New potato bus rolls into town
01 June 2007
Can you tell a Maris Piper from a Morene, or a King Edward from a Charlotte? Yes, they’re potatoes, but what else do you know about them? The Potato Story is a interactive learning experience that sheds some light on the humble potato as it makes its journey from field to fork. Housed in a re-fitted London double-decker bus, the exhibit will debut at the Countryside Days in Harrogate, Yorkshire on 12th and 13th June.
The Potato Story showcases the best way to grow and harvest potatoes as well as the best ways to eat some of the most well-known varieties - mashed, baked, boiled, roasted or chipped. The core elements of the story are brought to life by on an onboard ‘farmer’ in his field on the upper deck and the ‘cook’ in his kitchen downstairs, making it an interactive experience the whole family can enjoy.
The Potato Story is part of a larger schools programme developed by McCain Foods (GB), which will fully launch in September this year. The programme is tailored to children from 7-11 years of age, is fully aligned with the National Curriculum and includes lesson plans as well as interactive learning games. The Potato Story bus will be a highlight of the programme at some schools adding another dimension to the whole learning experience.
The seed of the idea emerged from research by the British Heart Foundation which found that one in three children did not know that chips came from potatoes. Simon Eyles, Communications Director, McCain Foods (GB) Ltd believes that as a responsible food manufacturer McCain can help children learn about food provenance.
“We intimately understand the principles of field to fork and all the steps in that chain, so we are delighted to use this knowledge to help children learn more about the origins of their food as well as the principles of enjoying it as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
“The Potato Story is an exciting initiative for us and one we believe to be engaging, fun, and worthwhile to children of primary school age.”
The Potato Story was originally exhibited as a fixed stand at the Countryside Days shows last summer. From this springboard, McCain developed a programme of school visits targeting children from urban areas which launched in September 2006 at Daubeney Primary School in Hackney, London. The programme was received with much enthusiasm and has since visited a number of schools. The new Potato Story bus will tour country shows over the summer, as well as schools in the area before the schools programme launches fully in the autumn.
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