Conner Morris, Dylan Perry and Callum Mulherron with their prize winning sunflowers.
Children in seven Gateshead schools have still had plenty of sun fun this summer despite the atrocious weather, learning some valuable lessons on the way.
Even though the summer has seen conditions more appropriate for water lilies, three budding horticulturalists have still managed to grow great sunflowers this year as part of a joint competition held by Gateshead Council and The Gateshead Housing Company.
The competition which saw Gateshead Council staff visit schools to help plant the seeds and offer help and advice on how to grow their sunflowers is part of an ongoing initiative encouraging local children to take pride in their area. As well as getting to meet some of the people responsible for keeping the streets clean and parks and public spaces around them green, the sunflowers were to take centre stage in specially planted areas near each of the schools.
Sadly the grim weather of the summer months meant that the sunflowers could not be planted outside as planned but the children still managed to cultivate some impressive specimens. Nevertheless the judges from Gateshead Council’s team of horticultural experts still had a tough time to pick a winner.
The most radiant sunflower of all belonged to Lobley Hill Primary School pupil Callum Mulherron. Callum not only received a gardening kit to help him towards his next blooming achievement like every other child who grew a plant, but also vouchers to spend at Gateshead MetroCentre.
Second place in the competition went to Dylan Perry of Bede Primary school whilst Lobley Hill student Conner Morris’ impressive specimen saw him take third place, they also won MetroCentre vouchers to go with their gardening kits.
Gateshead Council cabinet member for the environment Cllr Michael McNestry said: “I’m glad to see that some people have managed to nurture a little sunshine in their lives this summer. Working with local children is a pleasant but vital part of the work we do.
“It helps them to understand the environment they live in, to learn about how plants work and most importantly of all it helps them to get to know a little more about how they can contribute to making the area they live in an even more pleasant place.”