Blue Peter gardener and environmental and food campaigner Chris Collins was on the island last week as the voice of Isle of Man Post Office’s Green Mann stamp issue.

Chris has been involved with the Green Mann stamp issue from the start, following a chance meeting with Maxine Cannon from Isle of Man Post Office, as he explained: ’We got chatting and we hit it off and the idea really came from then.

’One of the reasons I got involved is the ’seed to plate’ emphasis of the stamps. I’ve been involved with schools for the last 10 or 12 years, teaching the children gardening and encouraging them to do it. The thing that’s driven me over those years has been to get people to grow organically and grow locally - that’s my big thing and for kids to learn about that.’

The stamps are quirky and memorable, combining Nicola Dixon’s delightful images with titles such as ’Cow to Cup’, Fish to Dish’and ’Welly to Belly’ to emphasise the message. Chris believes that they will capture children’s imagination and maybe inspire an interest in where food comes from. He said: ’When I started, eight out of 10 kids thought potatoes grew on trees. Adults always laugh about that but it’s up to the adults to make sure that kids know different.’

Chris has had a career in horticulture for over 30 years including a 10-year stint as gardener for the Blue Peter programme.

Whilst he was on the island he also visited two local primary schools, Ballacottier and Willaston, to give the children some tips with their gardening projects.

He was full of praise for the Ballacottier pupils’ garden:

’It really is very, very special. What I like about it is that you can see the kids’ influence in it and that’s very important to me. You can see it’s got their touch on it.’

Chris went on: ’In 12 years of doing this in schools I’ve never had a kid who’s said to me: "This is rubbish and I’m not doing it", or had a tantrum - they’ve all got into it.

’My theory is that for thousands and thousands of years we were farmers and gardeners: it’s only in the last 40 years we’ve become consumers so, when you work with kids, that spiritual connection to our land, and to eating and growing food and producing food, is in them and the light comes on very quickly in a nine or 10 year old and that makes it very worthwhile.

’As soon as their hands are in the soil you see that affinity.’

Chris hopes that the new stamps will reinforce this. He said: ’To me it’s been a real honour and a pleasure to do this stamp issue because the island is so friendly and welcoming. I didn’t know the Isle of Man before this started so that’s been a revelation.’

The Green Mann stamp issue is available at www.iompost.com/stamps-coins.