Each school attending Jack and the Beanstalk, the Torch’s pantomime this year, will be given a bag of beans to plant and grow their very own beanstalk in 2025. The theatre wants to see which schools are up for the challenge of growing the tallest beanstalk - and there’s a grand prize available!

The winning school will have the company of Tim Howe – Senior Manager Youth and Community for a whole day of creative fun or Teacher Training worth £500! It’s up to them to decide.

Tim, who will be growing his very own bean plant in the Torch Theatre foyer, said: “This is just a great competition where every school pupil can get involved and see the beans grow. All we ask is that the schools share regular updates with us via social media with the hashtag #torchpanto #pantotorch. What school will have the tallest bean plant I wonder?”

He added: “The pupils will need to water and look after the beans as they grow and who knows, we could have a world record breaker and have the tallest bean plant in the county or even the world! I may be bias, but the prize is priceless, and there might be a mystery bonus prize too!”

Hosting this competition wouldn’t be possible without the kind donation of the beans from David Charles at Elder Meadows Nursery in Hubberston. David says that it’s important that children learn about how vegetables are grown.

David added: “It is very important in this day and age to teach children how to grow their own in order to subsidise their food budget in adulthood. It is also important that children should also be taught how to cook in order to move away from processed food. The children will have fun taking part in the challenge of growing the biggest beanstalk.”

See Jack and the Beanstalk on stage from Friday, December 13 to Sunday, December 29 with matinee, evening, Relaxed Environment and BSL Performances. Visit torchtheatre.co.uk or call 01646 695267 for more information.