Bring home the harvest for British Food Fortnight
16 May 2013
British Food Fortnight is inviting all schools in the UK to enter a harvest lottery to win their place in Westminster Abbey this October at this special harvest service.
To enter the lottery, each school needs to create a harvest box that celebrates the food produced in their part of the country. Each harvest box will need to contain fruit and vegetables the children have grown themselves, food they have cooked in class and a selection of food from local producers in their part of the country.
The lottery will encourage children and their families to:
- learn about growing
- learn about cooking
- learn about the food on their doorstep
40 schools will be selected by lottery to join VIPs and a host of celebrities in London’s Westminster Abbey in October for the special British Food Fortnight Harvest Festival service. The schools’ harvest boxes will be presented at the service and distributed to members of the community afterwards.
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall launched the competition on 24th April.
How to take part
Taking part is easy. All schools have to do is create a harvest box brimming with items that represent everything they have learnt about growing, cooking and food local to their area. Activities can take place in after school clubs, during activities weeks, or as part of the curriculum. Each harvest box needs to contain fruit and vegetables the children have grown themselves, food they have cooked in class and a selection of food from local producers in their part of the country.
Learn about growing
Fill your harvest box with fruit and vegetables that the children have grown throughout the year, whether in class or in an after school club. Why not pick your prize vegetables from the school allotment or if you don’t have a school patch, windowsills and pots can be great places to grow herbs and small plants too!
Learn about cooking
Make some delicious treats for your harvest box. Why not have a go at making a harvest loaf or bramble jelly? If you have a local flour or fruit producer you could use their products to make your creations, or you can have a go at producing/collecting your own ingredients?
Learn about the food on your doorstep
Discover your local cheese makers, bakers, condiment makers and butchers and ask them to donate food for your special box. Why not arrange a school visit to the local farm or dairy to see where these local products come from, or arrange an in-school talk by local farmer, fishmonger or greengrocer?
Lottery applications need to be received by the end of the summer term, Wednesday 24 July 2013. Schools will be selected by the end of July and notified by email immediately with confirmation of what they need to do in preparing for the service.
The competition is open to all children over the age of 8, in primary and secondary schools in the UK. Details about how to enter are on available via the link on this page.