SQUIRE’S Garden Centres have joined forces with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to launch a programme to get secondary school children into gardening, and to change their perceptions about a career in horticulture.

The Secondary School Challenge scheme was launched last autumn, and more than 70 children aged 12 to 15 have taken part from schools across Surrey, Middlesex and Greater London - including green-fingered students at Farnham Heath End.

The schools had two projects to choose from, Creating a School Garden or Growing Your Community Garden.

Each team was allocated a mentor from either Squire’s Garden Centres or - as in Heath End’s case - RHS Wisley to help them plan, develop and design their ideas.

Each school team presented their ideas at a final assessment day on December 2 at RHS Wisley and prizes were awarded for best teamwork, most innovative, pupil’s choice and best overall project.

Kay Clark, RHS community outreach manager, said: “The RHS does a huge amount of work to ensure primary school children have access to the educational and well-being benefits of horticulture. We are committed to school children, whatever their age, having access to horticulture, and that is why we launched the Secondary School Challenge.

“The Secondary School Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for children to work with the RHS, which has some of the best horticulturists in the world, and gain invaluable insight into the diversity and importance of the horticulture industry.

“We chose to partner with Squire’s Garden Centres as they are passionate about plants and about introducing horticulture to young people – Squire’s staff have really helped ignite the children’s passion for gardening.”

Sarah Squire, Squire’s deputy chairman, added: “This programme has been so successful that the RHS are considering launching similar projects in other parts of the country next year.

“We want to encourage more secondary school children to become aware of how great the horticultural industry really is, and to realise that there are fantastic and very diverse career opportunities at companies like Squire’s Garden Centres.”

Anyone interested in a career in horticulture can visit www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk/careers.