While we were in London we visited the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. Andy and J-LO have written about the permanent exhibition, but I was fascinated by a special exhibition called Dig for Victory.

It was about a massive, Government sponsored campaign during World War II to encourage English citizens to grow their own vegetables. The idea was to ensure a steady supply of fresh, balanced foods in the British diet in the face of rations and blockades of European supplies. The War Cabinet championed the initiative because England’s lack of self-sufficiency during the First World War had placed the country under pressure.

The campaign included extensive radio and print adverts, promoting characters like Potato Pete, and encouraging people (mainly women) to “Dig for victory”.

The Food Ministry issues instructions for growing food, and suggested households keep diaries of their garden’s progress (examples of which were on display, leading Andy to query if these were early examples of food bloggers).

The Museum, in association with the Royal Parks service, has set up a space in St James Park opposite the Museum where school groups are able to grow their own gardens. As the exhibition notes, although the original campaign grew out of the deprivations of war, the concerns motivating the campaign are still relevant today: having access  to fresh healthy food, being active, and living sustainably.

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