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Garden to Table is delighted to announce a charitable partnership with the Langham Auckland.

Garden to Table Trust Chairperson Catherine Bell says the Trust is thrilled to be working with The Langham. 

“Our respective environmental philosophies are closely aligned, creating a great synergy between our two organisations. The support the Langham will provide over the next two years as a partner will greatly assist in the future growth of Garden to Table and we look forward very much to having the Langham family involved in our schools and fundraising activities.”

“We believe that Garden to Table has such a positive influence for families and the community. The programme changes the way children think about food, and teaches basic life skills. It’s important that children know where their food comes from and Garden to Table encourages them to grow their own food, then prepare it to share with their peers and families” says Mr Van Vorsselen.  

“Hopefully we can help Garden to Table in their work to roll the programme out to schools across the country.”

Thank you - Applications have now closed for this position and we look forward to announcing the successful candidate very soon.

Programme Coordinator for the Auckland/ Upper North Island region.

We are seeking a dynamic, highly motivated person to work closely with current Garden to Table schools and new ones as they implement the programme.

For full job specifications please email Adrienne Rossiter a.rossiter@gardentotable.org.nz

Applications close 17 June at 4pm. All applications must be eligible to work in New Zealand

                                          
                                           Image courtesy of Jason Burgess

28 May, 2013

MEDIA STATEMENT

Long term solution in food education needed, not just food in schools

The government’s plan to feed hungry children in school is laudable but it is a short term solution that represents an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.

Garden to Table Trust believes the ‘food in schools’ programme does not break the cycle of dependency that already exists among many struggling families. To paraphrase a Chinese proverb, if you give a child a meal you feed him for a day; teach him how to put food on the table and you feed him for a lifetime.

Supplying the food via schools does not arm adults of the future with skills that will help them as they grow and have families themselves.

The Garden to Table Programme is a proven solution – children as young as seven years old can learn life skills they will have forever. It is positive for their health and long term will help address New Zealand’s growing obesity problem.

A sibling programme in Australia is highly successful teaching thousands of children from more than 350 schools. But this has been government funded for some years.

Garden to Table teaches young children how to grow, harvest, prepare and share food using purpose-built gardens and kitchen facilities. The Garden to Table programme is cheap to run costing less than one full time equivalent staff member per school after an initial investment in the garden and the kitchen classroom.

Initiatives that provide long term value both for those who receive the benefits and also for the nation need to be fostered.  The Garden to Table Trust’s activities are one example of a long term solution that government needs to urgently investigate.

Contact for comment: Catherine Bell, Chairperson, Garden to Table Trust, Tel: 021 471 973 

Issued by Pead PR for Garden To Table Trust
Olivia Price, Pead PR, Tel: 09 551 2378, Mob: 021 474 127, Email: olivia@peadpr.co.nz

Image courtesy Laurence Smith

Volunteers are an essential part of running the Garden to Table programme in primary schools. Our schools need regular volunteers to assist in the kitchen classroom and gardens. Volunteering is a fun, worthwhile and rewarding activity - you just have to try it once and you’ll be hooked! And you might even learn a thing or two along the way. Contact us at info@gardentotable.org.nz to find out where you can volunteer.

Image courtesy Laurence Smith

Findings from a new Australian Government-funded independent evaluation have found our affiliate, The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, is providing a wealth of benefits to Australian school children.

More children are taking up cooking at home and starting backyard veggie gardens after participating in the national programme.

We're thrilled to reveal dynamic new plans for Garden to Table at Wynyard Quarter, developed by our wonderful sponsors Opus International.

The plans show an elevated building design which will cleverly allow us to utilise space under the building. 

The building includes several levels to create interesting spaces for learning, and an abundance of spaces to grow produce, for example the roof and balconies.

Two stories will include a purpose built kitchen classroom and dining area on level one and much needed home for the Garden to Table trust in offices on level two.

Not only will Garden to Table at Wynyard Quarter facilitate the GTT programme for up to 600 local school children a week, it will be used for innovative events, community classes and school holiday programmes based on edible education.

The development will include beehives, chickens, rain harvesting facilities, composting, worm farms, and of course a wide variety of edible plants - we even hope to have a windmill!

We're proud to be using the latest in sustainable materials and building techniques, including solar power, and hope the finished development will be carbon zero.

Completion of Garden to Table at Wynyard Quarter requires on going funding and support. If you'd like to help, contact Garden to Table chairperson Catherine Bell.

We recently had 22 cubic metres of Waiheke gravel delivered from our friends at Central Landscapes to the Garden to Table at Wynyard Quarter site, generously spread by a group of fabulous Parnell Rotary members. We now have a third of the land (425 sq m) ready to be fenced and have 20 garden beds placed which the kids will be planting up in a few weeks’ time.