Boroughbridge-based Green-tech is the UKs largest supplier of professional landscaping supplies and has stepped in to donate topsoil for a community growing project at New Park Primary Academy on Skipton Road.

Part of the Northern Star Academies Trust, the school has landscaped part of their playing field to create an area for a community allotment.

New Park Primary Academy approached Green-tech and asked for a donation of topsoil for their raised beds. Their idea is that families will sign up to take ownership of a raised bed and grow vegetables for their own use. They aim to help educate the children and enable families to produce their own food, whilst creating a sense of community.

A spokesperson for Green-tech comments, “This is such a good initiative we were delighted to supply 20 tonnes of topsoil free of charge. We manufacture the Green-tree brand of organic topsoil at our production site at Rabbit Hill Business Park, so this is local to us, and we feel proud to have played our small part in helping to educate, feed and bring a local community together.”

The soil was used to fill 50 raised beds, each 1200mm long x 800mm wide x 300mm deep. The school took to social media and asked their followers for volunteers to move all 20 tonnes. They were flooded with offers and quickly had the beds ready to plant up thanks to the hard work of the soldiers from 14 Platoon P-Coy of the Army Foundation College.

Robert Mold, headteacher from New Park Primary Academy continues, “We are grateful to Green-tech for their kind donation of topsoil for our community growing project. Green-tech's support means we will be able to offer growing spaces to school families and local community groups. This generous contribution to our project will bring families and community together, benefitting from being in the outdoors and growing their own food on our school field.”