BUDDING gardeners at Lydney C of E enjoyed the fruits of their labour at their Christmas fayre last week when they tucked into some delicious homemade pizza.

Over the past two years, volunteer Anna Palmer has been teaching Key Stage 2 children how to grow their own food in their revamped school garden.

And all their hard work culminated at the fayre when they turned their produce into around 60 pizzas for pupils and visitors to enjoy.

Their grown ingredients included onions, garlic and tomatoes to make the sauce, as well as wheat and spelt which they helped grind to make the dough.

And they were very grateful to Lydney Tesco who generously donated the cheese to top it all off.

Throughout the project, Anna has helped the children transform the school garden into a thriving growing space, whilst equipping them with the skills they need to keep growing long into the future.

Her aim has been to inspire in the children an ongoing interest in plants and the natural world.

Year 3 teacher Sarah McMullen-Morris says the project has been invaluable for the children in allowing them to spend time outdoors, experience the feel of the soil and get their hands dirty, whilst also improving their physical strength, concentration and learning capabilities.

She said: “The children love being outdoors, and the fresh air works wonders for them and the physical tasks keep them active.

“They have learnt so much about different plants and what they need to help them grow and of course have had lots of opportunities of coming across lots of different insects, which for some, is the best bit!

“Not only do the children gain valuable lessons on the aspects of gardening, it really helps with most, if not all, other educational subjects and topics.”

On “a bleak and cold” winter’s day last year, the pupils sat down for some leek and potato soup made with two ingredients that they had helped grow.

That experience meant they were even more proud to see their efforts pay off when they sat down for pizza last week.

Next year’s plan is to grow wheat to make a pasta dish.

“I have particularly enjoyed listening and watching the children being so sociable, creative and cooperative, even problem solving and decision making with each other”, Sarah added of the project.

“They are certainly learning to work together as a team, and in a way that is quite different from the classroom.

“The instant gratification and sense of self confidence from seeing their own hard work and achievements in their garden is a wonderful thing.

“It is a safe and secure activity in an outdoor environment where the children’s love of nature is flourishing.”

She said of Anna’s work to rejuvenate the previously neglected school garden: “To say the garden has been transformed is an understatement, it really is remarkable.

“Her commitment and enthusiasm for gardening and working with the children is amazing.

“As a teaching staff, we are so grateful to her, as time during the week is so limited, the garden would never have got done and remained an eye sore for years to come!”

Some of the children commented about their sessions in the school garden: “I love finding and saving the worms”.

“I feel grown up using the spades, forks and secateurs”.

“It makes me feel really free and calm”.

“I have to be responsible for looking after the vegetables we’ve grown otherwise they won’t grow”.

“Even pulling the weeds up is so much fun”.