RHS teams up with Waitrose for schools campaign

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Waitrose have announced a deal that will see the supermarket firm sponsor the Campaign for School Gardening for the next three years.

Around four in every five (80 per cent) of the nations primary schools are set to benefit from the partnership.

Waitrose managing director Mark Price explained that gardening can be a good way of educating children about their diet and helping to fight obesity.

"Showing children where food comes from and helping them to enjoy vegetables and eat healthily is essential," he said.

The campaign has already helped more than one million school children in 7,000 schools and it aims to provide even more with gardening and greenhouse skills that they can take with them as they grow into adults.

Waitrose is set to market the scheme at a series of events focusing on food, education and nutrition.

Among the tasty and healthy crops that can be grown in UK gardens and greenhouses are rhubarb, raspberries and strawberries.