Year six pupils from Churchdown Village School in Gloucestershire have turned a modest £5 loan into an impressive £400 profit through their participation in a gardening project. The Grow £5 initiative, aimed at primary students, works to instill an entrepreneurial mindset in the youngest of learners. It helps instill a lifelong appreciation for gardening and nature.
In addition to these benefits, Grace says her gardening club has been flourishing for 16 years. It recently trained ten passionate members with a startup budget of £5 to purchase seeds. The students grew tomatoes, carrots, beetroot and more, alongside professional gardener Chris Evans from Dundry Nurseries in Cheltenham. They cultivated lettuces, courgettes, beetroots, carrots, and even potatoes.
Thomas, one of the club’s members, shared his satisfaction with the project. “I’ve enjoyed coming back to school and seeing how everything has grown a lot more,” he said. He started with a simple garden bed, and he devoted himself to caring for his plants, watering them each day at school.
Alfie, another seminar participant, had dreams of turning a profit with his garlic crop. He even announced plans to donate his fight proceeds to a dog charity—dogs are apparently his passion. “I was thinking I could give it to a dog charity because I love dogs and they should be treated well,” he stated.
The pinnacle of their efforts was during the school’s farmers’ market where students were able to sell their homegrown fruits and vegetables. The event highlighted their impressive gardening skills and it helped them connect with the larger community. Queenie and Callum, two of the club’s members, chose to donate their profits to help fund their school’s new library.
Longview Club volunteer Rebecca Henwood emphasized the power of the project to inspire the students. “Their passion for gardening has truly grown,” she noted. As she described it, the project functions similarly to a business loan. It allows students to either retain their profits or contribute them to a charitable cause of their choosing.
“When I was given the chance to help, I was very excited because this is like me going back to when I was their age, when I would be gardening with my dad and grandad,” he shared.
