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Community farmers pilot healthy cooking course in Ferndown
High Mead Community Therapy Farm’s co-farmers are benefitting from a free, healthy cooking course being delivered by The Friendly Food Club.

Co-farmers at a community farm are benefitting from a free, healthy cooking course being delivered by a local food charity.
High Mead Community Therapy Farm has hosted the Friendly Food Club’s (FFC) ‘Get Dorset Cooking’ course which gives groups including children, families, older people and people with disabilities free practical lessons in how to cook for their physical health and wellbeing.
The four-acre site in Ferndown offers people with disabilities, mental health issues or those recovering from illness the chance to work with animals and nature, enjoy arts and crafts and develop trade skills.
The Friendly Food Club is a charity and High Mead’s Get Dorset Cooking sessions have been funded by Waitrose Wimborne’s Give a Little Love initiative.
FFC tutor India Marney said: “Get Dorset Cooking is all about giving people the skills and confidence to cook healthily, instead of turning to unhealthy processed foods, and our sessions at High Mead are already having very positive outcomes, both in growing people’s confidence and their knowledge of healthy food and cooking techniques.
“During our food prep the co-farmers have been learning how to use utensils including sharp knives correctly and safely.
“We have used kale and herbs grown here at the farm today and this has resulted in lively discussions about food provenance, what people like to eat and what they are trying for the first time.
“The group are achieving more in their cooking as each week passes, enjoying their healthy lunches together, and taking recipes back to their homes and families, which is very encouraging.”
Participant Michael said: “We look for the vegetables in our polytunnels which are ready to be cooked. Today I have chopped lots of vegetables, including spring onions, courgettes, and kale. Some of us are trying asparagus for the first time. I also helped make the spicy sauce for today’s Chow Mein. I’m going to enjoy eating it.”
Participant Chris agreed: “I like the smell of the basil leaves we are using. I am really enjoying the cooking.”
Sharon Boden, office administrator at High Mead Farm said: “Our co-farmers are enjoying the Get Dorset Cooking course immensely. It’s fantastic to see them being so confident with ingredients and cooking from scratch, and we are very grateful to Waitrose Wimborne and the Friendly Food Club for sponsoring and delivering the sessions.
“The Friendly Food Club tutors India, Janice and Viv are superb teachers, who are all hugely knowledgeable, encouraging and fun to be around.
“Even the leftover vegetable scraps from the cooking are fed to the rabbits – so everyone here at High Mead is benefitting from Get Dorset Cooking! We now hope to secure further funding, so more of our co-farmers can take part in this valuable course.”
The Friendly Food Club would like to deliver Get Dorset Cooking courses to more groups of people across Dorset and is looking for businesses to sponsor sessions in their own communities. Businesses can find out more by calling Liz Guilmant-Cush on 01202 057100 or emailing hello@friendlyfoodclub.org.
Donations can also be made at: thefriendlyfoodclub.org/donate.
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