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Teachers, pupils and local councillors in Barking and Dagenham have launched a new food growing programme across the region to help educate pupils about the growing process and where food comes from.

McCain Foods has helped to support the activity by providing curriculum based booklets, called 'Learn more with food galore', for teachers to use with pupils in class and also by supplying the participating schools with seeds and gardening equipment, including rakes, spades and watering cans.

Pupils from five primary schools in the region, including Thomas Arnold, Dorothy Barley and Trinity, will be following the programme.

Maureen Lowes, catering services manager for Barking and Dagenham Council, said: "By using the resources with pupils in the classroom, on the allotment, and by including potatoes and any other vegetables that we're growing on the menu in the canteen, we can follow the whole chain from food to fork and deliver a whole school approach to healthy eating.

"It's crucial that children are given the opportunity to experience the food growing process so they understand that food doesn't just come from the supermarket, and that there's much more to it! It will also help to engage pupils with nature and teach Numeracy, History, Science and Geography in a fun, inspiring way."

Jo Simmons, McCain Foods' senior brand manager, said: "The growing programme will help to provide a link with what the cooks are doing in the canteen and what happens in the classroom by bringing the food chain to life, quite literally."