Sodexo, a leading provider of on-site service solutions, has given away dozens of apple trees and up to 25,000 Bramley apples to local schools near Sodexo Defence sites across Somerset, North Yorkshire, Salisbury and Powys.
The big apple giveaway was part of ongoing 25th birthday celebrations of Healthwise – Sodexo's nutrition, wellbeing and lifestyle philosophy. The giveaway encouraged local school children to get digging and to plant, grow and eat their own fresh fruit and vegetables. Apple trees were also planted within military bases where Sodexo provides on-site services to the Armed Forces.
Out of the dozens of trees given to local schools, six have been planted at Avon Valley College near Salisbury, a specialist sports school for 11-18 year olds set in the village of Durrington, where Sodexo chefs and managers also ran a fresh fruit workshop as part of hospitality students' 'foods of the world' module.
All six trees have taken well and the young people at the school have been following progress of the trees as they mature. One of the trees already has its first apple.
One apple tree has also been planted in a special place; the memorial garden at Beachley Barracks, Chepstow, home to 1 RIFLES, an infantry battalion with a role within 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. 1 RIFLES are currently deployed on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.
Andy Leach, managing director of Sodexo Defence, said: "We have been at the forefront of raising awareness of the benefits of healthy eating for over 25 years and always seek new ways to engage with not just our customers, but also with the communities local to the military bases where we work.
"The Bramley apples and apple tree giveaway was an exciting opportunity that fitted particularly well with our long-running 'sow it, grow it, cook it, eat it' schools project, but also gave us the chance to add a little to nature by planting trees within military bases. We are especially proud to have contributed to the Beachley Barracks memorial garden and our thoughts are with 1 RIFLES during their current deployment in Afghanistan."
David Edwards, director of college and community services at Avon Valley College, added: "I would like to thank Sodexo for the apple trees and for the excellent session where the hospitality students saw and tasted exotic fruits. The College very much values the involvement of Sodexo to enhance the curriculum for our students."