An Apple’s Journey at Prep

In September, an intrepid band of Truro School Prep Year 3 volunteers picked apples around the Prep site as the first stage of a fundraising project to support the West Country charity, Farms for City Children. The charity gives disadvantaged children a chance to connect with the natural world and learn more about where their food comes from.

This starting point has since taken our pupils on a fantastic journey, from prepping and peeling the pickings to make apple crumbles and chutney, to pressing apples into juice at Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm. The proceeds from all of the sales and raffles are going to Farms for City Children.

This week, we have seen our pupils’ efforts come to fruit-tion as their now famous chutney was judged at this year’s Truro’s Annual Christmas Primestock Show.

During the lead-up to the show, pupils were visited by Beatrice Dyer, or ‘Auntie Bea’ as she is fondly known in these parts, who has been involved with the Royal Cornwall Show for many years and came to talk to the children about the Primestock Show. She gave the children an insight into what to expect at the Show and the importance of agriculture in our lives.

On show day, as well as having their chutney judged as part of the table exhibits judging, pupils were given further insights into the importance of farming. They took part in the show’s mobile educational unit ‘Farm and Country Roadshow’, a 45-minute hands–on opportunity for the children to learn about food production, sustainability and rural life.

They were then given time to explore the show, and, with prize sheep and cattle being judged, and the Champion Beast to be awarded, it was an exciting and insightful visit for our children.

Although the Truro School Prep Chutney didn’t make it into the judges’ selection, we had some winners in other categories from our school community. Congratulations to Ollie S, Guy S, Edward S and Isla T for your entries into baking, vegetable animals and photography, where 1st, 2^nd and highly commended prizes were won!

We would like to thank all of our amazing Year 3 pupils, their families and our staff, who have worked so hard over the term to take the simple apple and turn it into so much more. Special thanks must go to Mr Silk, who has led the endeavour. It is safe to say, with all of these magical experiences shared by all, he really is the apple of everyone’s eye.

Don’t forget, you can buy a jar of delicious chutney at this year’s Prep Christmas Fair on Friday, 5th December 2025.