At Durham University’s Botanic Garden today, the winners are announced for the third ‘Grow with Esh’ scheme.  £5,000 prize money was split between the top three entries – topping up the original £20,000 of grants received by the schools taking part.

The brainchild of the Esh Charitable Trust, ‘Grow with Esh 2009’ has involved pupils from 20 of the region’s primary schools in projects with their teachers and communities to develop gardening and horticultural projects close to their school grounds.  Often derelict, empty and unused spaces are transformed.

Chairman Austin Donohoe said:
“Grow with Esh’ helps to raise aspirations amongst young people and to create strong, practical, fun connections with communities.  Through the ‘Grow with Esh’ projects which they create children and adults learn about sustainability, the environment and healthy living together.

“Now in its third year, over 60 schools and communities and hundreds of young people and families have taken part.  It is clear that the benefits of ‘Grow with Esh’ will continue well into the future.’

Over 800 primary schools across the length and breadth of the region were invited to apply and, again, applications for the £1,000 ‘seed-funding’ were over subscribed.

The 20 primary schools which split the £20,000 start up funding from as far afield as Berwick-on-Tweed and Guisborough in North Yorkshire.

Following the launch in May and throughout the summer the schools have been working hard on their projects and have been updating the judges at Esh Charitable Trust on their progress.  Judges also visited the schools involved during the summer to see how they were getting on and to offer any support necessary.

The winners are:
• First prize - £3,000 – Leadgate County Infant and Nursery School, Leadgate, Co Durham
• Second prize - £1,500 – Galley Hill Primary School, Guisborough, North Yorkshire
• Third prize - £500 – Captain Cook Primary School, Marton, Tees Valley

Three runners up were each awarded £100 in Garden Centre Vouchers;
• Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Esh Winning
• Bullion Lane Primary School, Chester le Street
• Benet Biscop, Sunderland

Overall winners, Leadgate County Infant and Nursery School, created vibrant flower borders, ‘The Flutterby Garden’ and a butterfly farm which provided masses of material for maths, science, art lessons and story telling opportunities galore!  Mrs Margaret Jones, Headteacher, explained:
“The great things about our project are manifold.  We could never have imagined what a wonderful journey we would make in transforming a plain old plot of boring grass into such an amazingly interesting real live habitat for beautiful creatures.  Bringing together lots of children, parents, school staff, friends, neighbours and local businesses, Grow with Esh has touched the community as well as enhancing the hands on learning experience for both adult and child.”

Judge, Mr Bill Sones, was impressed with the achievements of all twenty schools taking part:
“Once again ‘Grow With Esh’ has been the catalyst for great achievements and collaboration. Schemes have been created which will provide benefit for years to come.  All have been delighted to take part and are already planning for next year’s activities, regardless of this year’s result.   I have seen twenty £1,000 giant cheques proudly displayed in twenty entrance halls and without exception everyone has described fun, learning and closer links with their communities.’

During the competition advice has been available from experts at Esh Group’s award winning horticulture and landscaping business, Sones Landscaping through a ‘Helping Hand Hotline’.

Durham University’s Botanic Garden, established in 1970, features specimen plants from all over the world.  Notable collections and features at the Botanic Garden include the Alpine and Winter Gardens, the Bamboo Grove, Japanese collection, the North American Arboretum, magnesium limestone flora, the Australia-Tasmania and New Zealand collections and the wonderful glasshouses which exhibit cacti which survive and thrive in arid climates and the tropical rainforest house which contains a unique collection of plants.

Schools participating in 2008 included:

Durham:
Hetton Lyons Primary School, Houghton-le-Spring
Leadgate Infant & Nursery School, Consett
Shield Row Primary School, Stanley
St Thomas More RC Primary School, Durham
Bullion Lane Primary School, Chester le Street
Esh CE Primary School, Esh Village
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs RC Primary School, Esh Winning
Cleves Cross Primary School, Ferryhill
St Cuthbert's RC Primary School, Seaham

Northumberland:
St Cuthbert's RC VA First School, Berwick-upon-Tweed

Tees Valley / North Yorkshire:
Blackhall Colliery Primary School, Hartlepool
Captain Cooks Primary School, Middlesbrough
Galley Hill Primary School, Guisborough
St Gerard's RC Primary School, Middlesbrough

Tyne & Wear:
Battle Hill Primary School, Wallsend
Benedict Biscop C.E. Primary School, Sunderland
Shiney Row Primary School, Houghton le Spring
Canning Street Primary School, Newcastle upon Tyne
Hilton Primary School, Newcastle upon Tyne
Ryton Community Infant School, Ryton