Suffolk-based schools arts and horticultural charity Eastfeast has joined forces with the regional arm of the Groundwork charity which works with partners in the business, housing, health and edcuation sectors on a wide range of community and environmental projects.

From the start of this month, Eastfeast has become part of Groundwork East, which it says will mean that more schools will be able to benefit from a wider range of environmental education schemes.

Steve Harvey, Groundwork East’s executive director, said: “Groundwork is passionate about encouraging children and young people to understand their links with and impact on the environment and Eastfeast’s food-growing approach fits brilliantly with this.

“We’re really looking forward to working with even more schools in their ‘outdoor classrooms’ over the coming months and years.”

William Notcutt, chairman of Eastfeast, added: “For over 10 years Eastfeast has engaged with a team of professional gardeners and artists to deliver a series of linked but independent creative learning programmes for schools in East Suffolk.

“Joining with Groundwork East will enable more schools and more pupils to benefit from our work: the focus is food and where it comes from; the process is creative, engaging the imagination; and the product is learning and understanding.”

Eastfeast, which involves a team of professional gardeners, artists and teachers, began in 2005 with a year-long pilot programme at Aldeburgh Primary School and has gone on to establish learning partnerships with a schools across the East Anglia region.