The seed of a gardening initiative to encourage children to learn more about the food they eat has been taken from a caravan park near Newtown and planted in a school in the Midlands.
Geoff Plumridge, who manages the five star Gwernydd Hall Caravan Holiday Home Park at New Mills, near Newtown with his wife Laura, has established a garden of raised beds and a solar polytunnel to grow fruit and vegetables this spring.
He is encouraging the children of holiday home owners on the park to get involved by helping to plant fruit and vegetables. In return for the time they spend in the garden, the children receive credits, which will qualify them to take produce later in the year.
The gardening venture has now inspired a similar venture at a school in Small Heath, Birmingham where one of the children is a pupil.
“It’s a way of getting the children to understand where the food they eat comes from and how it grows,” said Mrs Plumridge. “A lot of the children live in cities and large towns and don’t have an opportunity to get their hands dirty.
“Their parents think it’s a really good idea and we have had around 15 children aged between seven and 12 involved in planting.
“One family was so excited about the project that they mentioned it to a teacher at a school Small Health. The teacher thought it was such a good idea that the school has now established a garden.”
The Plumridges have also installed two cameras in birdboxes and an infrared camera near the fishing pool on the park, which are relaying pictures to a summerhouse.
People staying on the park are able to watch birds nesting and the infrared camera has captured images of an otter, fox and a badger.
The park, which has pitches for 181 caravan holiday homes and lodges, is set in 25 acres overlooking the scenic upper Rhiew Valley.
Gwernydd Hall was built in the 1840s as a ‘grace and favour’ property for an officer of Lord Clive of India, who himself had strong links with Powis Castle at Welshpool. Author Rudyard Kipling was one of the many famous people who stayed at the hall.
Mr Plumridge said the park was particularly popular with caravanners from the West Midlands because of the excellent range of facilities.
Picture caption:
Children working in the fruit and vegetable gardens at Gwernydd Hall Caravan Holiday Home Park.
