YOUNG people will be encouraged to take part in growing their own produce, thanks to a major project spearheaded by a Bottesford-based gardening expert.

John Cavill (42), of Girton Close, Bottesford, is behind the Simply Gardening For Schools social enterprise, which aims to help children learn outside the classroom through horticulture.

Plans are in place to build 200 school gardens all over Lincolnshire and Yorkshire over the next five years, while the long-term vision is to have a garden in every school.

Mr Cavill said: "After doing a quiet area at Bowmandale School, in Barton-upon-Humber, in 2006, I realised we could make a massive difference to the lives of children with gardening.

"In October last year, we set up Simply Gardening for Schools and registered it as a social enterprise."

A major part of this year's work will involve a garden designed by Mr Cavill called A World Beyond The Classroom.

It will be shown at the Gardeners' World Live exhibition in Birmingham in June before being dismantled and rebuilt at Leys Farm Junior School, in Bottesford.

The school already has an established gardening club and has been selected by the Royal Horticultural Society as a partner school.

This means the school and garden will be used as a training ground for teachers from around North Lincolnshire.

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