Grow! Cook! Eat! – Free Champion Training Local for Families

One of the things I love about covering what’s on in Northamptonshire is discovering the brilliant grassroots projects that are quietly doing amazing things for our communities. This one caught my eye recently, and I really wanted to share it because I think it could be a brilliant opportunity for families in West Northamptonshire, whether you’re looking to learn a new skill, give back to your community, or even take a step towards a new career.

The Northampton Hope Centre runs a fantastic public health initiative called Grow! Cook! Eat! which supports our local communities in growing and cooking from scratch.

They offer free ‘Champion’ training which includes first aid awareness and food hygiene level 2. There is also grant funding available. Here are some of the benefits of the Champion training:

• Volunteering in cooking and growing
• Developing skills in community development and community engagement
• Networking and partnership working
• Fundamental skills in support, supervision, and coaching
• Opportunities to share volunteering experiences across West Northamptonshire
• A stepping stone for careers in health promotion, gardening, mental well-being and event organisation
• References for future employment
• Recognition and thanks for help and achievements

Champions need to commit to leading out on their chosen project, whether that’s weekly, fortnightly, or monthly sessions, and be willing to attend additional workshops (as and when) that will benefit them.

Grant funding can be accessed once the Champion training is complete, along with the Food Hygiene level 2 and First Aid Awareness — both of which are included as part of the training.

If you’ve been looking for a way to get involved in something meaningful locally — or you want to help your children see where food comes from and how to cook it from scratch — this feels like a really special programme to be part of. It’s free, it’s flexible, and it gives you real, transferable skills along the way. I’d love to see more Northants families getting involved.

For more information or to find out how to become a Champion visit the Northampton Hope Centre Grow! Cook! Eat! page.

The information listed in this guide are run by third-party organisers, and all details were correct at the time of publication, based on information from their official websites. However, changes or cancellations can happen at short notice. To avoid any disappointment, we recommend double-checking the information on the official websites before making plans.