Costa’s Victorian mushroom farm located at Mernda is supporting its local community through developing relationships with two primary schools located in the City of Whittlesea.
Recently Costa employees paid a visit to Mill Park Heights Primary School where they presented a cheque for $1,500 and delivered over 1,000 bananas (or 1,000 serves of fruit!) to the children. The principal of the school, Deborah Patterson, said that the money donated will be used to assist the school to run their Learning and Teaching programs. The school currently runs programs called ‘The Breakfast Club’ and ‘The Lunchtime Club’. The aim of these clubs is to introduce students to many new skills outside of the general curriculum, such as Robotics and Coding, Chess, Lego, Gardening, Sewing and Calligraphy.
Having opened its doors in 2017 and with an initial student population of 95 pupils, the Principal of Mernda Park Primary Mary Ryan is keen to involve the children in health and sporting initiatives such as the YMCA active program. Mary also wants to sign the school up to programs through the Whittlesea council, including Pet Therapy and Scarecrow. The Mernda mushroom farm has donated $4,500 to the school this year so that all students will be able to participate in these programs. Costa will also donate wooden trays filled with mushroom compost for an instant portable garden for the school to aid in their healthy living classes, including teaching the children about fresh produce and cooking.
