Celebrating and supporting food work in Kirklees

1. Celebrating and supporting food work in Kirklees Kate Parkinson and Gilly Brenner NHS Kirklees public health food programme

2. Plan for the day

3. Celebrating and supporting food work in Kirklees • The health data and localities • Target groups • Objectives • The website • Training and funding • Involving you

4. Joint Strategic Needs Assessment • NHS Kirklees & Kirklees Council • Outlines key health issues within Kirklees • Highlights priority areas for action

5. Localities • NHS Kirklees operates across 7 localities: • Batley, Birstall & Birkenshaw • Spen Valley • Dewsbury & Mirfield • Huddersfield North • Huddersfield South • Denby Dale & • Kirkburton • The Valleys

9. Areas of Need

12. Target groups • Women of a child bearing age living in key localities. • Batley B&B, Dewsbury, Spen & Huddersfield (North & South) • Vulnerable adults • a person over 18 who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness.

13. Knowledge & skills “I just binge eat all the time, everything, pizzas, burgers, MacDonald’s…I sort of moved out with me ex partner…[I was], 17-18…, I didn’t learn to cook when I were younger and stuff like that…. I didn’t have the skills to do nothing” (18-25, no children, Spen Valley) “It is knowing how to and having time to do it…with having kids that is” (18-25, mother, Hudd North) “Well the prices are cheap at Jack Fulton’s, and it’s quick, it’s only 4 minutes in the microwave and it’s done”(18-25, mother, Spen Valley) “Once you’ve had the baby, I know it sounds awful …as long as you are feeding them you think you are doing well. It doesn’t matter what you are feeding them, I’ve known them feed them microwave meals” (26-40, mother, Batley) “My problem is that I don’t know what to do, they don’t have things like salad bars I don’t know what is there…It is not easy is it…I wouldn’t know where to access that information” (18-25, mother, Dewsbury)

14. So … A shared food vision: Aim • The people in Kirklees make healthy food and nutrition choices and enjoy life long health. The particular focus is on women of a child bearing age, vulnerable adults, black and minority ethnic groups and the income deprived, in order to reduce inequalities in health resulting from an unhealthy diet.

15. Objectives • improve key skills and knowledge • stimulate wider production of affordable healthy food • create opportunities for people to access affordable healthy food and enjoy the experience of eating tasty, nutritious food.

16. A need to work together • Recognition that we need to offer support to those working with our target groups in these localities: • knowledge and skills • training • issues of sustainability • signposting • sharing good practice • So, developed eatwell4life network

17. Website: • change4life • up-to-date • what’s on • reliable information • resources • contacts directory • training • funding • quarterly e-newsletter

18. Kirklees ‘FINE’ Project Food Initiatives & Nutrition Education By Louise Muhammad Food and Well-being Coordinator

19. Our Key Role is: To provide training around healthy eating that increases or improves knowledge and skills To anyone (paid staff or volunteers) working with families with young children, young people, women of childbearing age, vulnerable adults (older people) ethnic minority communities , young people (16-21) etc In the 5 target localities ( Spen Valley, Dewsbury & Mirfield, Huddersfield N&S, Birstall, Batley, Birkenshaw)

20. We offer 2 types of Training: ‘Key Messages around Healthy Eating’ 1 day short, fun interactive session looking at the eat-well plate, 5 a day, fats, salts, sugars etc) suitable for staff/volunteers who come into contact with the above target groups and are in a position to pass on these messages or implement policy and practice that incorporate these principles in their daily work/role

21. Cont’d Open College Network - Nationally Accredited Course Module entitled ‘Planning and cooking for a healthy lifestyle’ and worth 3 credits with 24 guided learning hours (level 2) It covers healthy eating messages in more detail, the nutritional needs of certain population groups as well as tips and tools on running community cook and eat sessions (including food hygiene from January 2010)

22. Its Free! All training is free to participants that meet the criteria However there has be a commitment to take the learning back into communities/work areas For OCN-accredited there is at least a 4-day time commitment (spread in total over 10-12 weeks) As a result of the training you will be expected to go out and deliver actual cook and eat sessions to your target groups (a minimum of at least 2 sessions within first 3 months of completion and provide monitoring feedback)

23. Cont’d Our hope is that in delivering the module we begin building community capacity and a resource of fully skilled, knowledgeable ‘cook and eat’ tutors throughout the target localities

24. OCN Support Goody bag for each and every OCN participant Links/referrals to NHS food programme small grants scheme Equipment lending library Store cupboard food voucher scheme £20 Ongoing advice/support from the TEAM

25. Finally… We are really excited and passionate about what we do! Please talk to us if you are interested in what we can offer or know of other people we can contact - we have dates available now for 2 courses about to begin! …Come help us share skills in Kirklees for a healthier, happier future!

26. FINE Team members: • Louise Muhammad - Coordinator • Helen Nicholson - Advisor • Siobhan O’Mahony - Advisor • Vicki Walker - Advisor 01484 416 883 environmental.health@kirklees.gov.uk

27. The Food Chain - Objectives To increase knowledge/confidence of a range of cookery techniques; To increase people’s repertoire of healthy dishes they feel confident to cook at home; To aid people’s personal development; To improve people’s knowledge of budgeting for healthy meals; To provide a friendly, non-judgmental and supportive environment; To improve people’s awareness of food safety and hygiene; To provide hints and tips about how to increase the number/ range of fruit and vegetables in the diet;

28. Lindley Methodist Church – Friday 2 October 10.00 am – 12 noon Numbers: 10 booked – 7 turned up. Participants: 1 (older) man; 1 Asian woman – (Halal); 1 (older) woman; 4 (youngish) women. Dishes cooked: 1) Sausage and lentil casserole; 2) carrot and coriander soup. Publicity: 2 Lindley Library; 2 Lindley Infants School; 3 Hudds Examiner; 2 Reinwood School; 1 Lindley shop.

33. Evaluation Methodology Participants completed a pre-cook and eat questionnaire prior to the start of the session. They then completed an evaluation at the end of the session. Pre- cook questionnaire: • 4 out of 7 participants didn’t feel confident about cooking from scratch. • 1 would cook more from scratch if they had more time. Post – cook questionnaire: • 5 out of 7 said they felt more confident about cooking from scratch. • All – said they’d cook today’s recipes at home.

34. Participant Feedback Most liked about session: • Friendly • Welcoming • Informal • Well organized • Good discussion with others

35. Participant Feedback Continued “I have fully enjoyed this cooking session. Thank you.” “I’m really enjoying it. I’ll be coming to all of the sessions.” “It’s great to meet people.” “It’s great for people who live on their own – especially older men who’ve maybe lost their partner…”

36. Tutor Observations Slightly awkward at first but they soon relaxed and appeared to be enjoying themselves; All were keen to join in with the preparation; Willingly volunteered to help with clearing up; All keen to taste what we had made; Important to communicate key messages about health and safety, and food hygiene at the beginning of the session; It was quickly noticed that the male participant had poor knife skills (in fact he did cut himself slightly and needed a plaster) – facilitators need to be aware and pass on safer/more efficient use of cutting tools. All seemed to value and enjoy the break time so they could socialise.

37. Why are food initiatives important? Many people want to make changes to their and their family’s diet, but don’t know where to start; Information isn’t enough to help people make changes; A voluntary group has freedom to try new models of delivery; Community-led initiatives can often reach people easier; We can deliver in an informal way – but still slip in the key messages;

38. How attending the training has helped to deliver our initiative Provided an example of a model for delivery; Helped formulate a framework for delivery of our particular cooking initiative; Provided examples of activities to use in our sessions; Helped develop the confidence that it could be done! Provided important background information, e.g. key healthy eating messages.

39. An example of people you have worked with/helped and why eating healthily is important to them. Parents of young children: • Strategies for encouraging children to eat more fruit and vegetables; • Increased repertoire of healthy recipes which are quick to prepare. Older man living alone: • When partner alive she did all the cooking; • Never learned skills/knowledge; • Lack motivation to prepare meal for one;

40. How you see yourself linking with the network in the future and any future plans you may have.    • Hope network will provide link to up to date information, e.g. about further training opportunities, relevant events etc; • Hope to continue to make links with other people in similar fields of work; • Hope that there might be opportunities for joint working; • Our group plans to move into other areas of Kirklees in the future – hope to establish community links in those areas through this network.