Based at the Old Sarum and Longhedge Community Centre, the Community Pantry, run by volunteers, offers help and support for those in need. They held a slow cooker workshop on Saturday, 8th February 2025. With thanks to Selwood Housing who provided funding, the pantry were able to provide slow cookers for the families taking part, so they could continue with a new way of home cooking.
The theme for the workshop was family friendly slow cooker meals. Sixteen families attended with a total of twenty-four people taking part. The main feature of the workshop was chicken tikka masala. Participants were given the ingredients and a step-by-step demonstration to create a mouth-watering meal which they then took home to enjoy.
To finish off the workshop, everyone sat down together and enjoyed soup and bread that had been made in a slow cooker. Each family took away a brand new slow cooker and the ingredients to make a cake at home!
Nina Cope , the admin manager said:
“We recently held a slow cooker workshop which brought people together to cook, eat and leave with a slow cooker. It was lovely to see people sharing tips and hacks and helping each other. People left fed, with more knowledge to help them cook family friendly meals using equipment that will save them time and money. It was lovely to see.”
Participants of the workshop said:
“The slow cooker workshop was fantastic! Me and my daughter did it together and we had so much fun. The class was busy, and it had a lovely community feel. I’d love to do more classes like that!”
“This was a fabulous offer I couldn’t miss. I learnt new skills, and this encouraged a new way of cooking within my household. Couldn’t recommend it enough.”
Along with reducing food waste and helping families and local people who are struggling through the current cost of living crisis, the community pantry provides a space where people who feel isolated or want to meet more of their community can pop along for a coffee and a chat, and receive guidance and advice on a range of subjects including housing, debt and finance matters.
