East Belfast Healthy Eating Education Programme     

The East Belfast Mission is committed to a community development approach and networks with a wide range of local community groups in order to better carry out its work for the people of Inner East Belfast.  The various projects of the mission make contact with several thousand people within the local community each week, many of whom are in need of support of various kinds, sometimes as basic as human contact.

The East Belfast Mission’s Community Engagement work seeks to build bridges into the community by establishing relationships with community organisations and individuals who are vulnerable and by development programmes and services for families. The Mission has a café and Meal on Wheels service, serving good nutritious meals Monday to Friday within the local community. 

 

Overview of the Project

Many residents of the Mission are struggling to live on low incomes but still need to eat well and eat healthily.  The East Belfast Mission Healthy Eating Education Programme provides healthy nutritious food for residents and ex-residents of their homeless shelter. This project also provides health and diet sessions and cookery demonstrations to residents and ex residents on how to plan and prepare healthy food on a low budget. The training provided for the hostel residents will add value to the life skills already taught during their time with the Mission.  Information and advice sessions will also be provided for local residents, senior citizens and users of their family and community programmes giving advice and support on how to prepare and cook healthy meals on a low income. By educating those involved in the programme, this knowledge will hopefully be taken back to their homes and families and used to continue to cook and eat healthily at a low cost. 

Objectives of the Project include

• To provide an evening meal for 22 residents two evenings per week over the three-year period
• To deliver a programme of healthy eating to residents and ex-residents
• To provide information and advice sessions on healthy eating on a low budget to local residents
• To purchase extra kitchen equipment to provide training
• To raise awareness of the programme with promotional materials

 

For more information please contact: Peter Tomlinson at peter.tomlinson@ebmwarehouse.co.uk. Also see www.ebm.org.uk