kent.uk/silk

1. Fresh Ideas Handout 9th March 2009 www.kent.gov.uk/silk www.ywca-gb.org.uk/westkent.asp Coordinated by Fiona Palmer at the YWCA West Kent Young Women’s Project and funded by NHS Choosing Health, the Food for Thought Programme is going from strength to strength. Initially an idea from some of the young mums in Tonbridge, the group was backed by ITV Fixers to help secure funding. Two courses have been run in Tonbridge and we currently recruiting for a Hadlow-based course. In light of growing health issues linked to poor diet and a lack of awareness about how to cook, this programme is aimed at young mums or potential mums-to-be who are living on a low income. Many aspects of food are covered in the 8 week course, including practical sessions in the kitchen followed by meals shared together with the children, how to cook healthily on a budget and safety in the kitchen. The current course has also been captured by an external researcher Emma Barrett using a participatory film approach which will inform the course evaluation and also feed back into senior policy makers via SILK at Kent County Council. I love cooking now. I’ve applied to go back to college in September to do cooking… I used to cook mainly from packages - just stick it in the oven. Now I feel healthier, have more energy and am more relaxed about food… I asked for a dining table for Christmas - my little boy now wants to sit at the table to eat everything… The programme is so successful that the young women are requesting a Food for Thought advanced course or other community food projects. They have expressed an interest in learning how to cook food from other countries, how to grow their own food in window boxes and bulk-buying. We are really keen to talk to others to share our experiences but also explore further opportunities to build on the enthusiasm and positive outcomes so far. Do get in touch - our details can be found on the websites above.