Fruits of our Labour

At New Hope, we believe that, given the right conditions, individuals will find their own unique pathway towards recovery and independent living. Our recent Sprouting Out course offered something for everyone- from learning new skills to providing a calm and relaxing space to switch off from day to day struggles.

Led by Groundwork East, Sprouting Out has shown that everyone can cook a rounded and healthy meal on a minimal budget, and even grow many of the ingredients with ease.  Each participant showed real commitment to healthy eating, developing their culinary skills and taking pride in the range of dishes they had created – for some this included trying ingredients and meals they would normally avoid and found that they actually really enjoyed them.

The fruits of the garden and meals created formed the foundations of poetry sessions and artwork, with C, a regular attendee of the course, writing this wonderful poem to celebrate his experiences.

“Food, simple, delicious, so very healthy,
Lovingly prepared, no matter we’re not wealthy.
Made with a gentle touch which bears no cost,
The ingredients mixed, no essence lost.
Sitting down, enjoying the taste,
The love mixed in, not going to waste.
Our appetites appeased, each mouthful savoured,
The fruits of our labour, a meal wonderfully flavoured.”