How Leeds Kirkgate Market helped young gardeners become entrepreneurs
Youngsters showed they have a taste for business with a stint at Leeds Kirkgate Market 🥬
Pupils from primary schools in Leeds showed they were really growing places as they turned their hand to selling some special produce in the heart of Leeds Kirkgate Market.
Youngsters from a number of Leeds schools have spent the last few months growing their own fruit and vegetables as part of Young Marketeers, a food education programme run by the School Food Matters charity.
Their hard work has now paid off in spades, with the children getting the chance – thanks to a link-up between the charity and Leeds City Council – to sell their freshly-harvested produce in the famous surroundings of Leeds Kirkgate Market.
Lettuces, potatoes, radishes and gooseberries – all grown with expert support in the grounds of the participating schools – were just some of the items that proved a big hit with customers after the youngsters set up shop in a section of the Market Kitchen street food hall.
Coun Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, said: “Young Marketeers is a brilliant initiative and I’m delighted that the council and our hardworking markets team have been able to support it once again this year.
“Selling their own fruit and veg at Leeds Kirkgate Market – with its vibrant atmosphere and remarkable history – will have been a really memorable experience for the children.
“The day was also a reminder that the market isn’t just a great shopping destination, it’s a place that belongs to everyone in Leeds.
“The events that are held there week in, week out through the year help make it a hugely valuable resource for people young and old.
“I’m pleased and proud that our ongoing investment in the market means its future – as a community space as well as a much-loved shopping spot – is looking brighter than ever.”
Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund and Lord Barnby’s Foundation, the Young Marketeers programme is this year operating in 16 cities nationwide.
It aims to help children develop practical gardening and enterprise skills while also nurturing their appreciation for the value of nutritious and sustainable food.Stephanie Slater MBE, founder and chief executive of School Food Matters, said: “Our Young Marketeers programme gives children the chance to learn new skills, work as a team and take pride in what they’ve grown.
“Events like the one at Leeds Kirkgate Market are a celebration of the value of food education and a moment for enterprising young gardeners to shine.”