The Lighthouse Social Action Hub has announced the launch of a healthy, sustainable, community-led food ‘Good Grub Clubs’ in Andover.

The Social Action Hub, which is part of the Andover Parish Church, has launched the new venture in collaboration with Simplyhealth and the NHS Integrated Care Board.

Colleagues at Simplyhealth took part in an ‘all together healthier’ eating challenge during March and raised £20,000 to support the local project. 

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Good Grub Clubs are fun, family-friendly food clubs. Families meet with trained volunteers to cook healthy meals with fresh ingredients. 

As part of the club, families take part in fun and healthy activities, such as fitness groups, craft activities or learning about budgeting and nutrition. 

Southampton University evaluated these clubs and found they can help build confidence in cooking, encourage healthy eating and trying new foods, increase knowledge of budgeting and promote self-care and wellbeing.

The clubs are free to join and will be running in venues located in the St Mary’s, Harroway and Roman Way wards of Andover from April 2023 until December 2024.

There will be taster sessions for families to join and share their love of cooking and eating over the summer. As the project progresses, the aim is for families and participants to co-produce and shape the clubs in ways that suit their preferences, needs and hopes. 

The first club got off to a flying start on April 4, where eight families met at the Comfort Café and Thrift Shop based at King Arthurs Hall to make butternut squash soup with pizza dough balls under the expert guidance of enthusiastic, talented local chef, Clare Davies, and a team of volunteers.

Families enjoyed taking part in Zumba classes and circuits outside in the sunshine before eating. The classes were provided free of charge by Andover Leisure Centre and led by some of their trained health coaches.  

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All families took home a goody bag that included measuring spoons, a recipe card and veg to make the soup again at home. All the food for this event was donated by Abel and Cole and the Andover Discount Store.  

Helen Coleman, from NHS Healthier Communities Project, said: “I am delighted to be part of this project and to work with organisations in Andover to support families to eat healthy and affordable food."

More information about joining these clubs, or to donate or volunteer can be found by contacting emma.wilkinson@stmarysandover.org.