When our society was formed in 1915, England was experiencing food shortages. The term allotment was new. Local councils in towns and cities had to find space for allotments and also encourage townies to grow vegetables.
It seemed appropriate in its centenary year, that CHAS should use its charitable objectives to extend a special encouragement to the 8 Chiswick primary schools, about growing vegetables. Hounslow Educational Department gave this idea its backing and the Council leader, when he heard about this initiative, was very impressed. The local schools that participated were provided with starter kits of seed potatoes and vegetable & flower seeds. Advice was at hand and the schools were given honorary membership of CHAS.
The main objective of the competition was not size, but what could be achieved in whatever space the chosen schools had, even if it was only window boxes. Judgement day came. Three local schools were given awards. They were all Highly Commended for developing enthusiasm with the children about the joys of seeing plants growing.
Strand on the Green School had tackled an old waste area that had two World War 2 shelters (now sealed up). The children made soup from the vegetables grown, and there is a very lively gardening club.
St. Mary’s R.C. School had a somewhat unruly gardening space, but grew almost show winning vegetables, and indeed raised money for the school selling produce. This garden space has now been transformed into a neat section, but also with a separate wild garden area and 7 new raised beds – one for each year.
Grove Park School already had an enclosed wild area with frogs and a couple of Bug Hotels. In fact, Grove Park was the winner in this close competition, winning their prize by growing over 20 pumpkins, in time for Halloween.
CHAS Chairman, Henry Gewanter presented the CHAS awards, at the School’s assemblies, which included a large embossed brass plate (itself over 100 years old), framed certificates and a copy of the CHAS Cookbook. Special citation awards were given to the gardening teachers: Fiona Heath (Strand), Alison Walters (Grove Park) Andrea McManus (St. Mary’s).
Check out ChiswickBuzz’s coverage of the event.