News - Helping people take part in cookery groups

The Frodsham, Helsby and Elton Community Partnership was delighted to fund a cookery group at Elton Community Centre.

This was arranged and run in collaboration with a Health Coach Helen, who supports the local GP practices.

The eight participants learned how to cook a variety of healthy dishes over five sessions, using a one pot method or slow cooker.

With consideration of the cost-of-living crisis and rising energy bills, the recipes used cheap ingredients that could be found at the Community Centre’s pantry, part of the network of foodbanks.

The group not only valued the new skills they learned, but the friendships they made, all saying their social interaction had improved.

One person who mainly ate ready meals and rarely used fresh ingredients at home said that the course has given them new confidence to try recipes in the future.

Others commented that: “I’d never eaten risotto but would cook it now” and “It’s extended the variety of food I cook, more interesting and appetising things now”.

Thanks to the success of the project, there are plans to run more sessions in the autumn using seasonal produce, with attendees already signed up.

The cooking equipment the group invested in will also be available for other Community Partnership members to borrow for future initiatives, proving how collaboration and connection are key to the Partnership’s success.

Meet and Eat, a similar initiative, is coming soon to Frodsham so watch this space.