Competition winners

Discover the winners of our previous Grow Your Own competitions! Click on the links to read more.

2017

'Grow' book prize draw

Grow book cover

During February 2017 Food Growing Schools: London (FGSL) teamed up with Author Ben Raskin and Leaping Hare Press to launch an exciting prize draw. For London schools to win ‘Grow’, a fantastic new illustrated book helping children to get inspired to grow food. Congratulations to the following schools who won ‘Grow’ the book:

  • St Leonards Church of England School, Lambeth
  • Linton Mead primary School, Greenwich
  • Cranford Primary School, Hounslow
  • Stoneydown Park Primary School, Waltham Forest
  • Streatham Wells Primary School, Lambeth
  • Akiva School, Barnet
  • Reay Primary School, Lambeth
  • Gilbert Colvin, Redbridge
  • Marner Primary School, Tower Hamlets

Three lucky schools were also picked to receive ‘Grow’, and a visit from the Author Ben Raskin to bring the activities in the book alive. Congratulations to you too.

  • St Joseph’s Primary School, Wandsworth
  • King Athelstan Primary, Kingston Upon Thames
  • Abbotsfield School, Hillingdon

The first 100 schools to enter also won an exclusive, limited-edition ‘Grow’ activity pack, including games such as Worms and Ladders, Compost Bingo, seeds and stickers!

2016

Schools Marketplace Competition 2016

Rokesly Junior School, Haringey, winners of the ‘Most Enterprising Product’ at the Schools Marketplace at City Hall, October 2016.

Schools Marketplace Competition - October 2016

Congratulations to the following three schools who became winners of our Autum Schools Marketplace Competition, whihc took place at City Hall:

  • Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, Lewisham: Winners – ‘Best Dressed Stall’
  • Kelvin Grove Primary School, Lewisham: Winners – ‘People’s Choice’
  • Rokesly Junior School, Haringey: Winners – ‘Most Enterprising Product’

To find out more about the day read our blog: 'London schools celebrate food growing success at City Hall'

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with the  students and teachers at the Schools Marketplace 2016 at City Hall. Photo: Maria C. Bada/Garden Organic.

Schools Marketplace Competition - July 2016

The Mayor of London opened the doors of City Hall to welcome six London schools to hold their very own Schools Marketplace on Thursday 14 July 2016. The event showcased delicious food grown in London’s schools – from salads, chards, rocket, beetroot, potatoes and herbs, to home made products such as plum jams and mango chutneys, tasty eldeflowers cordials, mint dips and more

The Schools Marketplace was organised by FGSL and partner Capital Growth, who were delighted with the number of schools that took part in this and another initiatives as part of its Growathon campaign, which also included a film competition and other marketplace events across London

As well as produce stalls, an award ceremony for the Capital Growth “Showcase your Growing Competition” took place at 1.30pm.  Judged by Chris Collins, best known as the former TV Blue Peter gardener, the winning schools (Selwyn Primary School - Newham, Glebe School - Bromley and Copenaghen Primary – Islington, were given prizes, including a great set of Bulldog Tools.

Chris Collins and Copenhagen Primary School awarded  for “Showcase your Growing Competition" at the Schools Marketplace 2016 at City Hall. Photo: Maria C. Bada/Garden Organic.

During the ceremony, the winners of Capital Growth’s ‘Harvest-ometer Challenge’ were also annouced. The challenge inspired and helped schools to grow and measure their harvest with an online tool that calculates the value of your harvest.

Trafalgar Infant School, Richmond won the “Most food grown per Sqm” award; Charlton Manor Primary School, Greenwich, the “Biggest range of produce” title and Ambler Primary School, Islington, was nominated as “Growing School Hero”.

Bountiful Barrows Competition 2016

A great time for Hallfield Primary, when the winners of the competition received with their goodies and certificates, also a great performance by Really Big Pants Theatre - SUDDENLY...!  and a 1-1 visit from a skilled FGSL consultant.

Photo: Garden Organic

Some intrepid Y4s braved the downpour to show the performers around their thriving veg plot. They have a great edible playground and outdoor space.

Willow Nash and Joe Bromley, Directors at the Really Big Pants Theatre Company, said: "It was really wonderful to see, and they were very proud of it and knowledgeable about what they'd planted."

All very inspirational!

Click here to see the winning entries to the Bountiful Barrows Competition 2016
 

Grow on, Film it!

In celebration of Food Growing Schools: London’s #Growathon – the biggest school food growing challenge of the year – Trees for Cities Edible Playgrounds project ran a short film competition about planting, sowing, growing, gardening, harvesting and eating good food at school! We had some amazing entries and after careful consideration our panel of judges picked the winners.

  • Winners - Copenhagen Primary School
  • Runners up - Meriden High School
  • Special Mention - Midfield Primary School

See the winning videos on the Edible Playgrounds website.

2015

Schools Marketplace Competition

Thursday 15th October 2015, 12 - 3pm

City Hall, The Queen's Walk London SE1 2AA

The Schools Marketplace at City Hall was a huge success! Thank you to all 13 enterprising schools who sold tasty school-grown produce on the day, including jams and chutneys, salads, herbs, cordials, dips and more. Organised by Capital Growth and the Food Growing Schools: London partnership.    Autumn 2015 - Congratulations to the following three schools who won prizes at the Schools Marketplace event at City Hall on Thursday 15 October 2015, as part of Grow Your Own Business activities.

  • People's Choice - St Scholastica Primary (Hackney)
  • Best Enterprising Product - St Pauls Cof E Primary, Whitechapel (Tower Hamlets)
  • Best Dressed Stall - Dormers Wells High (Ealing)

The standard of school-grown produce and stall displays was exceptional.

The competition was sponsored by Abel and Cole.

Photos of the Schools Marketplace can be found on our Flickr Gallery.

What our sponsor said:

"Organic food pioneers since 1987, we at Abel and Cole really adore all kinds of food growing - regardless of scale. We understand how important lots of fruit and veg is to children, young people and their families. It is crucial that children learn early where food comes from, and we think that growing food is the best way to learn! We are happy to see so many London schools growing fruit and veg and we would love to help even more in doing so." Abel and Cole

Abel and Cole logo

Participating Schools included:

  • Argyle Primary (Camden)
  • Bethnal Green Academy (Tower Hamlets)
  • Bonneville Primary (Lambeth)
  • Chisenhale Primary (Tower Hamlets)
  • Charlton Manor Primary (Greenwich)
  • Charlton Park Academy (Greenwich)
  • Colville Primary (Kensington and Chelsea)
  • Dormers Wells High (Ealing)
  • Garratt Park School (Wandsworth)
  • Grange Primary (Harrow)
  • St. Paul's Whitechapel CofE Primary (Tower Hamlets)
  • St Scholastica (Hackney)
  • Trafalgar Infants (Richmond)

 

The Schools Marketplace is a showcase for beautiful and delicious food grown in London’s schools. Organised by Capital Growth and the Food Growing Schools: London partnership.

Find out how schools are using food growing to enhance pupil learning, attainment and health, and improve the environment and partnership with the local community.

In 2014 schools sold their produce to members of the public, 600 staff based in City Hall, the former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and Ireland’s Prime Minister Enda Kenny! In July 2015, The former Mayor of London returned to award our competition prizes, and in October 2015 we had even more enthusiastic schools taking part.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson buys produce from Trafalgar Infant School students at the Schools Marketplace at City Hall. Photo: Jane Baker/Garden Organic.

The former Mayor of London Boris Johnson buys produce from Trafalgar Infant School students at the Schools Marketplace at City Hall. Photo: Jane Baker/Garden Organic.

Grow Your Own School Garden Competition

A 'Grow Your Own Picnic 2015' Competition

Summer Term 2015  - The Food Growing Schools: London partnership launched a fantastic new London schools gardening competition to coincide with the launch of Grow Your Own Picnic 2015. And this time it was aimed at schools who aren’t yet growing food.

Award Ceremony - at the Schools Marketplace, City Hall - Thursday 9th July 2015,  12 - 3pm.

Expert Judge - the competition was judged by Chris Collins, BBC TV Gardener.

What our sponsors said:

'Inspiring young people to grow their own healthy food, and to develop their knowledge of growing and the skills involved, is at the core of what we believe in at The Organic Gardening Catalogue.  We're delighted to be able to support the Grow Your Own School Garden competition and hope that it will encourage more youngsters to get growing, they are after all,  the next generation of farmers and growers!' Michael Hedges, Managing Director, Chase Organics and The Organic Gardening Catalogue

'Haxnicks are passionate about gardening and have a history of designing great new products to help everyone else who loves to grow. We are very excited to be supporting a project that is sowing the seeds for a new generation of grow-your-own enthusiasts, particularly in spaces and places where it might not otherwise be happening. We wish the schools good luck with their growing and happy harvesting too!' Damian Cardozo, Haxnicks Founder

'We are delighted to support the Food Growing Schools Project. It is essential for our future that our children get a hands on chance to grow food and plants in general. We work tirelessly around the world promoting grow your own and healthy eating and the London Schools Project is something we want to encourage as much as we can. Well done to everyone involved.' Joe Denham, CEO for VegTrug Limited.

HacknicksVeg Trug logo

Grow Your Own Picnic 2015 Photography Competition

Summer Term 2015 - Capital Growth also ran a photography competition to celebrate what London schools are growing, as part of Grow Your Own Picnic 2015.

Grow Around the World Competition

A special prize 'Grow Around the World 2015' prize as part of the Grow Your Own Lunch competition

Spring Term 2015 - Thank you to all the London schools who entered our competition. The standard was very high and the exotic lunch recipes made our judges feel very hungry. You all worked very hard and should be proud of your efforts.

Grow Around the World Competition

A special prize as part of the 'Grow Your Own Lunch' competition

Trafalgar Infants GATW 2014 competition winners

Trafalgar Infant School, Richmond, winners of the Grow Your Own Lunch special prize at the Edible Garden Show 2015. With Chris Collins, BBC TV Gardener and James Campbell, Garden Organic Chief Executive. Photo: Jane Baker/Garden Organic.

Huge Congratulations to Trafalgar Infants School in Richmond, the winners of our competition.

The aim of the competition was to create an exotic lunch from scratch, and win prizes for your school!Trafalgar Infants School succeeded in winning based on the following entry requirements: To create two recipes for a delicious two-course lunch using unusual ingredients, including a main course dish.  Tell us how you would grow unusual ingredients from around the world in your school.  Submit your recipes and growing guides, and a photo of your lunch and you could win a special prize offered by Food Growing Schools London.

The prizes:
•    5 free tickets for the Edible Garden Show (20 March 2015)
•    A half day visit to your school from a gardener
•    A Sowing New Seeds guide to growing unusual crops in the UK – plus a CD of recipes and posters.
•    A selection of unusual vegetable seeds, a watering can and bottle top waterers.

Thank you to our expert judges: Chris Collins (BBC TV gardener), James Campbell (Garden Organic Chief Executive), Julia Minnear (Food Growing Schools: London) and Julie Riehl (Capital Growth),

Thank you to all the London schools who entered our competition. The standard was very high and the lunch recipes made our judges feel very hungry. After going through all the entries the schools shorlisted were as follows. You all worked very hard and should be proud of your efforts.

Shortlisted Schools:

  • Bensham Manor School    
  • Chisenhale Primary School  
  • Colville Primary School
  • John Ruskin Primary School
  • John Scurr Primary School     
  • Sacred Heart Primary (Battersea)   
  • St John’s C of E Primary School (Kingston)  
  • St Teresa Catholic Primary School
  • Trafalgar Infant School
  • Ursuline Prep school

Congratulations all!

The School Enterprise Garden Competition

A 'Grow Your Own Business 2014' Competition

Autumn Term 2014 - Food Growing Schools: London teamed up with Capital Growth, to look for enthusiastic schools running their own food growing enterprises.

Congratulations to the winners of the School Enterprise Garden Competition as part of Grow Your Own Business 2014 activities. The winners were awarded their prizes at the Urban Food Awards on Thursday 4th December 2014, at Whole Foods Market in Kensington.

The winners:

1st place - Nightingale Primary School - Hackney
2nd place - Rhyl Primary School - Camden
3rd place - Dormers Wells High School - Ealing

2014

 

Find out all about Grow Your Own Business activities last year, below:

Edible Garden Awards 2014:  The Schools Enterprise Garden

Congratulations to the winners of the School Enterprise Garden Competition as part of Grow Your Own Business 2014 activities. In 2014 Food Growing Schools: London teamed up with Capital Growth to find the most enthusiastic London schools running their own food growing enterprises. The winners were awarded their prizes at the Urban Food Awards on Thursday 4th December 2014, at Whole Foods Market in Kensington.

Schools sell out at City Hall

On Tuesday 14 October 2014 nine London schools came to City Hall to sell their produce and products to about 600 City Hall workers. The event was a total success with many schools selling out within two hours. Pupils even got to sell their products to London’s Mayor Boris Johnson and Ireland’s Prime Minister Enda Kenny (ushered in as they passed by intrepid Darryl from Park View Secondary School). Capital Growth and Food Growing Schools: London would like to thank all the schools that took part, for their amazing products and effort decorating the stalls so beautifully. We are on the case to get another organised so watch this space! The schools trading included:

Schools Marketplace, Tuesday 14 October 2014:

  • Charlton Park Academy (Greenwich)
  • Charlton Manor (Greenwich)
  • Glebe School (Bromley)
  • Good Shepherd RC Primary (Croydon)
  • Lowther Primary (Richmond)
  • Nightingale Primary School (Hackney)
  • Park View Secondary (Haringey)
  • Rhyl Primary (Camden)
  • Wandle Valley (Sutton)

Schools Marketplace, Thursday 9 July 2015:

In July 2015 the following schools took part in another Schools Marketplace at City Hall:

  • Bensham Manor (Croydon)
  • Bethnal Green Academy (Tower Hamlets)
  • Charlton Park Academy (Greenwich)
  • Christ Church CE Primary (Wandsworth)
  • Glebe School (Bromley)
  • Park View Secondary (Haringey)
  • Rhyl Primary (Camden)
  • Selwyn Primary (Newham)
  • The UCL Academy (Camden)
  • Trafalgar Infant School (Richmond)

Visit our Flickr gallery to see the photos of the day - and upload your own school food growing photos!

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London. Schools Marketpace, City Hall.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, buys produce from the Charlton Park Academy stall.
With Julie Riehl of Food Growing Schools: London. Photo: Tracey Francis/ Charlton Park Academy School