Children from schools across Knowsley and Liverpool will swap the classroom for market stalls this summer as they sell fresh, school-grown fruit and vegetables to the public in support of a great cause.

The first ever Young Marketeers Knowsley Market Day will take place on Friday 3 July from 12-2 pm at Kirkby Market.

The Young Marketeers Liverpool Market Day will take place on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, from 11.30 am-1.30 pm at Liverpool ONE.

Children from five Knowsley and ten Liverpool primary schools have spent the past few months growing produce from seed with support from expert gardeners as part of Young Marketeers, a food education programme run by charity School Food Matters, funded by Knowsley Council.

Now, they’ll harvest and sell their produce to shoppers, putting their new gardening, teamwork and marketing skills into practice while learning more about where food comes from.

Visitors to Kirkby Market and Liverpool ONE can expect to find the children selling a colourful selection of seasonal produce, such as beans, beetroot, carrots, chard, cucumber, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach and spring onions.

Food Education Initiatives and Primary School Gardening Skills

Young Marketeers helps children develop practical gardening and enterprise skills while nurturing a life-long positive relationship with food, providing hands-on outdoor learning opportunities and increasing awareness of food waste.

 Giving access to food education equips children with the knowledge, confidence and appreciation of nutritious, sustainable food needed to make healthy, informed choices well into adulthood.

Stephanie Slater MBE, Founder and Chief Executive of School Food Matters, said: 

“Food education is a vital life skill, and hands-on experiences such as growing and selling fresh produce can help children build a real connection with food and where it comes from. 

“For 15 years, our Young Marketeers programme has been giving children the chance to learn new skills, work as a team and take pride in what they’ve grown. 

“Market Day is a celebration of the value of food education and a moment for hundreds of enterprising young gardeners across the country to shine.”

Money raised from sales at Kirkby Market will be donated to The Eco Therapy Garden, a community-led therapy garden in Knowsley that offers a safe, supportive outdoor space where visitors can participate in gardening, eco-therapy activities, outdoor learning, and volunteering opportunities.

Meanwhile, money raised at Liverpool ONE will be donated to Feeding Liverpool, the city of Liverpool’s food alliance, which connects and equips people and organisations to work towards good food for all.

Local Community Charity Donations 

Last year, Young Marketeers reached 120 schools in 14 cities across England. 

Feedback from participating children highlighted the programme’s impact, with 86% saying they learned a new gardening skill, 60% learning more about where food comes from, and 52% discovering something new about healthy eating.

Now in its 15th year, the programme continues to grow and will be delivered in 16 cities in 2026, for more information click here.

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