Which child can grow the sunflower with the fattest face?

Amelie McCann with her winning sunflower from last year

Online garden centre www.potterandrest.co.uk is asking youngsters to grow the ‘fattest sunflower face’ in aid of Barnado’s.

Peter Burks, horticultural expert at www.potterandrest.co.uk, explained: “Last year we ran a competition for children to grow the smiliest plants around and it was so popular that we have decided to run it again.

“We’re asking green-fingered children to get involved and grow the sunflower with the fattest face and the seeds youngsters will use have been bred especially to have large flower ‘heads’.

“We know that many schools have gardening clubs and we would love it if they could get involved too.

“As well as entering our competition they could have their own in-house one too.”

The competition is also a fund-raiser for Barnado’s through a £1 donation, which people will be asked to make when they order their seeds.

Parents, guardians or teachers are invited to order a packet of seeds, while stocks last, for £1 from http://goo.gl/yx0YvD.

An entry form can be downloaded from https://goo.gl/sSWHE5.

Sue Westbury, Head of Barnardo’s regional fund-raising south, said: “As the UK’s leading children’s charity, Barnardo’s worked with 240,000 children, young people and families last year.

“With support from companies such as Potter & Rest we are able to run more than 960 vital services across the UK, including counselling for children who have been abused, fostering and adoption services and disability support.”

In September, children will be asked to measure their sunflower across the middle of its ‘face’, excluding petals.

They will also be asked to take a photo of their sunflower and complete the entry form.

All entries must be submitted via email before midnight on September 30 to [email protected] with the entry form and a photo of the sunflower attached to the email.

There are two titles to be won – regional winner and national winner.

The five regional winners will each receive a £10 Potter & Rest voucher and a certificate.

The national winner will receive a certificate and a £50 Potter & Rest voucher.

The overall winner’s school will also be presented with a £50 Potter & Rest voucher.

By entering, entrants agree to participate in any press or other publicity relating to this competition.

Terms and conditions are available from http://goo.gl/69IeAa.

For further details, please visit www.potterandrest.co.uk, call 01278 440500 or email [email protected]