Well done to the 17 young West Leeds #Vegrocks winners! writes Josie Armitage.
Food and health champions FoodWise Leeds and Zest have delivered an interactive competition for families as part of the #Vegrocks campaign to promote eating and growing vegetables during April and May.
#Vegrocks is Leeds’ Veg Cities campaign to get Leeds growing, cooking, selling, serving and saving more vegetables.
During the Covid-19 lockdown the #Vegrocks Poster Competition was launched to engage families in a fun craft activity while encouraging them to increase their intake of vegetables to maintain a strong immune system.
Sonja Woodcock, Coordinator of FoodWise Leeds, said
“We’re so impressed that families from all across Leeds entered such creative posters to the #Vegrocks poster competition – it was hard to choose winners!
“During Covid-19, the strength of partnership working in Leeds has ensured that our most vulnerable families have access to healthy food, and we’ve been able to contribute to this work through #Vegrocks.”
The competition received more than 150 applications from across the city. Whingate Primary School in Armley was the top school in the city for entries.
The West Leeds winners are:
- Thomas Herbert
- Molly Moran
- Isobelle French
- Poppy Philips
- Melody Yu
- Alyssa Rayworth
- Mia Tilbert
- TJ
- Jessica Sanderson
- Stevie
- Ebony
- Dylan Walters
- Maria Hanlon
- Kaja Mielczarkowska
- Belle Hodgeson
- Julia Kowalska
- Reuben Ward
Thanks local councillors across Leeds – including Cllrs Ritchie, Gruen and Heselwood (all Lab, Bramley & Stanningley) and Cllr Ann Forsaith (Green, Farnley & Wortley) – FoodWise was able to award more than 50 vegbox prizes. Cllr Ritchie said:
“Congratulations to all the winners. There were some fantastic entries received. I hope the winners enjoy their tasty prizes – Vegrocks!”
Each lucky winner received a family-size vegbox and a microgreens growing kit from Growing Better CIC, and a copy of the Cooking on a Shoestring recipe book full of simple yet nutritious meals.
Growing Better are a West Leeds-based company who went above and beyond to deliver the 50 winning boxes all across Leeds on 3 June.
Dorota Hajdukiewicz, CEO at Growing Better CIC, said
“We’re really pleased to be a partner in the #Vegrocks poster competition as it is a great way to help children connect with where their food comes from. We hope everyone enjoys eating our fresh, seasonal produce and has fun learning to grow microgreens – it may inspire our next generation of farmers.”
On receipt of their veg box from Growing Better, the mum of one of the winners, Kaja Mielczarkowska, said:
“Really thank you, that’s a lovely prize! Kaja was so happy and excited, especially with the recipes book. Fresh and tasty pack. She decided to taste lettuce and sprouts, something she had never done before. And tomorrow we’re going to try something out of your recipes.”
West Leeds Dispatch are interested in writing short articles about the individual West Leeds winners. If you are one of the winners, please contact us on news@westleedsdispatch.com.