Hinksey Park Community Kitchen at South Oxford Community Centre
After my shift on OCVA’s stand at the Volunteer Fair in the Westgate Centre, I took a walk through St. Ebbes by the river, down through Hinksey Park, to the South Oxford Community Centre. The Hinksey Park Community Kitchen group was well underway when I arrived, and the smell of freshly cooked spices greeted me as I went upstairs to join them.
The group meets on a monthly basis, cooking a meal together to a theme – this month’s was Indian cuisine. Two large saucepans sat on an induction hob – one with pilau rice and another with sag aloo. A dahl had also been prepared. Fresh coriander was being chopped and the potatoes were being checked to see if they were sufficiently cooked before adding the spinach. Questions were asked about how long to cook the rice to get the best results. Everyone gets involved in helping with prep, serving, and then clearing up. Recipes are written out for each of the easy-to-cook dishes and shared with the group so they can cook them at home. In between sessions, the group keep in touch via a WhatsApp group.
The meal is always accompanied with a quiz to find out more about the food being cooked. The first question on the list shed light on the meaning on the word “masala” – something I didn’t know before.
Promoting affordable healthy eating
The Community Kitchen sits alongside a weekly programme of sessions that provide access to affordable food and encourage healthy eating: the Community Fridge, Community Café and the Community Larder. It was great to hear from Michelle, Cafe Coordinator, and Debby, Centre Administrator, about how food is used from each of the other sessions to ensure nothing goes to waste. The costs are kept to a minimum increasing the sustainability of the sessions.
The food was absolutely delicious, and it was fantastic to be welcomed into such a warm and friendly group. At the end of the session, Michelle, asked one of the newer members if they’d enjoyed the session – their response was, “Enormously!”
Vicki Baker
Well Together, Programme Manager
Well Together is being delivered in partnership by OCVA and Community First Oxfordshire and has been funded by the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (NHS BOB ICB).
