Let’s Cook Together: The Cherry on Top of the Cake

Over the Spring Term, the Food Technology and Outreach Departments have combined creativity and kindness in the kitchen to serve up ‘Let’s Cook Together’.

The ten-week initiative, designed to encourage families to enjoy cooking together, initially fed the appetites of students at Leighton Park. However, it wasn’t long before Old Leightonians, local primary pupils and fellow Quaker schools wanted a slice of the cake.

Also on board have been 26 families connected to local organisation, Whitley Community Development Association (WCDA), who have delighted in receiving equipment and ingredients to enable them to enjoy all of the scrumptious recipes.

Jennie Hatton, Food Technology Teacher, who spoke to local radio station BBC Berkshire, reflected “The Let’s Cook Together series has been such a pleasure to be involved with. I really enjoyed going to Whitley and meeting the wonderful volunteers who have made this project a reality. It has been so nice to hear from students, families and partner schools and seeing photographs of their cooking.”

Over the course of their baking, students were inspired to submit their favourite recipes to an in-school competition, one of which has now been included in the Livingstone Tanzania Trust’s cookbook. Set up by Old Leighton, Julian Page, the charity hope to raise funds through the collection of recipes to enable them to continue to help people unlock their potential, overcome poverty and live long happy and healthy lives.

Natasha Coccia, Assistant Head: Director of Co-Curricular and Outreach commented “Let’s Cook Together has enabled us to reach out to our community and beyond through our love of food. It has been wonderful seeing pictures and videos of Old Leightonians, current students and our neighbours in Whitley coming together to bake bread, ice a cake or test out a new traybake recipe. These simple, easy to follow recipes brought a sense of togetherness during lockdown 3. We have loved driving to Whitley each Friday with our bags and it has been a brilliant opportunity for our Y10 CAS students to get involved through volunteering.”