Food education and production programme
Supporting family and community growing, cooking and supply
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has supported a local food education and production programme in the Borough over 2023 - 2026 to tackle cost of living, social isolation and nutritional health of local families.
It has been engaging local communities and their families with cooking sessions, exploring food creatively and keeping nutrition budget friendly, healthy and fun! Grow your own projects have been supported as well as set up a local food partnership to improve flow between food banks, and community pantries and fridges.
Partners who have helped these projects come alive include: community centres, Munch, Eastleigh Youth Trust, D@RT Centre, North Stoneham Community Association, Fair Oak Parish Council, One Community, Hampshire Education Catering Service and local schools.
Impact
This array of amazing projects has really connected with communities and families across the Borough:
By July 2025 the food education programme has engaged with over 290 families!
Latest project
Munch and Memories
This pilot project at Velmore Community Centre held two sessions with older isolated residents to explore their food memories. A life story writer worked with photos and spoken stories to design a book of food and family memories. Munch led a practical cooking session with the group to make a healthier Shepherd's Pie. Participants were also treated to a tasting menu of popular dishes demonstrating how to reduce salt and sugar.
Printed copies of the book were provided to each member.
Live projects
Train the trainer
- Free one-day legacy training held at Velmore Community Centre
- Targeting staff and volunteers from local community organisations, inc. young carers, support workers etc
- Teaching healthy eating messages, setting up their own family cooking and nutrition information sessions
- Provided with Munch toolkit and shown through a practical session of cooking vegetable fajitas
Fund provided to assist new trainers with set up costs and equipment
Coming up
Family Grub Club - A free four week cooking club for parents/carers and children
Saturday 10 & 24 January & 7 & 21 February 2026
11.30am - 1pm | Pilands Wood Community Centre
Led by Munch, families will be guided through fun food facts and cooking sessions
Have fun preparing food, cooking and eating with your children. Learn about healthy eating, enjoy new delicious budget friendly recipes and build your confidence in cooking from scratch.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Spaces are limited so please book early.
For more information and to book call Mary: 07967 348907 or email [email protected]
Past projects
Family HAF summer Grub Club sessions
- Supporting Gateway Community Services under the Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF) to hold food and cooking sessions for families in receipt of free school meals
- Six 90-minute sessions to take place across Pavilion on the Park, Eastleigh and Fair Oak Junior School HAF schemes
Community Grow projects grant
- A community grant was provided to support community spaces and community centres to create and enhance existing plots for growing food
Cook and Eat programmes
- Cooking and dining sessions were held for pupils at Stoke Park Junior, Cherbourg Primary, and Netley Abbey Junior schools
School Cook and Eat Project
- Hampshire County Council and their school catering arm were commissioned to develop a Cook & Eat Toolkit for KS2 (junior school level)
- They included food hygiene tips, food related educational resources and recipes, and were given to every family attending the five Cook and Eat programmes that were delivered across the three schools above.
Community cooking programmes and workshops
- North Stoneham Community Association, Eastleigh Youth and Community Trust, Fair Oak Parish Council and the D@rt at Wildern School received funding to deliver a range of community-based family cooking workshops
Newly refurbished kitchen at Pilands Wood
- Pilands Community Centre, Bursledon, was provided with funding to refurbish their existing onsite kitchen
- The space, previously only used to provide hot refreshments, is now a fully functional community kitchen. It benefits the centre trustees, volunteers, as well as centre users and allows the ability to hold future food and cooking events
New Eastleigh Food Partnership
- Bringing together and supporting the network between food banks, community fridges and community pantries across the Borough
Other activities funded
- Cooking workshops at Pavilion on the Park, Eastleigh
- 'Feed family on a budget' sessions at North Stoneham's YMCA Eastleigh
- 'Cook for life' programme by Fair Oak Parish Council
- Grub Clubs at Velmore Community Centre, Eastleigh and Pilands Wood Community Centre, Bursledon
- 12 Holiday Activity and Food activities for families at Itchen Valley Country Park, West End
- Waits Construction (currently working on the Lower Acre section of One Horton Heath development) donated 50 cookbooks to use at Grub Club sessions
- Adhoc grants to food banks and community fridges and pantries