Fothergill’s recently joined with Sefton Council to provide as many schools as possible with seed packets that they could use to create green spaces, however small.

Educational settings are increasingly expected to develop sustainability plans covering decarbonisation, adaptation and resilience, biodiversity, and climate education and green careers, in line with the Department for Education's expectations.

As Oliver Stenson from the Council told us: “For many children across Sefton, school provides one of their main opportunities to connect with nature. Some schools have very limited outdoor space, and a small number have little or no meaningful green space on site, making opportunities such as this particularly valuable.”

The donation removed a financial barrier for schools at a time when budgets continue to face significant pressure, enabling them to undertake projects that may otherwise not have been possible.

The donation reached more than 36,000 pupils across around 100 educational institutions and the seeds have helped create habitats for wildlife and support pollinators such as bees and butterflies. It has helped children connect with nature first-hand and develop a greater understanding of the environment around them.

Schools have used the seeds for both biodiversity and food-growing projects, helping pupils learn where their food comes from and gain practical growing skills. The hands-on learning opportunities bring environmental education to life and help pupils understand their role in protecting the natural world.

Oliver continues: “Having recently visited several schools and spoken to staff about the donation, I found they were genuinely delighted to receive the seeds. One school specifically asked whether sunflower seeds could be included, as they were hoping to run a sunflower-growing competition with their children.”

The seeds were distributed across nursery, primary and secondary schools, colleges and special schools.

Jayne Wilson from Merefield Schools said of the seeds that they received: “They were distributed around the whole of the school as the topic for the term was "Growing". The planting, monitoring, caring and measuring of the seeds were all part of the pupils work. The children thoroughly enjoyed the topic and watching the seeds grow. Thank you for your kind donation.”