Grace Academy Solihull students partner with Aspens Services

Leek and potato soup and leek, potato and cheese pie – made using leeks grown at Grace Academy Solihull - are some of the first dishes to appear on the Academy's lunchtime menu through the new initiative. Aspens is using the GreenGracers brand name devised by students to identify and promote dishes using the Academy-grown produce. The Grace Academy Solihull vegetable garden is run by the Academy's Eco-Team – students who volunteer to help grow fruit and vegetables and take part in other ecological projects. The project is helping support the Academy's work to gain the Eco-Schools Silver award. Aspens general manager Jason Carter said: "Aspens believes in using locally-sourced produce and you can't get more local than food grown in the Academy grounds. As part of our commitment to support Enterprise activities and add value for clients, we are also enabling the students to gain practical business experience. "We treat them in exactly the same way as our other suppliers: we purchase their produce at competitive prices and require them to meet our stringent quality, environmental and health and safety standards and deal with us in a business-like way. "We're very pleased with the quality of the produce supplied and the students have impressed us greatly with their enthusiasm and professional approach. We hope that with our support, their company will also go on to supply other clients in the area."