Catering Life skills project
We interview Penny Griffiths about Catering Life Skills - the new Wellspring Family Centre project (August 2011):
What exactly is the Catering Life Skills project in a nutshell?
The Catering Life Skills project is a course to show people how to cook basic, healthy, low cost meals.
What will be your involvement?
I will take the individual shopping to buy the necessary ingredients, encouraging them to choose the cheapest product where possible. I will then teach them how to cook a healthy meal with those ingredients.
Who is it for?
The project is for teenagers and teenage mums who would like to learn how to cook basic meals for their children and/or themselves.
How often will the sessions take place?
The sessions will take place once a week. I already have one young mum who has agreed to be a guinea pig for us but hopefully the project should start September/October.
In what ways can it help the local community?
I hope it will encourage youngsters to eat healthily and take responsibility for looking after themselves. Hopefully this will give them more self respect & confidence. Also I pray that by coming into the Centre and seeing the various Church leaflets and asking questions they will come to know God's love for them.
Was it your idea? Where did the idea come from?
It was actually Jon's idea. He saw me cooking with the ladies from Well-Come and decided it would be great if I could do a similar thing with teenagers that needed help in learning to cook.
Is this something that God has called you to do and if so why do you think it matters to God?
Yes I believe it is something God has called me to do. He has given me a passion for cooking and also for teaching others. God wants us to help others in whatever way we are able and He has enabled me to do this.
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I was born and bred in Norfolk and I have a sister & two brothers. I am married to Pete and have two sons, Jake who is 18 and Dec who is 16. I have worked in the catering trade for several years now and really love it. I also love gardening and keep chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl both for their eggs and for the table.
How long have you lived in Dereham?
I was born in a little village called Whinburgh and have never moved out of the Dereham area!
How long have you been a Christian?
I have been a Christian since I was 12 so that's 30 years!
What is your favourite food?
My favourite food is anything that we have grown/reared ourselves. There is something very satisfying about eating a meal that you have cooked using ingredients that are fresh from your garden.
Do you watch TV cooking shows and if so which is your favourite?
I occasionally watch cooking programmes although I'm not a great lover of TV. My favourite has to be Saturday Kitchen with James Martin. A lot of his recipes are good old country favourites and are easy and taste great.
How important do you think good nutrition is? And do you think there are a lot of people who are neglecting it the UK? If so how much do you think that is to do with people just not having good cooking skills?
I think good nutrition is very important. A well-balanced diet with plenty of fruit & veg helps to keep you physically and mentally healthy. A lot of people don't eat as healthily as they should. I think this is because people either say they can't cook or won't cook because they don't feel they have time. Many don't realise that healthy meals can be quick and simple to cook. They would rather get a take-away or ready meal!
Do you think that cooking is perhaps more fun than people realise?
Cooking can be extremely fun. You don't have to stick rigidly to a recipe. Try changing a few of the ingredients to suit your own taste. It's much more fun than picking up a ready meal from the supermarket!
Anything else you’d like to tell us about?
I don't believe people when they tell me that they can't cook. I've seen people that apparently can't cook, cook some lovely things. They just need a little encouragement. As it says in the Bible, nothing is impossible with God.
|
|
|
|
|
