TWO schemes operated by Wirral Council that give people with learning disabilities a chance to learn horticulture, life and work skills, are celebrating a new partnership with a Wirral school.

Both Royden Park Project, Frankby, and Dale Farm, Heswall, will be supplying one of Wirral’s largest secondary schools, The Mosslands School, Wallasey, with vegetables and herbs to be used as part in Healthy Awareness cookery classes.

The reciprocal deal will include boys from the school visiting both project to see how their herbs and vegetables are grown.

Receiving an initial basket of produce to celebrate the new arrangement, Peter Bradshaw, lead teacher of food technology at Mosslands School, said: "This basket is the first of a series that will be integrated into the classroom as part of Mossland’s Healthy Awareness cookery classes.

"This will help students understand the importance of fresh produce grown locally.

"As part of the new link with Royden Park and Dale Farm, I plan to take a group of students down to both sites where they will see at first hand just what goes into the production of fresh vegetables and herbs."

The produce on display was grown by students from Dale Farm and Royden Park Project who receive experience in horticulture, conservation and woodwork, in a friendly supportive environment, at both sites.

Councillor Chris Jones, cabinet member for adult social care, said: "Both Dale Farm and Royden Park projects continue to go from strength to strength.

"We really welcome this new link with Mosslands that will benefit both the projects and the students who will learn more about the food on their plate, and the value of local schemes such as these."