Students at Oak Grove College have put out an urgent call out to local gardeners to help ensure their popular annual plant sale can go ahead, despite Covid restrictions.

The sixth formers at the college for young people with special educational needs are looking for donations of seeds and surplus plants, especially vegetables, from gardens and allotments – as well as volunteers prepared to run plant sales from their own homes in support of Oak Grove.

Normally pupils spend time growing and selling plants donated by a local nursery, building up stocks for the two week sale, held each year in May. Funds raised through the event help to buy extra equipment and community outings for the school.

The sale, which can typically raise more than £2,000, provides valuable opportunities for the students to learn skills in horticulture, customer service and money handling.

However this year the nursery is unable to donate plants and the college is also concerned that it will not be able to welcome visitors to Oak Grove for the sale, which runs from 17th to 28th May.

Teacher Carol Noble is part of the organising team. She explains: “Rather than receiving and selling a lot of plants from just one place, we are looking at receiving and selling batches of a few plants from lots of different places – and we will also run a delivery service of plants to customers’ homes.

“So, whether you are an allotment holder, part of a gardening club or a keen home horticulturalist, we’d love to hear from you and the students would really value your support.”

For more information or to offer your support you can reach Carol and col-leagues by email on cnoble@oakgrovecollege.org.uk

Oak Grove College, The Boulevard, Worthing, BN13 1JX 01903 708870