Doncaster’s ‘Food for Thought’ Programme Serves Up Community Cookbook in Local Primary Schools with US Grant Funding

Doncaster’s pilot ‘Food for Thought’ programme has been running at both Lakeside Primary School and Town Fields Primary School, creating opportunities for pupils and their families to learn how to grow and cook food, share recipes from their own cultures and come together to create a community recipe book, with recipes being incorporated into their regular school menus for the new academic year.

The programme is part-funded through a Moonshot Grant from Remake Learning, a Pittsburgh-based organisation who also part-fund Doncaster’s hugely successful Remake Learning Days Festival, now in its third year. Doncaster is the first international recipient of the Moonshot grant, following the successful partnership.

Delivered by Gro-Box, the programme delivered intergenerational sessions around food growing and nutrition, which also led to both schools being able to set up dedicated areas for growing their own vegetables and wider community learning opportunities. The grant will also enable plans for further forest school development.

The schools also worked with City of Doncaster Council’s Adult, Family and Community Learning team to run cooking classes with parents, carers and pupils, bringing dishes from a wide range of cultures to life, with their little ones trying and testing their creations.

The programme concluded with celebration events at each school, promoting the recipe book and hosting a variety of wellbeing-based activities for families to get involved in.

Councillor Susan Farmer, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families for Doncaster said:

“Food for Thought is fantastic piece of collaboration involving two of our local primary schools who embraced the challenge and created something that truly offers an innovative approach to learning for the whole family.”

“It was great to see families at the events following a fantastic pilot programme and the creation of their very own recipe book which is wonderful celebration of diversity, culture and community, but importantly, helps to create a lasting legacy around food sustainability and nutrition for our youngest residents. The programme highlights how creative and community-led approaches to food education can nurture sustainability, cultural pride and togetherness – planting the seed for a healthier and more connected Doncaster.”

The collaborative recipe book is now available to view at bit.ly/foodforthoughtrecipebook