Green goes online with Leeds Edible Schools Sustainability Network

Pupils from Farsley Farfield Primary with their school-grown veg.

Initiated by Feed Leeds and supported by the University's Leeds Sustainability Institute (LSI), the Leeds Edible Schools Sustainability Network (LESSN) works with organisations and schools across the city to help bring the many benefits of do-it-yourself urban agriculture to children and their families, by offering expert advice and support for application in classrooms, dining rooms and school grounds.

The new website www.lessn.info , funded by the LSI, will be launched on 1 February.

Under the banner 'Leeds Edible Schools; Growing, Learning, Sustaining', LESSN has been going from strength to strength since it was formed in October 2012 following the suggestion by Incredible Edible Todmorden's Pam Warhurst, who is a Fellow of both the LSI and Leeds Metropolitan University.

LESSN co-ordinator, film-maker and part-time Leeds Met Landscape Architecture lecturer, Tom Bliss, has produced a video which can be viewed on the website, and explains why the project was launched. He said: "We knew some schools in Leeds were doing fantastic work around food, well-being and sustainability, while others were struggling for one reason or another. LESSN is proving to be an effective way of helping schools of all types to move towards a more resilient, healthy and sustainable future.

"We are also working with Feed Leeds, In Bloom and Leeds City Council to support the 2014 Design an Edible Flowerbed competition (open to children from 4-16) with winning designs again being planted outside the Civic Hall, plus £300 of nursery vouchers.

"The website will support this goal, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the content impacts on the schools and communities who take up the LESSN challenge. We also hope the site will help to spread the word about what LESSN and Feed Leeds are doing, generating further interest, bringing in additional experience and expertise, and encouraging more local schools and groups to get involved."

LESSN researchers are currently conducting a range of exercises in collaboration with various Leeds Met departments, the results of which will be used further to enhance the on-line resources.

LESSN is planning a live launch in the spring, from Friday 24-Saturday 25 April, in association with the New Shoots gardening group at Bracken Edge Primary School, featuring music, cooking and fun, as well as garden tours and workshops for anyone interested in developing food growing and/or healthy eating projects in schools. Other workshops around Leeds are also being planned.

For further information, or to get involved, visit the website or email Tom Bliss tom@urbal.tv.