This week we are spotlighting Burgess Sports, a charity which runs multiple programmes for both children and their families, including their Multi-Sports Camps, After School Sports & Reading Comprehension club, and Kids in the Kitchen programme. Burgess Sports also runs Clubhouse Café, a lovely, affordable café in Burgess Park, profits from which all go back to their community programmes.

Many of Burgess Sports’ programmes have a focus on healthy eating, with the multi-sports camp offering a free nutritious hot meal for all children attending, and the Kids in the Kitchen programme focusing on teaching families healthy recipes that they can cook together.

Late last year, we got to see a Kids in the Kitchen session in action. We saw that the session is not only an opportunity to learn a new recipe, but is also an important chance for parents to relax and socialise over a healthy lunch, cooked by Chef Franco or Family Engagement Lead Clare. At the end of the session, parents receive a takeaway bag with recipe cards and ingredients, so they can cook the recipe at home with their children.

A recent addition to the programme is the ‘Parent Takeover’ session, which takes place bi-weekly and gives parents the chance to share their own recipes. It is a great opportunity for families to learn recipes from different cultures.

Burgess Sports have also created a wonderful cookbook which features the recipes shared over the years. The book is filled with poems, drawings, and pictures of food, as well as of the parents and children who helped create it. It captures the vibrant culture around food that Kids in the Kitchen has nurtured. You can purchase a copy of the cookbook here.

Kids in the Kitchen is a brilliant project building strong community ties, teaching culinary skills, and encouraging healthy eating. Thank you to Ally, Clare, and the parents of Kids in the Kitchen for letting us join a session!