WILLOWTOWN pupils are helping their community to get their five-a-day by becoming the first borough school to run their own food co-op.

   Pupils take orders for fruit and vegetable bags every Friday afternoon and then place them with a local wholesaler who delivers them the following week.

   The school is the first in Blaenau Gwent to launch the not-for-profit fruit and veg co-op, managed by its own pupils, with assistance from the local Communities First programme.

   Orders are taken between 3.10pm and 3.30pm every Friday afternoon.

   The next week they are packed by the children for collectionby parents.
 
   Each bag of mixed fruit or vegetables costs £2.50.

   Emma Miles, a teacher at the school, said: “The children have formed a committee to take charge of the co-op themselves, and take all the orders and manage the accounts.

   “The food co-op ties in with many aspects of the schoolcurriculum and helps them to understand how maths and language are useful in the world of business.”

   She added: “It also promotes healthy eating, with the children understanding the importance of fresh fruit and vegetables in a healthy lifestyle.

   “Plus, of course, it means parents can get high quality produce at low prices.”

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