U.K's largest school kitchen garden created in MK!

Volunteers created a new orchard planting 24 large fruit trees including Cherries, Plums, Apples and Pears

placeholder image — Volunteers created a new orchard planting 24 large fruit trees including Cherries, Plums, Apples and Pears

A groundbreaking new initiative is taking root at Lift Sir Herbert Leon, as the school partners with the Educational Wealth Fund to create what is believed to be the largest full-scale working kitchen garden in any comprehensive school in the U.K.

On Saturday, February 21st, a large group of volunteers gathered under the sun to kick off the project by planting an orchard of 24 half-standard fruit trees. The orchard includes cherries, plums, pears, and apples, providing the school with a long-term source of fresh fruit for both the students and the local community. Over two tonnes of topsoil were also moved into the newly built polytunnel, creating an ideal space for growing a variety of crops, including pumpkins, lettuces, and tomatoes.

The school’s Principal, Damian McGeehin, who enthusiastically joined the planting efforts, said, “It’s wonderful to see the community coming together to support the school like this. The kitchen garden and new orchard will help the children connect to nature and real food. We’re excited to see how this develops and we’re grateful for the support of our trust Lift Schools and the Educational Wealth Fund, and others, who have helped make this vision a reality.” Dr Emmanuel Zuza, Senior Lecturer at the Royal Agricultural University, who helped plan out the orchard said, “Connecting children to nature must be one of our greatest priorities. If we lose this connection, we lose the essence of what it is to be human and our future ability to protect our only home”.

The new kitchen garden is part of a larger vision to provide a hands-on outdoor learning space for students, promoting environmental education and healthy eating. It will not only be a hub for out of classroom learning but will also supply fresh produce for the families within the school’s community - for free.

The large kitchen garden is run and managed by the Friends of the SHL Kitchen Garden

Managing the project is the "Friends of the SHL Kitchen Garden," a group of passionate volunteers who meet every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. to work on the garden. New members are welcome to join and contribute their time and efforts to this community-driven initiative. Those interested in helping or learning more can reach out to Assistant Principal Paul Read at [email protected].

The Educational Wealth Fund, led by CEO Jason West, is proud to support such community-focused projects that connect students to their environment and foster sustainable, real-world learning experiences.

With the help of volunteers and local partners, the SHL Kitchen Garden is poised to be a lasting legacy for Lift Sir Herbert Leon, enriching the lives of students and their families for years to come. Funding for the garden was supported by the NHS Health Inequalities Fund and the MK Community Foundation.