Young grower recognised for bringing horticulture into Chichester classrooms
A Chichester-based berry grower has been named among the finalists for a national industry prize after developing a schools outreach programme that introduces children to soft fruit production and careers in horticulture.
Lotti Hales, 27, works as a technical production assistant at The Summer Berry Company and joined the business in early 2025. In a short time she has expanded educational work in and around Chichester, delivering assemblies, live lessons and practical site visits designed to give pupils hands-on experience of how fruit is grown and why environmental stewardship matters.
Practical learning and inclusive visits
The programme, organised in partnership with the West Sussex Growers Association, includes an array of activities intended to suit different ages and abilities. Hales leads interactive sessions covering topics such as photosynthesis, beneficial insects and pollination, and finishes many live lessons with a quiz she creates for the pupils.
She has also adapted farm visits to support pupils from special educational needs (SEN) schools, and has welcomed the Chichester Young Farmers group for exchanges across the agricultural sector. On visits Hales uses real examples of beneficial insects and pollinators, and explains the farm’s approach to biodiversity.
- Role: Technical production assistant at The Summer Berry Company
- Award: Shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year, FPC Fresh Awards
- Activities: Assemblies, live lessons, farm visits, quizzes, SEN adaptations
Work on biodiversity and on-farm education
Alongside her outreach, Hales contributes to the company’s agronomy and crop production work, and has been involved in shaping its UK biodiversity strategy, which includes plans for wildflower areas, hedgerows and rewilding. Colleagues say her enthusiasm has helped build the educational offer as well as practical on-farm conservation measures.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nominee | Lotti Hales, aged 27 |
| Employer | The Summer Berry Company |
| Award | Rising Star of the Year, FPC Fresh Awards |
"Going into schools and inviting young people onto the farm is so important – so many have no idea this industry exists, let alone that you can build a really rewarding career in it,"
Hales said being shortlisted was an honour and expressed hope that the recognition would encourage more children to consider roles in agriculture. Her work links classroom learning with local production and environmental responsibility, a combination that industry groups and schools have welcomed.
Local impact and future prospects
For Chichester residents, the programme brings the workings of local food production closer to schools and young people, offering a practical view of where fruit on shop shelves originates and highlighting employment routes in horticulture. The initiative also supports wider efforts to promote biodiversity on farmland, which has implications for local wildlife and landscape.
Helen Wilson, corporate services director at The Summer Berry Company, praised Hales’ enthusiasm and contribution to the business’s plans. The FPC Fresh Awards shortlisting places a local grower on a national stage and may help strengthen partnerships between growers and schools across West Sussex.
Finalists for the FPC Fresh Awards will find out the winners at the industry ceremony, where Hales competes for recognition as an emerging leader in the sector. For now, her work continues to bring practical horticultural knowledge into Chichester classrooms and to showcase career paths that support local food production.
