A couple of years ago, we were commissioned by a large housing association to develop and deliver a series of cookery courses focusing on energy efficient cooking. We ran a pilot programme of 4 x six week courses, with good results. One of the most poignant things that came out of this work was an older generation student, who lived on his own, saying every day during the winter he had to make a decision of whether to turn the heating on or have a hot meal but he couldn’t do both. As you can imagine, this sort of comment hits hard. No one should be having to make a decision whether to “heat or eat”.
Local and national data has shown that both food and fuel poverty are getting worse, especially for people living alone, single parent families and older people living both rurally and in urban settings. A recent report from The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has repeatedly noted that increasing energy bills and food prices have put growing pressure on households, especially in rural areas like East Sussex, where people tend to rely more on private cars (which adds fuel costs) and may have fewer local services to rely on.
To try and tackle this issue, we are offering a full program of energy efficient cooking workshops across East Sussex which have been funded by Lewes District Council, Wealden and Rother Food Partnerships and Sussex Community Foundation. These are one off events with established and ready-made groups. We come along and set up a demonstration kitchen in almost any environment from community centres to local libraries. We bring along everything that is needed, the workshop takes around 90 minutes and we can cater for groups of up to 20 people. We have also developed a set of recipes and a resource handout which we pass on to the audience.
Community-based cookery demonstrations play an essential role in spreading these skills. Not everyone is familiar with how to use modern low-energy appliances or how to adapt traditional recipes to them. Demonstrations create a relaxed, supportive environment where people can see techniques in action, taste the results, and ask questions. They also help build confidence, especially for those who may feel intimidated by new equipment or who are managing on tight incomes. By sharing practical tips, cost-effective recipes, and hands-on experience, community sessions empower people to make changes that support both their household budgets and the wider environment.
If you’re part of an organisation or a group of people and would be interested in having us come along and do a workshop, please get in touch.
