Young people on Peabody's Vanguard estate in Lewisham served up a healthy three-course meal to guests from the local community.
The healthy eating protégés are taking part in Pukka Tukka, an Activate London project which teaches young people how to prepare nutritious, tasty food on a budget. Pukka Tukka sessions at Vanguard’s community centre have proved hugely popular with young people in the area.
Guests included members of the local Safer Neighbourhoods team, Peabody youth participation workers and friends and family from around the estate.
Taking a well-earned break from chopping onions and making sure everyone had matching cutlery, nine-year-old Brook said:
“My favourite thing about coming here is being with friends and learning new things. I’ve learned how to cook healthy food and now I eat more healthy things rather than junk food. Well, most of the time. Last Tuesday we made chicken wraps with healthy salad. My mum lets me cook more often now too!”
In the kitchen Peabody Health Awareness Co-ordinator Sue Morgan was marshalling a noisily enthusiastic group of cooks. She said:
“The young people here are learning about good hygiene and cooking practice. They’re starting to eat much more healthily now too. They’re even eating fruit and other things they wouldn’t normally try, like salad!”
Damian Rifat, Safer Neighbourhoods Police Constable, said:
“Pukka Tukka is great as it provides the opportunity for young people to build friendships and learn valuable life skills.
“Historically there were problems in this area due to gang-related incidents and anti-social behaviour. But since we’ve been working with Peabody on projects like Pukka Tukka I’m glad to say that the area doesn’t have the same problems.
“The community centre provides a safe, friendly environment and young people are now more than happy to say hello or speak to us about things that may be of concern to them.”
And the day’s menu? Guests enjoyed fruit salad, spaghetti Bolognese, greens – and dessert, of course.
Harvey, seven, pronounced himself satisfied.
“I liked the grapes! And the apples. And sometimes I like oranges, if they’re not too sour. And bananas.”
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For more information please contact Peabody Media Relations Officer Neil Young on 020 7021 4210 or neil.young@peabody.org.uk.
- Pukka Tukka is part of Activate London, an innovative community-led well-being programme offering more than 80 projects to people of all ages and backgrounds across London. The programme is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and led by Peabody in partnership with six other housing associations: Family Mosaic, Circle Anglia, Southern Housing Group, Metropolitan Housing Trust, Broomleigh Housing and CBHA. So far almost 21,000 people have benefited from Activate London, on target for our aim of 43,000 beneficiaries overall.
