook (2001) which won several awards, he was able to establish River Cottage HQ near Bridport in 2004. Hugh is the founder of Landshare which brings people together who have a passion for home-grown food. Landshare came out of TV’s River Cottage. It began when Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall helped some Bristol families grow veg on derelict council land. The experience was so inspiring, that River Cottage decided to see if it would work nationwide. Now Landshare is a national movement of more than 45,000 people. http://www.landshare.net/ / http://www.rivercottage.net/
• Monty Don is one of the UK's best known gardeners. He writes regularly about gardening and has presented a range of TV gardening programmes including a former host of Gardener's World.
• Chris Collins is the Blue Peter gardener. He is committed to encouraging children to garden and discover the joy of growing. http://chriscollins.org.uk/
• Sarah Raven is a writer, cook, broadcaster and teacher, is the expert on all things to grow, cut and eat from your garden. She regularly writes for The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and Waitrose Magazine and has presented BBC Gardeners’ World. Her gardening and cookery books have won her her a number of awards including Best Specialist Gardening book for The Cutting Garden and Cookery Book of the Year for Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook. Her latest book Cooking for Family and Friends is due out May 2010. http://www.sarahraven.com/ 
• Since the 16th century, Fiskars has been dedicated to producing products unrivalled in development, design and quality. As the number one global brand of garden tools, Fiskars continues to lead the way in developing precision garden tools, specially engineered to be powerful, lightweight, ergonomic and easy to use. Fiskars actively supports gardeners of all ages. Not only is gardening a great way to get children active but the reward in growing their own food will help encourage a lifetime of pleasure and healthy eating.
• Rocket Gardens whole-heartedly supports the Capital Growth initiative and is excited to be providing its instant gardens to turn
• London’s unused space into productive community areas. Rocket Gardens believe that growing your own food can make a lasting difference to all our lives and so we’ve made it quick and easy for everyone- even those with no gardening experience- to start growing. The Capital Growth project ties in perfectly with Rocket Gardens’  ‘Dig for the Future’ schools campaign, which aims to get 1 million children growing their own food by the end of 2010.

School Name     Address Borough
The Mount School        The Mount School, Milespit Hill Barnet
Akiva primery school    80 East End Road        Barnet
Hollickwood JMI Primary School  Sydney Road, Muswell Hill       Barnet
Fairway Primary School  The Fairway, Mill Hill  Barnet
Claremont Primary School        Claremont Road  Barnet
Oakleigh School Oakleigh Road North     Barnet
St Paul's CE Primary School     The Avenue      Barnet
Danson Primary School   Danson Lane, Welling Kent       Bexley
Bedonwell Infant and Nursery School     Bedonwell Road  Bexley
Princess Frederica Primary School       College Road    Brent 
Oak Lodge Primary School        Chamberlain Crescent    Bromley
Royston Primary School  High Street, Penge      Bromley
Hawes Down Infant School        The Mead, West Wickham  Bromley
St David's College      42 Kings Hall Road      Bromley
Blenheim Primary and Nursery Class      Blenheim Road   Bromley
The Ravensbourne School Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent       Bromley       
St Paul’s School (£500) Elsworthy Road  Camden
St Aloysius RC Infants School (£1,050)  28, Phoenix Road        Camden
St Vincent de Paul RC Primary School    Morpeth Terrace         City of Westminster   
St Joseph's Junior School       Woodend, Upper Norwood  Croydon
Kingsley Primary School Thomson Crescent, Croydon       Croydon       
West Twyford Primary    Twyford Abbey Road      Ealing
Starks Field Primary School     167 Church Street       Enfield
West Lea School Haselbury Road, Edmonton        Enfield
Lavender Primary School (£850)  Lavender Road, Enfield  Enfield
Hazelbury Infant’s School       Haselbury Road  Enfield
Latymer All Saints CoE Primary School   41 Hydethorpe Avenue    Enfield
Bowes Primary School    Bowes Road, New Southgate       Enfield
St mary's Catholic Primary School       Durants Road, Ponders End       Enfield
Alma Primary School     Alma Road, Enfield      Enfield       
Blackheath High School  Wemyss Road, Blackheath Greenwich     
South Rise Primary School       Brewery Road, Plumstead Greenwich     
Middle Park Primary School (£850)       Middle Park Avenue, Eltham      Greenwich     
Benthal Primary School (£950)   Benthal Road    Hackney
Colvestone Primary School (£300)        Colvestone Crescent     Hackney
Jubilee Primary School  Filey Avenue    Hackney
Lubavitch Ruth Lunzer Girls Primary     107-115 Stamford Hill   Hackney
Rokesly Junior School   Hermiston Avenue        Haringey      
St Pauls and All Hallows Junior School  Worcester Avenue        Haringey      
Bruce Grove Primary School      Sperling Road   Haringey      
North Harringay Primary School (£850)   Falkland Road, Hornsey  Haringey      
Campsbourne School      Nightingale Lane, Hornsey       Haringey      
Coleraine Park Primary School   Glendish Road, Tottenham        Haringey      
St Teresa's First and Middle School     Long Elmes, Harrow, Middx       Harrow
Aylward First and Middle School Pangbourne Drive, Stanmore      Harrow
Whitchurch First School Wemborough Road Harrow
Cranford Park Primary School    Phelps Way, Harlington  Hillingdon    
Glebe Primary School    Sussex Road, Ickenham   Hillingdon    
Yeading Infant's School Carlyon Road Hayes      Hillingdon    
West Drayton Primary School     Kingston Lane, Middlesex        Hillingdon    
Oriel Primary School    Hounslow Road, Hanworth Hounslow      
Chatsworth Primary School       Heath Road, Hounslow    Hounslow      
St Marks CE Primary School      Sussex Way      Islington     
Montem Primary School   Hornsey Road    Islington     
Pooles Park Primary School      Lennox Road, Finsbury Park      Islington     
Hungerford School and Children's Centre Hungerford Road Islington     
Middle Row Primary School (£500)        Kensal Road     Kensington and Chelsea
Burlington Junior School        Burlington Road, New Malden     Kingston upon Thames  
Archbishop Sumner Primary       Reedworth Street        Lambeth
Julian's Primary School 226 Leigham Court Road  Lambeth
Jubilee Primary School  Tulse Hill      Lambeth
Forster Park Primary School     Boundfield Road, Catford        Lewisham      
John Ball Primary School        Southvale Road, Blackheath      Lewisham      
Sir Francis Drake Primary School        Scawen Road, Lewisham   Lewisham      
Sacred Heart Primary School     Burlington Road, New Malden     Merton
West Wimbledon Primary School   Bodnant Gardens Merton
Bond Primary School     Bond Road, Mitcham, Surrey      Merton
St Thomas of Canterbury Commonside East Merton
Hollymount School       Cambridge road  Merton
Morden Primary School (£448)    London Road, Morden     Merton
Britannia Village Primary School        Westwood Road   Newham
Woodgrange Infant’s School      Sebert Road, Forest Gate        Newham
New City Primary School New City Road, Plaistow Newham
Gallions Primary School (£1,000)        Warwall, Beckton        Newham
Keir Hardie Primary School      Edwin Street, Canning Town      Newham
Earlham Primary School  Earlham Grove, Forest Gate,     Newham
Sandringham Primary School      Sandringham Road, Forest gate   Newham
Snaresbrook Primary School      Meadow Walk, South Woodford     Redbridge     
Wanstead Church School  Church Path, Wanstead   Redbridge     
Woodlands Infant’s School       Loxford Lane    Redbridge     
Sheen Mount Primary School      West Temple Sheen       Richmond upon Thames  
St. Stephen's CE Junior School  Winchester Road, Twickenham     Richmond upon Thames  
Sheen Mount Primary School      West Temple Sheen       Richmond upon Thames  
East Sheen Primary School       Upper Richmond Road     Richmond upon Thames  
Trafalgar Junior School Elmsleigh Road, Twickenham      Richmond upon Thames  
Lowther Primary School  Stillingfleet Road, Barnes      Richmond upon Thames  
Goodrich Community Primary School       Dunstans Road, East Dulwich     Southwark     
Dulwich College Prep School     42 Alleyn Park, Dulwich Southwark     
Surrey Square Junior School     Surrey Square   Southwark     
St. John's Catholic Primary School      St. Elmo's Road Southwark     
Wandale Valley School (£780)    Welbeck Road, Carshalton        Sutton
Robin Hood Juniors      Thorncroft Road Sutton Surrey   Sutton
Stanley Park Junior School      Stanley Park Road, Carshalton   Sutton
Robin Hood Infants School       Robin Hood Lane, Sutton Sutton
Amy Johnson Primary School      Mollison Drive Roundshaw        Sutton
Nonsuch Primary School  Chadacre Road   Sutton
Dorchester Primary School       Dorchester Road, Worcester Park Sutton
Hermitage Primary School        15 Vaughan Way  Tower Hamlets 
Lawdale Primary School  Mansford Street Tower Hamlets 
Mission Grove Primary School    Buxton Road, Walthamstow        Waltham Forest
Downsell Primary School 14B Chadwick Road, Leytonstone  Waltham Forest
Walthamstow Montessori School   Penryhn Hall, Penryhn Avenue    Waltham Forest
Wix Primary School      55 Marney Road  Wandsworth    
Christ Church CE Primary School Batten Street   Wandsworth