Craig had been attending our weekly social clubs for some time when we became aware of his difficulties managing finances and budgeting. We had previously supported him with regular food parcels, and over time, Craig began to share more about his struggles. While the parcels were helpful, he often didn’t know what to do with the food he received. Growing up in a turbulent household and dealing with ongoing mental health challenges, Craig had never learnt how to cook, especially not from scratch, or how to plan meals. He felt quite embarrassed about it and didn’t know how to ask for help.
To support Craig in building his skills and confidence, we introduced him to our cookery classes. These sessions covered essential skills like knife handling, food hygiene, and safety, as well as practical topics such as cooking on a budget, cooking in season, sustainability, and how to make healthy choices with limited resources. The sessions were structured to provide simple, adaptable techniques that could be used across a wide range of meals, giving Craig a strong foundation to build from.
Over the weeks that followed, Craig’s confidence in the kitchen began to grow. He developed new habits, learned how to plan meals around his budget, and began preparing food for himself regularly. More importantly, he felt proud of what he was achieving and started to believe in his own abilities.
Today, Craig can maintain a healthy, affordable diet and feels more in control of his daily life. He’s no longer relying on ready meals or feeling overwhelmed by the kitchen, instead, he’s planning ahead, cooking from scratch, and enjoying the process. It’s a change that’s brought not only physical health benefits, but a powerful boost to his confidence and independence.
Do you or someone you know need help and support to get through a difficult time? We know that asking for help is not easy, just complete our contact form and we’ll be in touch with more on how we can help.
The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation
67 Grove Rd
Northampton
NN1 3LJ
Registered Charity Number: 1190255
