Children from a Battersea primary school will sell their own school-made chutneys to local shoppers this summer as part of a food education project.
Pupils from St Mary’s RC Primary School will take part in the Schools to Market Clapham Junction Market Day on Wednesday 8 July, from 11am to 1pm, at Whole Foods Market Clapham Junction.
Over recent months, the children have grown fruit and vegetables, visited a farm and learned how to cook as part of the Schools to Market programme, run by charity School Food Matters.
The project teaches pupils about the journey of food from farm to market, including growing ingredients, preparing recipes and understanding how food products are sold.
The children have worked with gardeners and food teachers to create their own chutneys using ingredients including beetroot, rhubarb and strawberries.
Money raised from the market day will be reinvested into participating schools to support future food education activities.
Rachel Copus, Partnerships and Programmes Manager at School Food Matters, said the programme gives children practical experience of growing, cooking and selling food.
She said: “Schools to Market gives children the chance to experience every stage of the food journey in a practical, memorable way, from growing and harvesting ingredients to cooking and selling a finished product.
“These hands-on experiences help children build confidence, learn valuable life skills and develop a deeper understanding of food, health and the environment.”
More than 1,290 children and young people took part in Schools to Market in 2025, raising over £1,200 for food education projects in their schools.
According to feedback from the programme, 76% of participants said they learned a new cooking skill, 63% tasted a new food or flavour for the first time, and 61% visited a farm for the first time.
