Pictured above: (l-r) Stacey Kettleborough, Euan Price,
Steve Robinson (general manager of the Branston Lincoln site)
Rebecca Froggatt, Jordan Johnson, Simon Telfer (HR & logistics
director at Branston) and Bethan Spriggs
Staff from Branston Ltd have been helping local school children
to learn more about potatoes and have been judging them on their
efforts at growing their own spuds.
The 'potato people' visited Branston Junior School in Lincoln
earlier this year, and taught the children about the nutritious
value of potatoes and about where they come from. As well as giving
all the children a pack of spuds to eat, they also gave everyone a
seed potato to plant at home.
The children have since dug up their potatoes and displayed them
to the judges from Branston. During a special assembly the
children's potatoes were judged in a range of categories and the
proud growers who had the best spuds were announced.
The heaviest crop from one plant was won by Stacey
Kettleborough, aged 9, with a crop weighing 2.43kg, the most
potatoes from one plant was from Ethan Spriggs, aged 9, with 42
potatoes; Jordan Johnson, aged 10, won for the biggest individual
spud; Rebecca Froggatt, aged 11, won for the strangest shaped spud
and Euan Price, aged 9, grew the spud that looked the most like a
celebrity, which was ET!
Simon Telfer, Branston's HR & logistics director, said: "We
were really impressed with the children's efforts at potato
growing, they have really done a fantastic job with their seed
potatoes and the competition was fierce. As well as educating them
on potatoes and where they come from, they really seemed to enjoy
the project and we are pleased that they dedicated their time to
it.
"We have very good links with the school and we hope that this
will continue. At Branston we recognise the importance of working
with the local community to educate people about what we do. It is
really important to start with the local schools so that they can
learn from a young age about the importance of growing produce and
the nutritious value of potatoes."