PUPILS at a West Devon primary school are enjoying school dinners made with organic produce they have grown themselves. Lunches at Winkleigh Primary include carrots, onions, beans, a variety of lettuce and other salad crops as well as succulent strawberries grown in the school?s own garden. The garden is the brainchild of headteacher Jane Rivans, chair of governors Susan Gill and parent Jamie Inglis, who designed it. Year 6 pupil Daniel Hooper is the head gardener and he is currently training pupils from Year 5 to take over when he leaves this summer. Daniel said: ?My granddad is a gardener and he grows everything we grow here, so I have been able to learn from him. ?We come down here before and after school to water the plants and do the weeding. ?Everything we produce and pick goes to the kitchen and the healthy snack shop and if we have too much of anything we sell it.? Daniel said it gave all his dedicated team a great deal of pleasure to know what they grow is helping to produce healthy lunches for their fellow pupils. Winkleigh, which uses Devon Direct Services, has been serving healthy lunches since well before Jamie Oliver?s TV show put the spotlight on the issue. Since adopting the new, healthy menus, take-up at the 126-pupil school has risen from 50 to almost 90. Staff also regularly eat school dinners. Mrs Rivans said: ?The children ? and their families ? have supported this very well. The increasing numbers are the proof.? The garden, complete with a mini polytunnel, is all organic and is currently producing more than needed. Some Year 6 pupils are working with a local villager to write a business plan for the garden and are considering marketing the crops to parents.
