Sunflower power comes to Southwick thanks to church and charity

Southwick Methodist Church’s support worker, Mandy Ford, collecting the seeds, pots and compost from Clive Gravett of the Budding Foundation.

A massive sunflower seed growing competition organised by a Southwick church has received valuable support from a Sussex charity.

The Budding Foundation has funded the donation of 600 sunflower seeds as well as the necessary pots and compost from Mayberry Garden Centre in nearby Portslade.

Mandy Ford, a support worker at Southwick Methodist Church, will make up the growing kits and distribute them to the local community including the 400-plus children at Eastbrook primary school.

The plants have been known to grow to over nine metres tall, about the height of a three-story house. They originate from North America and were introduced to Europe during the 1500s by Spanish explorers.

“We can’t wait to see all those sunflowers”, said Clive Gravett who founded the Budding Foundation to support young people across Sussex. “Family-run Tates Garden Centres pulled out all the stops to provide the essential ingredients for this amazing competition.”