School children will trade the classroom for a taste of market life this week, as they sell fresh, school-grown fruit and vegetables to the public in support of a great cause.
The children will be selling their produce on Friday from 9am- 11am at the Shambles Market in Stroud.
Schools taking part include, St Rose’s School, The Shrubberies School, Cashes Green Primary School and Archway School.
This is part of a food education programme called Young Marketeers, run by the charity School Food Matters and supported by The Dulverton Trust. It gives children the opportunity to grow food from seed with the help of expert gardeners before harvesting and selling their fresh, tasty produce to their local community.
Dozens of enterprising children from four schools will sell potatoes, kale, beetroot, courgettes, strawberries, blackcurrants, various herbs, and more at their stalls on the day, putting the marketing training they’ve had into practice.
All the money raised on Market Day will be donated to The Long Table.
Stephanie Slater, Founder and Chief Executive at School Food Matters, said: “We want every child to understand that food begins in the soil, not on a supermarket shelf. There’s no better way to bring that to life than by giving children the chance to grow their own fruit and vegetables at school. For the last 14 years, the Young Marketeers programme has been educating children about food production, sparking entrepreneurial spirit, nurturing healthy eating habits, and building awareness around food waste. We can’t wait for this year’s Market Day to see the children proudly showcase the fruits of their labour.”
School Food Matters delivers fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country and campaigns for improvements to the school food system, helping children develop an informed and positive relationship with food.
In a 2024 survey of children taking part in Young Marketeers, 63% said the programme taught them a new gardening skill, 52% discovered something new about where food comes from, and 61% gained new knowledge about healthy eating.
