'Give Peas a Chance' competition involves raising food plants at your work desk

Sharon Ní Chonchuir reports on ‘Give Peas a Chance’ — a competition that encourages workers to grow food at their desk and in turn get them to grow their own food at home

WE’VE all heard of dining al fresco. But how many of us have heard of dining al desko? I’m not talking about scoffing a sandwich in front of our computers at lunchtime. Instead I’m talking about Give Peas a Chance, a new initiative by Grow It Yourself (GIY) and soup makers Cully and Sully to try to encourage more people to grow their own food.

“Our aim is to get at least 500 companies here and in the UK growing their own food in their workplaces this summer,” says Shona Dubois, the Programme Coordinator for Give Peas a Chance. “All you have to do is get in touch with us and we’ll send you a grow pack that includes tubs, compost and seeds and then it’s up to you to find room on your desk or on a window sill to grow the seeds. Before you know it, you’ll be harvesting the peas and eating them for your lunch. You’ll be amazed by how easy it is.”