Cooking up quality support

Cost of living support from Bury Council is helping residents with affordable healthy cooking and access to pre-loved kitchen items.

Friends of Clarence Park and social enterprise Cracking Good Food recently held a Kitchen Kit Giveaway and cooking activity fun day.

Residents and community groups were able to come along and pick up pre-loved kitchen equipment to enable them to cook their favourite meals at home.

They also took part in cooking demonstrations for healthy meals on a budget, shared a delicious meal, along with information about Healthy Start cards from the council’s Public Health team. Friends of Clarence Park have also made a fantastic community recipe book.

The group has received a Cost-of-Living Community Fund grant of £2000 from Bury Council and Bury Voluntary Community and Faith Alliance, to support all its activities.

The Friends of Clarence Park is a group for all users of the park and provides a wide range of activities including the Friends Hut and the donations only Tuck Shop.

Cracking Good Food launched in 2010, with the aim of encouraging and supporting more people to cook affordable, seasonal and nutritious homemade food from scratch.

Dawn Warriner from the Friends of Clarence Park said: “We’ve had more than 50 people come along and take part and it’s been really popular.

“They’ve been able to pick kitchen equipment that they may not have had access to before. We’ve also had local community groups such as Eagle Wing, the Secret Garden Project and the Attic Project come along to get kit which will help them with their work with residents.

“We’ve had cooking demonstrations and information about energy efficiency as well as health eating.

“The cost-of-living grant will also enable us to increase our work with the Green Café in Clarence Park opening in January and February as a warm hub for anyone to come along for light refreshments and activities.”

Coreen Cottam from Eagle Wing community group said: “What a wonder event at the Green Café today. We enjoyed a kitchen giveaway, naan making, a lovely fresh hot lunch made by Cracking Good Food and a fantastically warm welcome all including the indefatigable Dawn and Hannah.”

Councillor Richard Gold, Cabinet Member for Finance and Communities added: “Our Cost of Living Community Grants are supporting voluntary and community groups on the ground through the cost of living crisis.

“As well as providing immediate support our anti-poverty strategy is also helping people in the long term and eating healthily on a budget is one of the ways we can help people.

“Groups such as the Friends of Clarence Park are providing invaluable information, support and resources at this difficult time.”

Helen Tomlinson, Chief Officer of Bury VCFA added: “Grants are an important way to support our local groups and charities at this critical time. We know that local groups are currently facing increasing costs due to rising demand and their own bills increasing. Schemes such as the Cost of Living Community Grants help ensure that groups can continue helping people on a daily basis.”

The council is using around £3m from the government’s Household Support Fund on a range of support for residents and community groups.

If you are struggling with the cost of living go to Bury Council’s website for support – www.bury.gov.uk/benefits or call 0161 253 5400.