The Trinity House team developed the project, which is led by chefs Rikki and Amanda, to help tackle two issues – promoting healthy eating and gaining skills for independence.
Manager Kirsty Dale said, “Healthy food and nutrition are vitally important in any circumstances but can be even more important where people may take medication, some of which can cause weight gain as a side-effect.
“Working closely with our two chefs, we not only developed a healthy menu of day-to-day choices, but we also looked to create ways of embedding the healthy eating practices.
“We created the café, which runs two days a week, in the dining area at Trinity House. The people we support took on the task of running the café; they take roles such as waiting staff and kitchen assistants. These roles helps with literacy, social awareness, cooking and vocational skills.
“Many of the people we support are preparing for independent living and maintaining and developing these skills in a safe and familiar environment is vital. They take a huge amount of pride in their work in the café, supporting the kitchen staff and creating and serving meals for other residents and visiting friends and family.
“In the last 18 months, through promoting a healthy and nutritious diet and the creation of the café, we have successfully managed to radically reduce the rate of obesity within the service. People are supported to always have choice, while having a better understanding of the differences between foods and the potential impact on their health.
“The kitchen team has created a traffic light system where menu choices are marked with red, amber and green so people can make informed choices about their meals.
“The aim of the café and the healthy eating programme has been to promote physical health and mental wellbeing, while ensuring residents are still offered choice alongside a healthy balanced diet. It’s been a huge success in terms of improving both physical and mental wellbeing.”
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