CORPORATE FUNDING SHINES LIGHT ON TELOPEA PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITY GARDEN.

• September 18^th, 2015: West Sydney.

Three-year funding partnership to benefit School community garden.

PAYCE is to provide funds to assist the school to complete this year's program of learning. Additionally, commencing from January 2016, Seed Harvest Spoon will deliver an expanded program free of charge to Telopea Public School for the next three years.

Brian Boyd - Community gardens cultivate sustainability at grass roots level.

PAYCE Managing Director, Brian Boyd said the program was a catalyst for them leading a healthy life through good nutrition and healthy eating choices and was a wonderful way to introduce young children to the natural world.

"The funding will allow the school and its teachers to continue to build on the good work to date under the tutorship and mentoring of the very experienced and enthusiastic team from Seed Harvest Spoon,"

"Telopea Public School through the efforts and enthusiasm of the students and the help of school community has developed a wonderful productive garden and PAYCE is pleased to come on board to keep that momentum going." said Mr Brian Boyd.

Seed Harvest Spoon Education – Feeding minds, Feeding Bodies

Leading Australian property investment company, PAYCE, has been a strong supporter of the environmental education and food gardening program for several years.

Seed Harvest Spoon, a not-for-profit organisation based in Sydney's inner west, specialising in early childhood and primary school environmental education.

The Seed Harvest Spoon workshops adopt a holistic hands-on approach to community. The highly skilled Seed Harvest Spoon team deliver lessons designed to encourage the development of knowledge, increase community involvement and interest through active participation in schools. Parents, Teachers and carers are encouraged to join events such as, working bees and harvest days while working alongside the students.

The funding partnership was today announced by Parramatta MP Geoff Lee and PAYCE General Manager, Dominic Sullivan during a visit to the school. Also attending were Michelle Carrick and Natalie Er from Seed Harvest Spoon, school Principal, Alan McGowen and school captains, Kathleen Birrell and Antwone Robertson.

Mr Lee congratulated PAYCE for thier generosity in providing funding for the next three years which will allow the school community garden to further develop their range of activities.

"One of the most important outcomes from the Seed Harvest Spoon program is that students are learning about sustainability through the growing of food while being encouraged to eat more fruit and vegetables which in turn leads to healthy lifestyle habits."

"To both the school community and the broader community, the garden has been an outstanding success. Everyone involved is very supportive and has become involved, contributing to volunteer programs through working bees," he said.

Community Gardens contribute to healthier Communities - Dominic Sullivan

Mr Sullivan said PAYCE was thrilled to join with Seed Harvest Spoon in delivering its environmental education program to Telopea Public School.

"In addition to learning about ecology principles and growing food, the program promotes active community engagement through school incursions, local volunteering, communal working bees and community events in the garden.

"We fully support the program's aims to develop healthy local communities through personal health and wellbeing, facilitating the development of strong and connected communities alongside a healthier environment," he said.

"We have seen firsthand, the benefits at Riverwood, that flow from pupils learning the importance of teamwork and developing self-confidence. Improvements in self-esteem through their own efforts and achievements in the garden. The Seed Harvest Spoon program is a hands-on, practical approach that yields tangible results for the whole community.

"The sponsorship is an extension of our successful long-term relationship with Riverwood Public School and the local Washington Park community, whose school community garden is now flourishing in its fifth year.

One year program blossoms due to support from PAYCE.

Michelle Carrick, Seed Harvest Spoon's Program Director said the long-term funding from PAYCE was most welcomed and will allow the organisation to grow its current one-year program to a program covering three years.

"We are excited to be able to continue the learning program we have started here with the students and teachers at Telopea Public School. Our vision is to extend the program's reach to implement and strengthen community volunteer programs and training," she said.

"The final stage will involve empowering communities to lead the sustainability practices in their established gardens and will also include neighbouring schools participation through incursions and additional programs."

About PAYCE

Founded in 1978, PAYCE is a recognised leader in innovative urban renewal, and has won a reputation for transforming places through its integrated residential, retail and commercial developments.

PAYCE has won numerous industry awards for its projects, including Development of the Year at the Urban Taskforce's 2015 Awards and Best Retail and Commercial development in NSW and ACT at the 2015 Urban Development Institute of Australia's Awards of Excellence. PAYCE is currently delivering an exciting new urban development, Royal Shores, beside the Parramatta River at Ermington in partnership with Sekisui House Australia.

PAYCE is a public listed Australian company with a proven track record in creating exceptional new communities.

PAYCE's policy is to work alongside respected not-for-profit organisations and groups in supporting the good works being delivered, and to help provide resources needed by these bodies in progressing towards hopeful futures and social harmony for those in need.

PAYCE is firmly committed to social equity. For many years, PAYCE has helped to provide support to those in society disadvantaged by circumstances.

In addition to supporting the Seed Harvest Spoon Schools Program at a number of locations, other organisations and bodies that PAYCE is currently working with include the Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul, Matthew Talbot Hostel, Adele, St Merkarious Charity and Windgap. PAYCE also recently formed a Foundation Partnership with the Sydney Street Choir to support the choir financially and corporately over the next three years.