By Andy Murphy, Comms & Engagement Coordinator, Splott Community Volunteers
One thing you should know about me is that I’m not a foodie. I should probably start with that, given that I’m writing a blog about food. I love eating and cooking, but that’s just because I’m a glutton: I want to try every kind of food! That’s turned out to be quite useful at Splott Community Volunteers (SCV), where food brings people together.
My actual job is Comms & Engagement Coordinator, although I’m also currently Acting Manager of our charity shop, SCV@23, on Splott Road. Something I love about working at SCV is that you don’t just do what your job title says, and every day or every week is different.
I often cook at SCV, and every week I make two trays of bread pudding. It’s made with croissants, a set custard and chocolate. Pretty much everything is donated, apart from the milk, and I buy the vanilla extract myself. We share it out among our guests and volunteers, and it’s become a firm favourite.
Last year, we were part of the Good Food Cardiff Autumn Festival for the first time. We held a free community meal at SCV, serving a warming vegan dal with rice. Afterwards, we had a food quiz, with tasty and nutritious food prizes for the winners.
It was a lovely afternoon: good food, a bit of fun and people sitting together. That’s often what works so well at SCV. Food brings people through our doors. Once they’re here, they discover all the other activities we offer and become part of the community.
This year, we’re getting involved in the Autumn Festival again with Forgotten Foods Café on 30 October. We’ll be offering tasters and sharing easy recipes showing how cheap, seasonal vegetables can be turned into delicious meals. We’re particularly interested in the vegetables people often ignore or don’t know what to do with. We’ll also have a table of donated cookbooks, and everyone who comes along will be able to choose one to take home for free.
I love this idea! You get to try a few dishes, get a recipe to take home, and then get a cookbook as well. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to have a go yourself.
Food is what SCV is about. Eleven years ago, we started with a weekly breakfast club. That’s grown into a food pantry where guests donate just £5.
For that, they get a freshly prepared hot breakfast and unlimited tea and coffee, plus a bag of at least 10 pantry items, including chilled and frozen food, fruit and vegetables, and dried and tinned goods. They also get a pastry and a savoury item to take away. Sometimes it’s just nice to sit down to chat and eat something someone else has cooked!
That’s one of the reasons being part of Food Cardiff and its great network of people and organisations is so valuable to us. There are so many people across Cardiff doing brilliant things with food, and being connected to that wider network gives us more opportunities to learn, share ideas and try new things.
It’s not just good for SCV, it’s good for our guests. It’s good for me, too! I get to cook, eat and try out recipes as part of my job. I never really expected that when I started working in comms, to be honest. I love it.
I’m really looking forward to Forgotten Foods Café. Come along, try some food, pick up a recipe, choose a free cookbook and hopefully discover something you didn’t know you liked.
And if you call in to see us during the week, there might even be some bread pudding!
EVENT DETAILS: Forgotten Foods Café Hosted by: Splott Community Volunteers
Friday 30 October,
1–3pm The Old STAR Centre,
2 Splott Road, Splott, Cardiff CF24 2BZ
Forgotten Foods Café is a free community event celebrating the delicious potential of seasonal vegetables that are often overlooked. Come along to enjoy free tasters, pick up easy, budget-friendly recipes and discover simple ways to turn affordable veg into healthy, summery meals while sharing ideas with your neighbours.
www.splottcommunityvolunteers.co.uk
