Hazlegrove Celebrated Festival Of Yum!

The English modernist writer, Virginia Woolf once said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

” Hazlegrove embraced this sentiment in our annual festival week, the Yum! Festival. Under the guidance of Mrs Spilsbury, the timetable was enhanced and flavoured, with all that is delectable. The front hall was transformed, on the first day of the week, into something akin to the British Bake-Off tent – over 70 children walked gingerly over the gravel path and up the stairs, with their marvellous creations. Although there were a few winners in this competition, the real winner was baking – the cakes were stunning, and the children exceeded everyone’s expectations.

At this time of abundance and plenty, we took time to consider those suffering in the Ukraine; and it was with this in mind, that the children put their love into action, by creating Focaccia Art – the focaccias were then sold after school, and we raised over £500 for our European neighbours. Well done, children…and thank you parents, for your support.

Thomasina Miers, Nicole Pisani, Jeremy and Izzy from Waitrose, and Gary from Carymoor Environmental Centre, led very interesting and stimulating talks and workshops for the children and an over-riding message was one of “Food can save the world”. Thomasina, the Patron of the Festival said, ‘It was so wonderful to see such an inspiring festival happening and to see how engaged all the children were – it was a real privilege coming to talk to them’.

Frogs, worms, crickets, and snails – no, not the plagues experienced by the Egyptians, but the nibbles on offer at breaktime during the week. The children were courageous, and some might even have enjoyed these alternative snacks; some may even feature as starters for the next family dinner! (Apologies to the squeamish). A tea party, hosted by the Year 6s, went down a treat – a perfect way to enjoy an afternoon at school! 

“Food Glorious Food” echoed through the corridors as the concert performers joined together to sing with gusto. Friends and families were royally entertained by two outstanding and highly entertaining music concerts. Like the desire for a walk on Boxing Day, we all felt that a little fresh air and exercise was exactly what we needed after a week of food munching – cue the Games Department and Mrs Arnold’s legendary warm-up. The fields were alive with the sound of hundreds of feet, taking part in the Yum Run.

The pièce de resistance was the Saturday Food Market, soaked in Somerset sunshine. The front hall and the main lawn were alive with the chatter of eager buyers and sellers, as they peddled home-grown and tasty food, sauces, and oils.

A legacy from this food festival is for children to consider food – the ingredients, the sources, and the manufacturing of it; and importantly, to minimise waste. To quote another literary great, J.R.R Tolkien, “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” As a community, after our successful and enjoyable Yum! Festival, we are all most certainly, a little merrier.

Mrs Spilsbury