The primary school leading the healthy eating revolution in the UK will launch its own community garden at a local farm in Greenwich this Saturday, July 11, from 3-5pm. Charlton Manor’s Henri Le Worm community garden - named after the character created by Olivier Blanc and Charlotte Salt - will hold its first open day at Woodlands Farm on Shooters Hill.

Olivier’s father, TV chef Raymond Blanc OBE, will officially open the 30 by 15-metre garden with an afternoon of food, music and celebration at the farm located at 331 Shooters Hill, Welling DA16 3RP at 3pm.

Henri Le Worm aims to remind children where food comes from and the important role that nature plays in its production. Henri encourages children to engage with food and nature in a fun and playful way. During the last year, Olivier has been working with landscape gardener Chris Collins and Charlton Manor’s headteacher Tim Baker and they have been developing the Henri Le Worm Community Garden Project. The idea is that a group of local schools develop a communal garden to use during school time, to teach sciences, mathematics, cooking and gardening. Parts of this garden at Woodlands Farm has been transferred from the Henri Le Worm RHS Hampton Court Flower Show Garden.

Headteacher Tim Baker said “We named the garden after the Henri Le Worm app which children love. But, as with everything at our school, we want children to be doing as they learn, so we’ll be having lessons at the farm garden and inviting other schools to use it as well.”

Raymond Blanc has been an integral part of the creation of Henri Le Worm with Olivier and Charlotte. He said “The aim is to create an interactive children's garden that is both fun and educational. We want to share all the delights a garden can hold for young ones, from the produce you can grow and taste to the creatures you will discover. It is amazing to share all the wonderful knowledge you can learn from Mother nature.”

Olivier Blanc added “I am truly delighted that Henri's first community garden is going to be at Woodlands Farm under the stewardship of Tim, it was his idea after all! I really believe that yoking Tim's leadership with the colourful and fun world of Henri will provide children with a fantastic foundation for growing and cooking food. The pupils at Charlton Manor primary already use the Henri Le Worm app and website as part of their lesson plans, so creating a garden for them seemed a natural progression. The hope is that the garden will provide an excellent platform for cross curricular teaching during term time and a safe space to enjoy during the holidays."

The community garden will mainly grow vegetables and fruit for cooking and eating at the school, which has two full-time teaching chefs who take classes from reception to Year 6.

Tim concluded “Every aspect of this approach helps towards building a community where people don’t just tolerate each other but actually get on with each other, which I think is the important thing.”

Other schools lacking the space for their own garden will be able to hold classes at the community garden. The garden will also be open to the local community at weekends and during school holidays.

Henri Le Worm, is available as an award winning app, "Henri Le Worm and the Missing Cookbook" and on a free interactive website at www.henrileworm.com.