Age UK B&NES is spearheading a new, innovative ‘Generations – Food for Life Partnership’ project that will see older people passing on practical growing and cooking skills to younger people.
The six-month pilot project, funded by Bath & North East Somerset Council, will run at Chew Valley School.
The main aim of the project is to use the skills and knowledge of older people in the community to support children and teachers to recognise the importance of good nutrition and to understand where food comes from.
It will also help forge links between the generations and improve links in the community. It is a pilot project developed as a legacy from the Food for Life Partnership’s (FFLP) work with schools across the area.
Janet Dabbs, Chief Executive of Age UK B&NES, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Bath & North East Somerset Council and Chew Valley School on this exciting project. Older people have such a valuable contribution to make to their local communities and this project will allow them to pass on their valuable growing food and cooking skills.”
Age UK B&NES is now looking for volunteers to support ‘Generations – Food for Life Partnership’ and work alongside students at Chew Valley School. Potential volunteers should have experience in growing plants and flowers and/or home cooking, and have a keen interest in nature and the environment.
Cllr Simon Allen, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, said: “This is a great initiative which will link up the generations to share skills and also help reduce social isolation. We hope that it will help us to develop a model of volunteering that can be rolled out to other schools in Bath & North East Somerset.”
Libby Grundy, Director of the Food for Life Partnership, added: “There is often invaluable experience in wider communities that help schools as they work towards their FFLP awards and in doing so, improve the health and wellbeing of their pupils.
“It is very exciting to see Bath & North East Somerset schools working with Age UK B&NES and its volunteers in such an innovative way to make the most of the wealth of knowledge that older people can offer.”
During the project, volunteers will be able to demonstrate their tried and tested food growing and practical cooking skills, sometimes using handed down recipes from past generations, to pupils at Chew Valley School.
Younger and older people will work together, both inside and outside the classroom environment, growing vegetables, fruit and herbs, and then taking this produce into the kitchen to cook and eat together in a shared environment.
Anyone interested in volunteering or finding out more about the project should contact Eilish O’Shea Project Co-ordinator on 07864 974879 / 01225 466135 or Chris Hart Volunteer Co-ordinator on 01225 466135 or visit our website www.ageukbanes.co.uk.