Awarded Funding for ‘Get Growing, Get Cooking, Get Skills’ Project
Cultivate, a community food co-operative based in Newtown, has been awarded £337,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund for a new project called ‘Get Growing, Get Cooking, Get Skills’. This project aims to empower people from across Newtown and Welshpool to cook fresh food from scratch, thereby promoting a healthier lifestyle and fostering a sense of community.
Collaboration with Newtown College
In partnership with Newtown College, part of the Neath Port Talbot Group of Colleges, Cultivate has been working on several initiatives to promote cooking skills and confidence. One of the key projects is a bread-making course, where participants learn to make their own bread using local ingredients. The course was taught in the college's own kitchens, providing a unique learning environment.
Bread-Making Course Highlights
- Participants learned to make their own bread using local ingredients, such as wholemeal flour and yeast
- Participants gained hands-on experience in the college's kitchens, learning to measure ingredients and mix dough
- Participants received feedback and guidance from experienced instructors
Feedback from Participants and Instructors
Sue Lloyd-Jones, Head of School Catering, Hospitality and Agriculture across the NPTC Group, said: “It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic cooks learning to cook using our fabulous local produce.” Erika Jones, catering lecturer, added: “A great opportunity to work with some lovely local produce – the end product was amazing – well done all the students.”
Future Plans
Nick Burdekin, North Powys Sustainable Food Places Co-ordinator for Cultivate, stated: “A huge thank you to Neath Port Talbot College and Erika and Sue for hosting this course and for everyone who came along and took part. We know from feedback that participants' confidence levels to use what they had learned to bake and cook at home has gone up considerably, and that everyone would like to take part in more cooking courses. We look forward to working with the college to put on additional cooking courses.”
Get Involved
To find out more about other activities Cultivate is running, please visit www.cultivate.uk.com. Cultivate is committed to empowering communities through food, and this project is just one example of their efforts to promote healthy eating and cooking skills.
Key Objectives
- Empower people to cook fresh food from scratch
- Promote a healthier lifestyle through cooking
- Foster a sense of community through cooking
| Funding Amount | £337,000 |
| Project Name | ‘Get Growing, Get Cooking, Get Skills’ |
Sue Lloyd-Jones, Head of School Catering, Hospitality and Agriculture across the NPTC Group, said: “It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic cooks learning to cook using our fabulous local produce.” Erika Jones, catering lecturer, added: “A great opportunity to work with some lovely local produce – the end product was amazing – well done all the students.”
Definition:
By empowering communities through food, Cultivate aims to promote healthy eating and cooking skills, while fostering a sense of community and social connection. The ‘Get Growing, Get Cooking, Get Skills’ project is a key example of their efforts to achieve these goals.
Cultivate's work is built on the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and social justice. They believe that everyone deserves access to healthy, locally-sourced food, regardless of their background or income. By working with local communities, Cultivate aims to promote food systems that are environmentally sustainable, socially just, and economically viable.
Through their projects and activities, Cultivate seeks to inspire and empower individuals to take control of their own food choices, and to make informed decisions about the food they eat. By doing so, they aim to promote a healthier lifestyle, and to foster a sense of community and social connection among participants.
As Cultivate continues to grow and develop, they remain committed to their core values of sustainability, inclusivity, and social justice. They believe that food has the power to transform lives, and to bring people together in meaningful ways.
By supporting Cultivate's work, you can help to empower communities through food, and to promote healthy eating and cooking skills.
