By Piper Tyree
This summer, as an intern with Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, I had the opportunity to support a series of cookery classes in the Community Kitchen with local children (part of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and the SEND Short Breaks programme). Supporting these sessions has been a hugely rewarding experience, and it has been wonderful to see the positive impact they have had on the children and families that came along.
Over the weeks, I watched children and families discover simple and affordable recipes that could easily be replicated at home. Many left the sessions with greater confidence in the kitchen and new practical skills that they can continue to use long after the summer holidays have ended.
One parent shared:
“Great experience and activity to do with the family, cooking food that I normally would not.“
The HAF sessions are run during the school holidays for children who receive benefits-related free school meals. For many families, the holidays can be a busy and challenging period, and it was great to be part of a project that supports children and families to learn, cook and spend time together.
At the start of the sessions, everyone sat down together at the table with a range of educational activities to do such as crosswords, word searches and colouring activities related to the session, each week a different theme:
- Love Food Hate Waste
- Cooking with Pride
- Top Tips and Recipes for Tasty Summer Picnics
- Ready Healthy Go: cooking healthier versions of favourite takeaway meals
Many of the children arrived at their first class feeling nervous about trying something new, but once they got started, they quickly discovered that cooking can be fun and easy. Fresh vegetables were transformed and used to create colourful puff-pastry tarts, or Vietnamese summer rolls, perfect for lunch on a hot day. It was particularly rewarding to see those who were initially hesitant, leave the session smiling and excited to come back.
Working alongside the cookery leaders and volunteers, I helped the children develop practical skills such as safe knife handling and using the hob safely. Each session encouraged creativity, allowing children to experiment with different colours, textures and flavours while making choices about their food.
One parent said:
“Really easy to follow step by step. The teachers and volunteers are dead helpful. So good to have fun with my son making food – including some vegetables he usually avoids.”
At the end of each session, families had the opportunity to sit down and enjoy the meal they had prepared together. It was lovely to see everyone relaxing, sharing food and spending quality time together during the busy summer holiday period. These moments created a real sense of community, with families and children learning from one another and building connections through food.
I also supported the smaller group sessions for children and teens with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). These sessions provided a welcoming and inclusive space where participants could become familiar with new foods and kitchen equipment at their own pace. The recipes used in the sessions were designed to be easy to follow and adaptable, giving everyone the freedom to explore new flavours and textures.
“We have been several times and have always had a great experience. Everything has been carefully planned and considered to accommodate our needs including regular breaks with alternative activities. I would highly recommend”
I particularly enjoyed supporting the Love Food Hate Waste sessions. The families were introduced to creative ways of using surplus vegetables supplied by FareShare, learning how surplus food can be turned into nutritious and delicious meals. One of the most popular recipes was vegetable-scrap hummus, made by roasting leftover vegetables and blending them into a flavour-packed dip. It was inspiring to see families discover how easy it can be to reduce food waste and save money at the same time.
These sessions have been one of the highlights of my internship. Watching the children grow in confidence and seeing families learn, cook, and share meals together has been uplifting and at times, emotional. I am proud to have contributed to a programme that supports families in developing lifelong skills, creating positive memories together, and strengthening connections through food.
These sessions are part of the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) for families who receive benefits-related free school meals, and the Short Breaks Programme for children and young people with SEND. Funded by Brighton & Hove City Council.
Piper shares her experience supporting children & families at cookery sessions this summer.
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