ROOTS, SHOOTS AND SCORES

CASE STUDY

Spartans Community Foundation Embraces Rethink Food’s Roots, Shoots and Scores Programme

Roots, Shoots and Scores is a dynamic programme developed for the Spartans Community Foundation that brings together food education, gardening, and football to support young people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

The programme is designed to help children and young people develop key life skills through hands-on learning. By combining the structure and teamwork of sport with the creativity and care of growing food, Roots, Shoots and Scores creates a fun, supportive environment where participants can flourish – both on and off the pitch.

From planting seeds to cooking simple meals, and from learning about nutrition to working as a team, this innovative programme nurtures healthy habits, builds confidence, and empowers the next generation to lead healthier, more sustainable lives.

Impact on Students

The impact of Roots, Shoots and Scores is already being felt across communities, bringing together learning on the environment, sustainability, social enterprise and physical activity.

School Pantries

The foundation also provide school pantries. These are an extension to the Roots, Shoots and Scores project where pupils in each of the five primary schools have created their own food pantries that are stocked with essential basics. Pupils are responsible for bagging these up and distributing them to their wider school communities. Their pantries started in 2021 and have now distributed over 2,000 essential food bags to local families.

“Over the last 5 years, The Spartans Community Foundation have made a commitment to transform the way we look at sustainability across our local community. Primarily, we’ve done this in the Primary Schools via the delivery of the Roots, Shoots and Scores Programme and the Agents of Change programme. These programmes have allowed young people, aged 6-11, to engage with creative content in order to make informed decisions around climate action and food security. Since its inception, we’ve seen over 1000 young people take part in the projects and have begun their journey into making sustainable life changes.”

David Service, Senior Education Officer

“This year, the children have really enjoyed working with David, both as a sports leader and as someone who is teaching them about the environment and sustainability through the Roots, Shoots and Scores programme. Working with Dad has had such a positive impact on the P6 children as they have been fostering teamwork, perseverance and confidence. The programme David has led has allowed children to reflect on the Sustainable Goals and the environment whilst promoting physical fitness: where the children have developed social skills and a sense of responsibility. Under the guidance of a dedicated sports leader, P6 have learned the values of perseverance, goal setting and healthy competition, which can positively influence their overall development and future success.”

P6 Teacher