On Friday 10 July, Kirkgate Market was filled with the voices of some very young traders.
Children from seven local primary schools gathered to sell the fruit, vegetables, herbs, flowers and plants they had grown during the spring and summer terms as part of Young Marketeers, a food education programme run by the national charity School Food Matters and funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and Lord Barnby’s Foundation.
With support from school staff and School Food Matters‘ expert gardeners, the children grew an impressive range of produce despite the recent heatwaves. Sales of carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, courgettes, herbs, fruit and potted plants raised £265 for Incredible Edible Leeds. The children were also supported by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Stephen Holroyd, who visited the market to meet the young traders.
As well as teaching children how to grow produce from seed and encouraging a lifelong positive relationship with food, Young Marketeers helps them develop valuable teamwork, enterprise and marketing skills. Throughout the day, the children confidently chatted with customers and put those skills into practice as they sold their home-grown produce.
Reflecting on the day, one teacher said:
“I’ve never seen them so animated.”
Another added:
“These kids… they’re so confident here. They’re different children in class. You don’t always have to be in the classroom.”
