Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre at Monkton Heathfield near Bridgwater has donated bags of spuds to the school for its lunchtime Gardening Club.

Norma Moore, General Manager of the award-winning garden centre, explained: “The seed potatoes are mostly main crop varieties and it’s still alright, especially as the season is quite late due to the weather, to plant them now.

“Back in May we invited anyone who felt that their school deserved the seed potatoes to get in touch. We had a limited number of spuds and allocated them on a first come, first served basis.”

The school’s Gardening Club was set up to encourage the children to think about how food and plants are grown, and where they come from.

East Huntspill Primary School parent, Angela Fey said: “Myself and a couple of other mum’s have recently started up a Gardening Club at our children’s school to give them an interest during their lunchtimes.

“The children have the opportunity to dig and prepare soil, sort and fill pots, plant seeds, water, weed, feed and monitor for pests. Then later harvest and sort plants and produce. Also during wet playtimes we will be making bird feeders, boxes and scarecrows.

“Unfortunately, we do not have any funds to purchase any items but have been relying on donations from parents and recently contact seed suppliers, Sutton Seeds, who are going to donate to us some out of sell-by date seeds. We have also been purchasing items ourselves and hope to have a produce sale later this year to make money for things for 2011.

“Thanks to Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre’s kind donation we will be able give each child a seed potato of their own to look after.”

The garden centre gave away bags of around 50 potatoes containing one variety only to the first schools, including East Huntspill Primary School, which got in touch after it launched the giveaway in May.

To find out more, please visit Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield near Bridgwater, or call 01823 412381.

Photo caption: (From left to right) Parent Mrs Anne Huett with her son Bradley and daughter Sydney, who are pupils at East Huntspill Primary School, collecting the seed potatoes from Tom Berry from Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre’s Grow Your Own Special Team and the garden centre’s General Manager, Norma Moore.