Nagle-Rice National School, in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, has been crowned the 2024 winner of SuperValu and GIY’s ‘Let’s GROW’ initiative.
The green-fingered pupils created a sensory garden, named Tadgh’s Garden, in memory of a past pupil.
The garden is a feast for the senses, featuring flowers, water features, a beautiful mural and grown produce, including cucumbers, radishes, garlic, tomatoes and peppers.
Tadgh’s Garden is also fully wheelchair accessible, in keeping with the school’s inclusivity practices, and available for all students to enjoy and appreciate.
‘Lifelong Love And Appreciation’
The leader of the gardening group, Jan Keirns, said of the project, “Our garden is colourful, tactile, and visually stimulating, providing our students with an outside classroom.
“This space helps our students to develop lifelong love and appreciation of growing their own produce, while simultaneously motivating students to eat the healthy produce they have grown.
“Children are usually more inclined to eat things they have prepared and grown themselves.
“While the produce in the garden has many nutritional benefits for the children, the garden also provides a safe space to help regulate the emotions that school can bring.
“We have seen both students and teachers taking advantage of the relaxing environment of the garden, where they can take a stroll and have a place to properly relax during the busy school day.”
‘Truly Inspiring’
Michael Kelly, the founder of GIY, said, “Our partners in this campaign are SuperValu, and without them, we wouldn’t be able to bring these experiences to children across the country each year.
“Growing your own food is a lifelong skill, and one that we need to embrace more and more, as the world adapts to climate change.
“It’s truly inspiring to see these fantastic food-growers at Nagle-Rice National School – they epitomise everything that this initiative is about.”
SuperValu’s interim managing director, Luke Hanlon, added, “Our recent customer research shows that 88% of Irish adults agree that supermarkets have an important role in teaching children the importance of fresh, seasonal products.
“The SuperValu ‘Let’s GROW’ initiative, in conjunction with GIY, gives us an opportunity by which to arm the younger generation with knowledge and to set them on a path in growing their own food.
“Starting at a young age, this sets the foundation for a lifelong practice where young growers are more likely to choose healthy and seasonal foods in their diet.”
Hanlon concluded, “This initiative gives me immense pride, and I’m delighted to see SuperValu supporting our youngest generation of food-growers.”
As the 2024 winners, GIY awarded the students of Nagle-Rice National School a garden worth €1,000, made possible by SuperValu.
Read More: SuperValu And GIY Research Reveals 1/3 Of Irish Families Growing Food At Home
