As a result of the grants, thousands of Victorian primary students will enjoy learning within abundant productive gardens and preparing and sharing their own delicious fresh food.
On 20 July the Victorian Minister for Health, the Hon Jill Hennessy MP and Stephanie Alexander AO announced that 100 schools will be receiving a Playground to Plate grant which will provide a targeted boost of infrastructure funding to support the schools’ delivery of pleasurable food education.
The 100 successful schools are in 22 local government areas: 66 metropolitan schools and 34 rural schools. There are 81 primary, 11 special, 7 combined and 1 language school – all with a primary curriculum. The majority of schools are planning projects in both the garden and kitchen spaces (43 schools) while some have chosen to focus their projects in the garden (37) or kitchen (20).
The successful schools receive a one-off $5000 grant to establish, or enhance, infrastructure for running a kitchen garden program underpinned by the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation’s philosophy of pleasurable food education. The schools will use the funds on a range of activities over the coming months.
In gardens, schools plan to:
- Install garden sheds, greenhouses, chicken coops, watering systems and water tanks
- Purchase worm farms, seedlings, fruit trees and soil, as well as gardening tools and gardening gloves; and upgrade composting systems
- Build garden beds, retaining walls and fencing; as well as install pathways for improved accessibility for those with mobility challenges.
In kitchen spaces, schools plan to:
- Install kitchen cupboards and pantries as well as additional kitchen workspaces, workbenches, sinks, exhaust fans and power outlets; and ovens, dishwashers and fridges
- Purchase everything from cooking utensils, cooking equipment (such as chopping boards), kitchen appliances and aprons, to mobile kitchen carts, tables and chairs.
Playground to Plate is a $500,000 grants scheme funded by the Victorian Government and administered by the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. Its aim is to help schools to enhance their whole-school approach to health and wellbeing.
Thank you to Altona P-9 College, one of the grant recipients, who hosted the announcement event.
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