Bradford Good Food Strategy put into action in schools across the district

Article dated Tuesday Nov 21, 2023 at 04:32 PM

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Pupils at Killinghall Primary School have been learning how to press fresh fruit to make juice thanks to a new partnership between Bradford Council and two social enterprises, Fruit Works and Trees for Cities.

The project, born out of The Bradford District’s Good Food Strategy and commissioned by Public Health, will see orchards being planted in 15 primary schools across Bradford. The aim is to enable children from urban areas to learn about and engage with sustainable food practices such as growing fruits and vegetables, as well as how to prepare, cook and preserve them.

Cllr Sue Duffy, Executive Member for Children & Families and Living Well at Bradford Council, visited the school for a juicing workshop where children were shown how to press freshly picked apples into delicious fresh apple juice. The session was led by Gini Morandi and Trillz Kellett of Fruit Works, a non-profit social enterprise which specialises in helping people to plant and maintain fruit trees.

Cllr Duffy said, “Our Good Food Strategy was established last year, which is all about promoting healthy and affordable eating, tackling food insecurities, encouraging community-led food growing and creating a sustainable food system for all.

“Projects like the one established by Fruit Works and Trees for Cities embody the vision of the strategy, and it was great to see it in action at Killinghall Primary School.

“The children really enjoyed learning about the whole process of juice making and having a go at pressing the apples themselves. I’m not usually fan of apple juice either but this was delicious!”

Mel Frances, Senior Development Coordinator for Tree for Cities said, “In partnership with Public Health and Fruit Works, Trees for Cities is planting eight school orchards this year and 7 next year, to enable young people to take positive action to help tackle climate change as part of Trees for Climate Action. 

Pupils and staff have already had a design workshop to plan where their trees will be planted and have been juicing and drinking their own apple juice. This helps them to understand where their apples come from and how beneficial it is to grow your own produce.”

The children also wrote their own nature poems which are on display at Cliffe Castle museum in Keighley.

Over the winter months, children and their families will plant their mini orchard and learn how to maintain it over the years to come.

The Bradford District Good Food Strategy 2023 can be found on the Bradford Council website.

Trees for Cities' Trees for Climate Action project is funded by the National Lottery. Thank you to the players of the National Lottery for their support for this project. 

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