The idea
We will host foraging walks and wild food cooking sessions for Kent residents of all ages including refugees. The sessions will be based out of Chartham Village Hall. People will spend time outdoors learning to recognise and harvest edible wild plants and then in the village hall kitchen learning to prepare and cook with them. We will invite refugees to teach the group how these plants are used in their home countries. Overall we will support people to improve their diets by teaching them to identify and use these highly nutritious plants which also enhance the gut microbiome and have numerous medicinal benefits. Refugees will be welcomed and enabled to integrate by meeting local people and local people will benefit from meeting refugees, many of whose food culture includes wild plants. Cooking things from scratch will empower people to reduce consumption of ultra processed foods and get them using their hands more. Children will be included and encouraged to help with the cooking!
What we'll deliver
- 20 foraging walks and cooking collaborations with Kent refugees and local people of all ages
Why it's a great idea
- Encourage intergenerational learning by including participants of all ages to share knowledge and foster collaboration.
- Promote sustainable practices by educating participants on responsible foraging and reducing reliance on commercially processed foods.
- Offer a cost-effective solution to improve dietary habits, as wild plants are free and abundant.
- Enhance creativity and culinary skills by introducing participants to new ways of preparing and cooking wild foods.
- Strengthen cultural exchange by celebrating and learning from diverse food traditions brought by refugees.
- Provide hands-on experiences to improve fine motor skills and increase confidence in cooking from scratch.
- Foster inclusivity and social connections by creating a welcoming space for refugees and locals to share experiences and build friendships.
- Develop a sense of community pride through collective participation in meaningful, nature-based activities
Steps to get it done
- We will use posters and flyers and social media to let people know about our 20 foraging and cooking workshops
