Posted on: 2 August 2024
North London Forensic Collaborative (NLFC) grant funding has supported various Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations across North London.
As part of its ambition to tackle inequalities and improve quality outcomes for forensic service users, NLFC offered a small grant programme for VCFSEs to design and deliver projects that focus on meaningful activities aimed at improving health and wellbeing, learning new skills or helping people feel more connected to the communities they live in.
Bread and Butter CIC is a social enterprise that teaches the basic life-skills of cooking and sustainable healthy independent living in the boroughs of Barnet and Enfield and was one of the first organisations to be awarded a NLFC grant.
Bread and Butter used their grant to deliver a weekly two-hour cooking class over 8 weeks, for 7 service users accessing forensic services in North Central London
The aim of the classes was to improve overall wellbeing by being fully inclusive, connecting people through the medium of food, reducing social isolation, upskilling and increasing confidence. These classes focused on 'cooking on a budget,’ and participants helped shape the course according to their needs and desires, which encouraged a sense of ownership.
Through the simple act of preparing food with tutor support and sitting around a table to eat cooked dishes together, this cookery course delivered improved health and wellbeing and positive behaviour change outcomes for participants including:
- A greater sense of motivation and confidence to repeat the cooking of new recipes at home
- A new learning experience, gaining cooking skills in a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment
- An ability to make better, more informed lifestyle choices.
- A preference to cook new recipes knowing they are healthier alternatives to some of their current repertoire
- A feeling of being less stressed, less lonely and happier for engaging in a regular activity
- A greater connection within their local community and opportunity to meet new people and make friends
Bread and Butter gained weekly feedback from participants to evaluate the appropriateness of the recipes and was able to adapt sessions according to the class needs and preferences.
Filomena Komodromou, Founder of Bread and Butter CIC said: "We really enjoyed delivering these cooking sessions, it was great to see how the participants confidence improved week by week. Participants were encouraged to suggest recipes or cuisines they would like to learn how to cook the following week, from these suggestions we had jerk chicken, sausages and mash and onion gravy, prawn pil pil, fried plantain, caesar salad and more."
NLFC Community Connectors visited Bread and Butter at the end of the project to speak with service users about their experiences of the project. Community Connectors are Experts by Experience who represent the specialist community forensic teams that operate in North, West and East London and play an important role in supporting the Commissioning Hub plan and delivering the VCFSE Grant Programme.
Service users shared their experiences of the cooking classes:
“I most enjoyed the cooking, meeting new people and socialising.”
“It has had a positive impact on my life, I have attended nearly all the weeks on the course.”
“We learnt new cooking skills, trying new, different recipes each week.”
“It helps gain confidence in making meals from scratch.”
“Will miss being together as a group, working together, the eight weeks has passed quickly.”
“There should be more projects like this in the community.”
Community Connectors gave their feedback on the project and said;
“It was good to see other service users transitioning back into the community, on the discharge pathway and gaining confidence.”
“The project helps to break down a barrier in feeling comfortable to socialise with others.”
“It was helpful to see what is on offer for service users in the community and it’s a very valuable service, in teaching cooking skills for re-integrating back into the community.”
NLFC recognises the incredible contribution that small voluntary, community and faith groups already make in response to health inequalities across the three Integrated Care Systems in North East London, North West London and North Central London. Through the provision of our small grants programme, we encourage initiatives that support our forensic population that may be marginalised as a result of their mental health and criminal record, to enable them to be more integrated into the communities that they live in.
To find out about our NLFC VCFSE grant programme visit the North London Mental Health Partnership website.
For more information on the work of North London Forensic Collaborative
Contact: Sarah Avery, Marketing and Communications Lead, Email sarah.avery4@nhs.net
Visit: North London Forensic Collaborative | North London Mental Health Partnership