An aspiring chef is cooking up a new career for herself thanks to a helping hand from a Salford housing provider.
Salix Homes tenant Charmain Green, 34, has got her sights set on a career in the catering industry after taking part in a family cooking course organised by the housing association.
Salix Homes, which owns 8,500 properties across central Salford, has teamed up with food charity Fareshare to teach tenants and their children how to prepare healthy meals on a budget.
Charmain, from Charlestown, Salford, attended the cookery sessions at St Sebastian’s Community Centre with her 11-year-old son Ethan and has now got the cooking bug.
When she signed up for the course Chairman was unemployed, but thanks to the new skills she’s learnt, she’s secured a 12-week voluntary work placement at the Deli Lama Café in Islington and is hoping to go on to secure a permanent job in the catering industry.
She said: “I’d always done a lot of cooking at home and it is a passion and a hobby of mine anyway, so when I saw the cookery course with Salix Homes I thought I might as well give it a go and try and make something of it.
“I really enjoyed the cooking sessions and learnt a lot about making fresh food from scratch – it’s really inspired me to work in this industry when I get my cooking qualifications.”
Charmain is now hoping to complete her Food Hygiene qualification with Salix Homes.
Sue Sutton, executive director of operations at Salix Homes, added: “The aim of our cooking courses are to teach our tenants how to cook a variety of low-cost, healthy dishes for the whole family on a tight budget while providing them with the skills and opportunities that will help them to secure employment.
“Charmain is a real ambassador for the benefits of this project and we are very proud to be playing a role in her development. She has picked up some new skills which will hopefully help her secure employment and help her build a bright future for her and her family.”
Another six-week cooking course for Salix Homes’ tenants will be starting in Broughton later this summer. To secure your place contact Cath Walton on 0161 779 8021 or email hello@salixhomes.org
