Get growing, the National Trust tells Britain’s children

72% of children would like space to grow their own food, and most would prefer to eat things they have grown themselves than fruit and vegetables from the supermarket. That’s what the National Trust found in a recent survey of children’s attitudes to fresh food and growing it.

Responding to this interest in growing your own, today sees the launch of the Sowing Squad, a team of 13 children who will champion the benefits of growing to their peers. The Trust will also give away 170 million free seeds this year, building on the success of last year’s Food Glorious Food campaign. 88,000 families benefited from the free herbs, carrots and salad leaves, growing them in gardens and window boxes.

“Our research shows that, if given the space, the vast majority of children would love the chance to plant and nurture food they have grown from scratch” says Jenny Sansom, the National Trust’s local food coordinator.“You don’t need much space to get started and children are much more likely to try food they have planted and grown themselves.”

Click the banner to visit the virtual vegetable patch at foodgloriousfood.org.uk, and find out what’s happening near you.