Waste authority goes outreach with cookery club

West London Waste Authority (WLWA) is preparing to launch its first ever Let's Get Cooking club to teach people how they can reduce the amount of food waste their home produces.


As part of a campaign to get people cooking in a more sustainable way, a total of 20 different clubs will be rolled out over a 12-month period and will cover all six partner boroughs – Richmond upon Thames, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Harrow, Ealing and Brent.

Led by the School Food Trust, the Let’s Get Cooking programme has been running for five years thanks to funding from the Big Lottery, and focuses on teaching children and adults how to cook healthy meals from scratch.

The WLWA will be adapting the scheme slightly as it plans to target young people who are leaving the family home for the first time, which means they will be responsible for their own food shopping and cooking. It is hoped that the clubs will appeal to students, young families and individuals starting out in their first jobs.

Sarah Ellis, WLWA’s waste minimisation co-ordinator, says club meetings will cover a range of topics. “Alongside cooking, carefully planned sessions will educate on the importance of food hygiene, food preparation, healthy eating and how to help fussy eaters try new foods.”

Club members will be given practical advice and support on how to make the most of food they buy to minimise wastage. Activities will demonstrate how to make new meals from leftovers and how to preserve food safely when too much is cooked.”

In June, Let’s Get Cooking staff will start recruiting volunteers from across the community to come forward and help lead the project.

Cat Sheppard, Let’s Get Cooking manager for the London area, added: “A wonderful aspect of joining this particular programme is that it will be a huge learning curve for everyone involved. Club members will be given an opportunity to learn new skills while the club leaders will gain valuable experience in what may be a brand new field.

“We’re not looking for fully-qualified experts, just anyone who has an interest in cooking and would like to become an active part of their local community.”

LAWR will be covering the Let’s Get Cooking clubs later in the year.

Nick Warburton

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