It's a bitter cold Friday in March. The Norwood Allotments in Sheffield promise to be full of colour. But not yet. For now, the garden is dull and overgrown and a scattering of snowdrops are the only sign of life.
Community organisation LEAF (Local Enterprise Around Food) has the task of preparing the garden for spring. Each year a group of volunteers cut back hedges, turn over soil, and plant seeds for the upcoming crop. It’s a tough job, but luckily for them, this year they have help.
A group of school pupils from Yewlands Academy are heading to the site to learn all they can about how things grow.
"All I've seen grow are tomatoes, I've never been in a garden this big before."
Luke Inman never considered himself a gardener until LEAF proved he could be one. He is one of nine 12 and 13-year-old boys from the school who were selected to take part in the pilot of a Children In Need funded project focusing on horticulture.
The scheme was kick-started by the YMCA White Rose, who have collaborated with local food growing project LEAF to help educate children about where their food comes from.
The students arrive at the Norwood Allotments bewildered and already slightly damp, revelling in what is to be their new Friday afternoon. They're greeted by LEAF co-ordinator Diane Cocker who is ready, hot chocolate in hand, to introduce them to the site.
"This time of year is when things start to grow," Diane explains to the group who are gathered around a table at the allotment's heart.
By the end of the school year, the students will have experienced this growth for themselves.
The garden will be full of colourful vegetables, bees will appear in search of pollen, and the volunteers will fire up an outdoor stove to cook their produce.
But all this is still months away, and for now the pupils are set to work on maintenance tasks.
"Litter picking was the best part. It's important to keep the environment safe from rubbish like bottles and cans."
- Luke Inman
In teams of three, the students collect litter, riddle soil, and spread wood chips on makeshift paths.
They might not feel at home pushing wheelbarrows of wood across bumpy ground just yet, but by the time the students leave the Norwood Allotments all nine are grinning and covered in mud.
They have fallen victim to something Diane calls "the LEAF effect."
The project will run for 10-12 weeks, with children from Yewlands Academy visiting their six plots twice every half term.
Come summer, Luke and his friends will have prepared their own corner of the garden, planted seeds, and watched them grow.
Why should we teach children these skills?
This move to teach children about food growth is, of course, nothing new.
Jonathan Buckley, project manager for the YMCA, believes understanding the journey from seed to plate is the first step in really appreciating food.
"Often we go to a supermarket and buy food which is flown in from all over the world without realising or appreciating where it has come from," he said.
"It's important for children to learn about the process of growing food and to be able to do it for themselves.
“If you can learn basic skills like how to grow food you appreciate it more."
Outdoor activities focusing on horticulture and catering have the potential to leave lasting impacts on young people who are at risk of obesity.
The idea is that children may be more likely to eat healthier food if they have grown and cooked it themselves.
Recent figures from Public Health England show that 19.1% of children aged 10-11 are obese in the UK, and a further 14.2% are overweight.
Kay Wraith, a Head of Year at Yewlands Academy, says introducing children to these activities could have benefits for both their health and education.
"Normally on a Friday we hold an activity, like coming to LEAF, for some of the students who struggle in school. We give them an incentive and a reward to try and help motivate them in lessons," she said.
"If they don't get into trouble in the week, they get to come out for the day on a Friday."
"They're motivated in school because they want to come out here and they want to learn."
What is LEAF?
LEAF is a voluntary organisation that has been working in North Sheffield since 1997, providing opportunities for local people to improve their health and well-being and learn how to grow organic food.
"There were a lot of surveys done to see what local people wanted and what sort of need there was," Diane explains, bringing a makeshift kettle to boil.
"Our aim was to make fresh fruit and vegetable more accessible to people on low budgets by teaching them the skills to grow."
Gary Cragg, who first came to the allotment with a mental health therapy group in 2008, finds freedom in having the key to his own plot.
"When I come here I have freedom," he said, explaining a time he removed a large willow tree from the centre of his patch, "I always like to be outdoors."
Volunteer Jerry Platts has been active at the Norwood Allotments since 1963. He became involved with LEAF after retirement.
"It's important that everybody who's interested in the same thing gets talking"
"It's hard when there are only a few volunteers, we do need to spread the word and get more help," he said.
LEAF through the years
Since moving to the Norwood Allotments in 2000 LEAF has undergone a series of renovations and partnerships which have brought a plethora of unusual facilities to the garden.
"A group of University of Sheffield architecture students built the composting urinal," Diane said, pointing out a building at the back of the allotment, "it only took them half a day to create."
Changes to LEAF also come with the seasons. As a year-round garden, the landscape can be dramatically different from one month to the next.
Take a look at our projection of what the Yewlands Academy pupils will witness at LEAF this year.
