Barmston Village Primary School has been named the winner of the Best Community Garden category in our annual Ready Set Grow gardening competition, thanks to the incredible transformation of its outdoor space into a vibrant “Edible Playground.”
Installed in August 2024 and fully funded through the National Education Nature Park initiative, the garden has become a thriving hub of biodiversity and learning. Led by the Hive class and Garden Club members, pupils have spent the year sowing seeds, planting fruit, vegetables and flowers, and caring for the space through regular watering and weeding.
The once-empty playground is now a colourful oasis bursting with life. Strawberries, onions, potatoes, lettuce and prize-winning courgettes flourish alongside a stunning variety of flowers. The garden has not only enhanced the school’s environment but also empowered children to make a positive impact on nature and their own futures.
Judges praised the garden’s creativity and inclusivity: “It’s great to see this area brought to life with not only flowers but edibles also planted. An excellent garden which is reaping the rewards of everyone's hard work. The transformation within a year is fantastic.”
Chris Roberts, Director of Customer, commented:
“This garden is a shining example of what happens when creativity, community spirit and care for the environment come together. It was great to be shown around the garden by the children themselves, they were so proud to share what they’d grown and learned. It’s inspiring to see how they’ve embraced the project and created something truly special that will benefit the school and local wildlife for years to come. A special mention also goes to the teacher who led the project and showed us around, their passion and dedication really shone through and clearly inspired the children.”
“We are so proud as a school to have been awarded the Best Community Garden from Gentoo. I cannot thank the staff and children enough for all their hard work in making sure the garden is the best that it can be” added Mrs Sara Bainbridge, Head Teacher.
As part of their prize, the school received a certificate, a trophy, and £200 in vouchers to spend on enhancing the garden even further.
The prize was kindly donated by Panacea Applications Limited. Rachel Wynne, CEO, said: “It's a pleasure to sponsor an initiative that brings communities together through creativity and sustainability developing its outdoor spaces. We believe in empowering people to grow, whether that’s through technology or through initiatives like this that make a lasting impact on local communities. We’re excited to see the gardens this year’s entries create and bring to life.”
Our Ready Set Grow competition takes place every year to celebrate schools or community groups who take pride in their outdoor spaces. The competition encourages more people to get involved, share their gardening achievements, and help brighten up their neighbourhoods.
