The Spice Academy Is Born
Our new and exciting project was launched during our special school assembly on Wednesday 30th April.
The Spice Academy is about sharing stories, uses, recipes and relationships related to spices from around the world. This will lead to a learning week for all the children in the summer and autumn terms. This project is a school social enterprise, helping us earn the money to provide more opportunities for our children, our school and the community. This is an exciting project and we’d like as many people to get involved as possible.
During our launch, special guest Jamie Dunn spoke to the children about his success in business. Jamie is an inspirational, young social entrepreneur who shared his story; how he set up his first social business and made a real difference to young people and the community. We also met Nicholas Clitheroe who works for Real Ideas Organisation. Nicholas is a Social Enterprise and Schools Service Consultant; he will be working closely with the Academy helping us to resolve challenges in a sustainable and enterprising way. After the assembly parents, guests, children and staff were invited to share in being served masala chai tea and spice inspired snacks.
We are looking for parents to help us set up a Spice Club to learn from each other and share the ways in which spices are used in our families and cultures. The Spice Club will focus on learning how to make something with a different herb or spice as well sharing stories. Maybe we can even produce a Victoria Park Spice Club Recipe Book?
We are also going to start growing spices in our new school garden, which is in the process of being worked upon. Do you know about growing herbs and spices? Or maybe you’d like to learn more about how to grow them? We are looking for some parents/carers who would like to take part in building an outdoor clay oven in the garden and then help us to start growing herbs and spices from around the world. If you know what might grow well in Smethwick, or have any ideas for unusual herbs and spices we could grow, we’d love you to hear from you.
This is a major project for Victoria Park and we really hope you can get involved!
Look out for more information concerning our new Spice Academy venture.
