Kent school kids invited to enter fruit & veg masterclass

The competition is open to all primary school children (from reception through to year 6) and entrants are challenged to create their summer fruit & veg masterpiece out of real seasonal and regional fruit and vegetables and photograph it. Alternatively they can make a 'Fruit & Veg' collage using recycled materials and household waste, or children can simply paint/or draw their masterpiece. Ten children who submit the best piece of art will be awarded top prizes and the overall winner will be presented with a photographic foodscape picture by TV's celebrity food photographer Carl Warner. The non-profit making organisation that champions regionally produced food and drink has launched the competition to: help young children have fun with fresh food and vegetables, encourage children to connect with regionally grown produce, and raise children's awareness of the huge variety of fruit and veg that is grown in the 'Garden of England' during the summer. Julie Monkman, manager of Produced in Kent, explained: "This competition is a really fun and creative way to engage children in the message about healthy eating and eating your 'five a day', and increasingly both parents and children want to reduce their 'carbon footprint'. "By buying and using locally grown fruit and veg that is in season, families will not only be consuming healthier, fresher and more nutritious food, they will be helping to keep our county and the planet 'greener'." The closing date for the competition is Friday 18 September.