Cooking that won’t cost

As the cost of living rises, The Salvation Army is helping people to bring their food bills down through its Victory Programme, a course that teaches affordable recipes and budgeting skills

Feature by Sarah Olowofoyeku

WARTIME rationing is the inspiration behind a Salvation Army initiative that teaches people to cook economically. The Victory Programme is a six to eight-week course run by several of its churches, including Blaydon in Tyne and Wear. Allison Ellis, community co-ordinator for the church, explains that the programme is all about ‘cooking, budgeting and growing your own’.

‘We make very cheap one-pot recipes and help people make their money go further,’ she says, ‘and we have given herbs to people who haven’t got a garden, so they can grow them on their window ledge.’

Initially run for six weeks, Blaydon increased the length of the course to seven or eight weeks because of demand. Simple but delicious recipes that were popular during the Second World War have been revived for the programme, giving participants the opportunity to make nutritious and tasty meals for themselves and their families. Over the next eight weeks the War Cry will run a Money-Wise Meals series of recipes taken from the Victory Programme.

Equipment, ingredients and refreshments are provided for those people who take the classes – and they receive a free gift and certificate on completion.

Alison Dare, team leader at Blaydon, explains how important the recognition is.

‘Some of the participants have said they’ve never been given a certificate for anything in their life,’ she says. ‘One gentleman in his 50s said he hadn’t ever achieved anything except this certificate and that he was going to frame it.’

The Salvation Army launched the Victory Programme in 2017 after a pilot project in Crook. Blaydon started running its courses in 2018 and is now working with its 12th cohort. People with varying abilities attend – some who have not previously been able to cook at all and others who have been limited in the meals they make. The recipes include sweet treats, such as apple flapjacks, and mains, such as homemade pizza and a bacon hotpot. After learning to cook the recipe during the session, participants are given the same ingredients to take home so that they can make the meal again.

‘A lot of the ingredients were around in wartime, and we give the group tips on how to make the food go further,’ says Alison. ‘For example, in one of the mince recipes, we add porridge oats or lentils to bulk it out, which is obviously good because meat is very expensive at the minute.’

The success of the course boils down not only to the cooking but also to what happens while the meals are being prepared. Participants find that they are gaining more than just culinary skills.

‘It builds their confidence and their self-esteem if they’re able to contribute,’ Alison says. ‘People have gone on to volunteer for us in other programmes.

‘The Victory Programme shows them that they’re not on their own. There are other people in the group who are like them, who are struggling – whether that’s emotionally or physically or with money. I think that helps them to feel better.

‘Rather than just handing out food parcels, through Victory we are trying to give people a broader experience and something long-term.’

Allison Ellis adds: ‘When we started it was mainly about the cooking, but we realised that the social aspect was helpful for people. We’ve run a group just for domestic abuse survivors. And we’ve had a group of African refugees. The course works well in small groups rather than large groups, which can be more intimidating.’

‘Isolation and the cost of living are the big needs. Knowing that the need is there, we want to help in any way we can and be there for them when they are feeling isolated.’

It is the slogan of The Salvation Army – ‘Love God, love others’ – that most motivates the pair who run the groups together.

‘If you do love God,’ says Alison Dare, ‘then that has to be visible in the way you serve people who are in need around you. We want these people to feel loved and to know they’re worth something.’

THE War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

jBecoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen