School pupils bring local produce to Borough Market harvest sale

Children from Southwark schools were in Borough Market on Thursday morning selling produce grown in their school during the summer.

The Harvest Sale was the culmination of a partnership between Borough Market and School Food Matters, a charity whose mission is to ensure that every child enjoys fresh, sustainable food at school and understands where their food comes from.

"Thanks to Borough Market, children from ten local primary schools will experience the joy of growing and harvesting delicious fresh autumn veg and develop their enterprise skills by selling their produce to raise funds for FareShare," said School Food Matters founder Stephanie Wood. "What a great way to learn about food!"

Last May pupils and teachers were given a masterclass by food writer and horticulturalist Tom Moggach who showed them how to plant and care for their seeds. Since then, pupils and staff have cared for their crops during both term-time and holidays.

The harvest included two large pumpkins, beetroot, tomatoes, carrots, apples, potatoes, spring onions, rosemary and bay leaves. Charles Dickens Primary School pupils were selling plants, fresh herbs and eggs.

"Borough Market is a place where people come to learn about good food and why good food matters," said Borough Market managing director Keith Davis. "That is why we are proud to be partnering with School Food Matters for their Harvest Sale and to play our part in helping to inspire the next generation about the importance of good food and further their understanding of where their food comes from."

Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins, wearing his Blue Peter badge, visited the stalls in the Jubilee Market to inspect the results of six months work and advise the judges. A basket of fruit was awarded to Surrey Square School.

The money raised by the sale was going to FareShare charity which seeks to relieve food poverty by rescuing good food that would otherwise go to waste.

"The Harvest Sale is a fantastic project, enabling children to gain new skills and learn about the importance of food," said FareShare CEO Lindsay Boswell. "Their efforts will help feed vulnerable people who regularly go hungry. The children should be very proud of this, and we thank everyone involved."