Reconnect Through Cookery

At Friday’s cookery session, we served up 70 portions of delicious corned beef hash. Our members did a fantastic job preparing fresh broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage as sides, making it a hearty meal. Everyone looked fab in their pyjamas to support Children in Need!

We also had a special chocolate cake to celebrate our volunteer Gethin’s birthday. Some members joined a consultation with Disability Can Do and received £20 vouchers. A big congrats to Gareth on winning the raffle!

Our sessions are now full to capacity, and we’re thrilled to have raised £45 for Children in Need! Huge thanks to all the incredible volunteers for hosting quizzes, cooking, washing up, serving lunch, and setting up the hall. Special shoutout to Peter, our amazing caretaker, for opening up and coming to the rescue with extra corned beef. As always, we had zero waste!

We’re off next week, but we’ll be back on November 22nd to serve up Spaghetti Bolognese. See you then!

Reconnect Through Cookery

Our members had an absolutely spook-tacular day celebrating Halloween at Friday’s Reconnect through Cookery session! The room looked amazing, decorated with chilling props (thanks, Amanda!), and the buffet was simply delicious. Big congrats to Anthony for winning Best Costume, and to Matilda for showing off her moves and winning Best Dancer! We loved seeing everyone dressed up – you all looked incredible.

Special thanks to Darren for keeping the dance floor alive with his DJ skills, and to everyone who helped make this day so memorable for our volunteers and members. We even enjoyed a Halloween quiz, singing, dancing, laughter, and treat bags! Huge shoutout to Pete for opening up early so we could decorate, and a big thank you to Zoe, Cheryl, and Gemma for all their hard work.

Thanks to everyone who donated towards making this event truly special. See you all next week for Corned Beef Pie and Seasonal Vegetables!

Reconnect Through Cookery

Caerphilly People First’s Reconnect through Cookery was packed on Friday as members prepared a delicious sausage dinner. Our team worked together to cook broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans, and we added a tasty twist by chopping onions for the gravy. The fun didn’t stop at the food — members joined in on a quiz, played bingo, and welcomed visitors Pauline and Emma from Cwm Taff People First, who gathered our thoughts on public transport for their consultation.

The meal was a hit, with zero waste, thanks to everyone’s hard work! A huge shoutout to our fantastic volunteers who cook, clean up, set up the hall, and organize the raffle and activities. You’re all amazing!

Next week, we’re gearing up for our Halloween Bash with a disco, fancy dress, and party food! Due to the high turnout, this is a ticket-only event – so please only attend if you have a ticket. See you next Friday for what’s sure to be a spooktacular event!

Reconnect Through Cookery

At Friday’s Reconnect Through Cookery session we had a fantastic time making our own pizzas using wraps as the base! Everyone got creative with their favourite toppings; we had pepperoni, cheese, pineapple, peppers, onion, mushrooms, ham, and chicken – a delicious variety!

We also prepared a healthy salad using fresh ingredients, to balance out our tasty pizzas. A big thank you to all the volunteers and everyone who worked so hard in the kitchen. Your efforts make these sessions extra special!

After our delicious pizza lunch, we enjoyed a fun quiz and played bingo – always a hit with the group! These sessions aren’t just about cooking – they help us socialise, make new friends, and learn new skills, all while reducing isolation. The laughter and connection we share are what make this group so amazing.

Next week, we’re looking forward to making sausage, mash, veg, and onion gravy – can’t wait!

GAVO Volunteer Achievement Awards 2024

Caerphilly People First Wins the GAVO Food Sustainability Award!

We are thrilled to announce that Caerphilly People First has won the prestigious Food Sustainability Award at the GAVO Volunteer Awards 2024 for Caerphilly County Borough. This recognition highlights the incredible dedication and hard work of our volunteers, especially through our Reconnect Through Cookery sessions, where we have promoted sustainable food practices and shared the joys of cooking together.

A special thank you to Amy, Gethin, and Rees for not only accepting this award but also for their continued dedication as volunteers. Your hard work and passion continue to inspire us all! This award is a true testament to the difference we are making in the community, working together to build a brighter, more sustainable future. Thank you to everyone involved — this is your achievement!

Reconnect Through Cookery

Our Reconnect Through Cookery group had an amazing time making chicken korma and tikka masala on Friday. They prepared onions, mushrooms, peppers, and cooked fluffy rice. The delicious curries were served with naan bread, poppadoms, and prawn crackers. A HUGE thank you to all the volunteers who help make these sessions possible, and a special shout-out to Cheryl and Zoe for running the group in Christy’s absence. Your hard work and dedication are greatly appreciated!

Cooking and eating together isn’t just about the food, it’s about building friendships, boosting confidence, and learning new skills. Sharing a meal reduces loneliness and brings people closer. We can’t wait for the next session on October 18th.

Reconnect Through Cookery

On Friday our Reconnect through Cookery group made a delicious pasta bake. We had a plain sausage bake, a plain tuna bake, and some with mushrooms, onions, peas, sweetcorn, and peppers. Our members also prepared a fresh and healthy salad using tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, and spring onions.

We had a full house again and served up 60 portions! We even made our own garlic butter and added parsley and chives to part-baked rolls, which were absolutely delicious! Lunch was enjoyed by everyone.

It’s amazing to see everyone joining in, having fun, learning new skills, and trying new foods. These sessions make a huge difference to our members, reducing isolation and loneliness. A big thank you to all our fantastic volunteers for helping in the kitchen, running the quiz and bingo, and setting up the hall.

We’re off next week, but we’ll see you all on Friday, October 4th when we’ll be making curry with chicken korma and balti, chosen by our member Connor.

Reconnect Through Cookery

On Friday our amazing group came together to cook a delicious cottage pie using 5% fat lean mince. Our members did a fantastic job preparing fresh ingredients, including onions, carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms. While the food was cooking, everyone had a great time participating in the quiz and bingo.

Lunch was a hit, with 64 individuals attending and enjoying every bite! Next week, we’ll be making pasta bake with fresh salad and garlic bread — can’t wait! Our sessions are now full to capacity, but don’t worry, we have a reserve list available. A big thank you to all the volunteers who worked so hard in the kitchen, to Sarah for hosting the quiz, and to Nat for running the bingo. Your efforts make these sessions special!

Summer Cookery Party

Last Friday was the perfect day to hold our summer fiesta! Everyone looked great in their bright, colourful costumes. We had a cowboy, Elvis, a policewoman, a crayon, a cowgirl, a lollipop shirt, a hippie, and many more great outfits. Thank you to Darren for the fantastic disco! Everyone loved dancing to the music and singing along to their favourite tunes.

Thank you to our volunteers for decorating the hall; it looked amazing with our summer-themed props. Our members didn’t prepare any food. Instead, everyone enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, and salad served up by our volunteers, followed by ice cream cones. A big thank you to everyone who helped out in the kitchen and helped clean up! And thank you, Hayley, for doing the raffle.

This project has made a huge difference to so many people. New friendships and relationships have been made, confidence has grown, and people feel less isolated and lonely. We will be taking a break in August for everyone to enjoy their summer holidays. We will see you all on Friday, September 6th.