Hundreds of thousands of pieces of soft plastics, such as bread bags and crisp packets, dropped off by customers at Tesco stores are helping green fingered kids learn about fruit and veg.
As part of the supermarket’s Stronger Starts programme, around 400 schools across the country, that already receive support from Tesco’s Fruit & Veg for Schools initiative, are receiving fruit & veg planters made from recycled plastic, that pupils can use to try out growing their own produce.
To help them get growing straight away, Tesco and its horticulture supplier, Westland, are also providing the pupils with compost as well as strawberry, cucumber and tomato seeds.
Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools supports pupils in schools where there is a higher-than-average free school meal ratio, and in total aims to provide around 16 million pieces of fruit and vegetables. Over a school year, that’s the equivalent of 110 portions per child on average.
Since the launch of the programme, pupils in the schools taking part have enjoyed almost 590,000 kilos of fruit and veg! The five most popular items of fruit were apples bananas, oranges, kiwi and melons, and most popular veg were potatoes and carrots.
Claire De Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco, said: “Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools is making a significant difference by providing young people in some of the most challenged communities in the UK with more of the essential vitamins and minerals that children need to thrive.
“The new planters will help schools go even further in encouraging pupils to give healthy foods a try and form habits that will stay with them as they grow up.
“They’ll also teach pupils the value of collecting and recycling the plastic packaging they use at home.”
Mrs Chris Fenna, Headteacher at St Paul’s RC Primary School, which is receiving planters, said: “The new planters will take pride of place in our garden that’s currently being revamped by the Year 6 pupils as their leaving present to the school.
“Our plans are to grow fruit and veg in them which can be used for lunch or for the children to take home.
“They will give all children the opportunity to take part in planting and harvesting and allow them to see first-hand where food comes from.”
The planters have been designed and built by Plastecowood using the different types of household soft plastic dropped off by customers at collection points outside Tesco stores across the UK.
Last year saw Tesco donate tables, chairs and planters also made from recycled soft plastic for a series of NHS community gardens that were being created across the country.
