Shelia came along to one of our high support one-to-one cookery sessions. She could not read or write and had no confidence or skill in preparing meals. She lived with her teenage daughter who wouldn’t attend school and didn’t eat much. The family lived largely off chips and pea sauce from the chippy – and the occasional microwave meal.

Shelia was very timid. She was depressed and was also physically impaired.   However, over the course of our support sessions, Sheila began to come out of her shell. We worked to gently build up her experience of food – exploring what she and her daughter enjoyed most and adapting recipes to suit their preferences as well as giving a good nutritionally balanced diet. We were thrilled to see Sheila gradually growing in confidence and skill. She now feels much more confident and positive about what life has to offer. This is also having a big impact on her daughter who began to acquire better eating habits from her mum. Amazingly her attendance at school improved as well!

By the end of our course, Shelia had gained an understanding of basic food hygiene and safety. She was able to budget and shop for ingredients to make her own meals. She now enjoys making many different meals for herself and her daughter. She’s even made her first every birthday cake! So… for Sheila and her daughter, the ‘adventure has truly begun!’