The Surrey Skills Festival (SSF) and Summer Party took place on Saturday 13th July. This is the sixth year that this even has run and it is an annual event for looked after children and care leavers. Where the main aims of the day were to have fun alongside promoting independence and life skills for young people.

Our FoodWise coach Gracie had the pleasure of supporting the SSF in promoting independent living. Amongst a broad range of workshops, Gracie enabled individuals to try different foods and learn to cook some substantial meals including frittatas and pasta salad. The stall was all about allowing the individual to choose what ingredients they liked and seeing how they could create a well balanced meal with them. 

We had create joy in helping to provide the young people with the opportunity to feel empowered and inspired to accomplish new things.

Statistics show that around three million children in the UK face food insecurity this summer. FoodWise TLC have the pleasure of running free lunches throughout the summer in different locations in Woking and Sheerwater. At St. Andrew’s Church, Woking and St. Michaels Church in Sheerwater, we are supplying a two-course meal one day a week. Places are still available, so please do contact us for more information.

Children need good food every day of the year, yet statistics show that the Summer Holidays see some children going hungry. FoodWise TLC believe children deserve the best start in life and their health, wellbeing and opportunities should not be influenced by childhood hunger. The inability to consume a healthy balanced diet, providing adequate nutrients can impact a child’s development and ability to learn and grow.

Holiday hunger can have a huge impact on some families, with extra costs to provide three meals a day to the whole family pushing many households into food poverty and insecurity. Whilst many children are entitled to free school meals during term time, the holidays lack that provision. This is where FoodWise TLC aim to provide nutritious lunches for the children and families to enjoy, helping to ensure their bodies stay nourished.

Children are not in school for around 170 days a year. Sadly, some children return to school with degraded education, health and development compared to the beginning of the summer. And whilst larger cities provide projects and programmes for these families, often this support is not extended to smaller towns and cities. We feel very grateful to be supported by ASDA in Sheerwater to support us in providing such a pivotal delivery.

Are you in need of extra support this summer? Or perhaps you know of a family who might, please do share this information and spread the word to ensure families are given equal opportunities.

As we head towards the summer and our minds turn to sunshine and holidays, Foodwise is working with church and Fareshare partners to address the issue of Holiday Hunger. This year an estimated three million children risk being hungry in the school holidays in the UK. Children from low income families are entitled to free school meals during term time but what happens in school holidays when there is no such provision? For too many children the answer is that they go hungry, with inadequate nutrition impacting on their health, attainment and opportunities. Foodwise is delighted to be partnering for the second year with St Andrews Church in Goldsworth Park to offer a weekly family lunch throughout August, with much of the food supplied by Fareshare courtesy of Waitrose, ensuring that fresh food doesn’t go to waste. Keep an eye on our website for dates. If you’re interested in more information about Holiday Hunger and want to get it involved check out the national campaign to End Hunger here http://endhungeruk.org/

Living Well Week is a community wide event, organised by Woking Borough Council. Open to everyone, the week is designed to encourage people to make small changes in lifestyle habits that can have a positive impact on future health and wellbeing.

FoodWise TLC joined a number of other charities, including Christians Against Poverty, Woking Food Bank, Woking Street Angels and McDonalds last week at the Cards Community Christmas event.

It was great seeing the enthusiasm with which children decorated homemade ginger biscuits at the FoodWise stand. The artwork was short lived, as eaten much more quickly than made! Here are just a few of the biscuits that the children decorated.

The evening concluded with a Christmas celebration. Professional football freestyle champion, Dan Cutting, entertained the crowd by demonstrating the most amazing football skills and tricks. Premier league footballer Julian Speroni was interviewed about his career and Christian faith. Local school choirs sang and the band led the carol singing.

Earlier in the day a community lunch and a tea for the elderly were held with members of the Woking FC Academy waiting tables.