SCHOOLKIDS have been planting sunflower seeds as a symbol for HOPE.

Allonby school gardeners were given the sunflower seeds back in April - an estimated three million packets were distributed through-out the country by Morrisons to schools, customers, and care homes spreading a positive message.

Lesley Jackson a Community Champion for Morrisons in Workington said:

"Hope is the magic word. And we also hope to have sunflowers growing here, there and everywhere, putting a smile on everyone's face and hopefully we'll have a better year than we just had."

The students at Allonby produced their sunflower plants to Lesley yesterday to see the progress they were making, she said: "Since the kids planted the seeds I've been back to share our company's new book 'Cedric the Seed' and I've been giving it out to the schools in the area and they can use them for competition prizes or have them in their own school library."

Lesley went to Ashfield Junior School last week to give the book and sunflower seeds over to the kids, she added: "Hopefully the book will give them a bit of understanding on how the seed grows."

Morrison's gave away 50,000 copies of the book to schools up and down the country as part of their 'Make good things happen' campaign.