Tomorrow, July 7, pupils from 16 London schools will sell handmade chutneys outside Whole Foods Market stores in Richmond, Piccadilly Circus and Fulham, and outside their school gates in Kensington and Stoke Newington.

The buzzing sale is the culmination of the Schools to Market programme run by food education charity School Food Matters.

The 500 pupils from the London boroughs of Kensington, Fulham, Richmond, Camden, Wandsworth and Hackney have spent the last few weeks devising mini food businesses as they produced their own chutney brands.

The project started with farm visits in Surrey and Kent to pick strawberries and rhubarb.

For many of the children, this was their first school trip since the Coronavirus pandemic began.

One year 4 student said: "We have not been out for like ages. On the coach journey we saw sheep and horses in the fields, and I loved picking the strawberries and jumping in the puddles at the farm."

After the farm visits the budding foodies cooked up their chutney and created a marketing plan for the market day on July 7.

Schools to Market is in its ninth year and this year has supported 16 schools to develop a good food culture, despite the continuing challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Sarah Olney MP has expressed her support for the project and will be joining pupils tomorrow.

The programme is a partnership between School Food Matters and the Whole Kids Foundation.

Stephanie Slater, Founder of School Food Matters said: "It's a pleasure to see school children out and about after such a difficult year.

"These enterprising young people have harvested fresh fruit and veg from a farm and have created tasty treats to sell to friends and neighbours in their communities. Now in its ninth year, Schools to Market continues to deliver first class food education - from seed to supermarket."

The project has been supported by the Whole Kids Foundation; the charitable organisation set up by Whole Foods Market in 2009.

Damien Corcoran, Regional Vice President, Whole Foods Market said: "We're so pleased to be partnering with School Food Matters for our Whole Kids Foundation programmes. Over the years these programmes have helped to educate thousands of school children on where food comes from, and we are thrilled to continue this partnership in 2021."

Thank you to School Food Matters for contributing this article. Have a story to share? Click "Nub It" or contact our editor Jess [email protected]