Two partner schools of the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) ‘Campaign for School Gardening’ have received a special present from Manchester Airport. Pupils from Crossacres Primary School in Wythenshawe and Manor Park Primary in Knutsford have been given planters for their school grounds in order to grow a mixture of fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The containers were delivered by Andy Cannell, Regional Advisor in the North West for the Campaign, along with three members of Vale Contractor Services that maintain the landscape at Manchester Airport. Andy Cannell was appointed as the RHS Regional Campaign for School Gardening Advisor in the North West at the end of 2010. The role, funded by Manchester Airport, aims to support teachers and schools and works with children and communities to make the most of the opportunities to learn through gardening.

Andy said: “These containers present an exciting chance for children at the schools to create some spectacular planting displays, while learning about choosing suitable plants and looking after them carefully. With the help of Matthew Faulkner, Adam Beard and Mark Etchells of Vale Contractor Services we were able to deliver the containers.”

The airport supports the work of the ‘Campaign for School Gardening’ as it currently engages with ten Partner Schools in Greater Manchester and Cheshire to help them develop their school garden and instil a love of gardening into staff and pupils alike.

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening encourages and supports schools to actively use a school garden. It provides resources and curriculum-based lesson plans to help schools use gardening as an effective way of delivering the curriculum. To date over 13,800 schools have signed up to the Campaign, meaning that more than two million children have access to gardening at school.

John Martindale, a teacher at Crossacres was grateful to Manchester Airport for providing the containers to the school. He said: “We will use these containers to create a colourful display outside of our front entrance. They will help to show off our pupils’ talent for gardening and provide a welcoming sight for both visitors and parents”.

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening aims to encourage and support schools to create and actively use a school garden. See www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening for more information.