BBC ends its Breathing Places and Dig In campaigns

What a shame the BBC has scrapped its Breathing Places and Dig In campaigns. The campaigns promoted gardening with schemes such as giving away free seeds and trees. The BBC explained that Breathing Places was only supposed to last five years and Dig In was only supposed to last two. A BBC representative said 11,000 primary schools had registered for Breathing Places and 1,000 partners had held 28,000 public activities, with thousands attending Springwatch Festivals. The BBC has also helped create 1,000 new "Breathing Places", working with local organisations across the country and supported by the Big Lottery Fund. More than 100,000 people registered for the Dig In newsletter this year. Sow, Grow and Harvest animation films by TV gardener Chris Collins generated 300,000 views and the events, which visited nine towns this year, reached 50,000 people. The BBC came under fire from the Taxpayers Alliance for spending £150,000 giving away trees and vegetable seeds last year through the campaigns. In 2009, it spent £57,500 on giving away 250,000 packets of vegetable seeds as part of the Dig In campaign.