Ingredients for success

The Vitality Club demonstrated on Friday that it has all the right ingredients for success when it held its inaugural general meeting. The Vitality Club has grown out of the Cook & Eat group established two years ago at Hatfield Close. The group was sponsored through the New Cross Gate NDC’s Eating for Health project in partnership with Lewisham PCT’s community development team.

The Cook & Eat group has been meeting regularly at Friday lunchtimes to explore healthier lifestyles around food, nutrition and diet. Since its inception, the group has been supported by the PCT’s community food project’s officer, Mumtaz Meeran. She has been able to support the group, particularly around training, encouraging and arranging for several members of the group to undertake courses which have resulted in them becoming qualified cookery club leaders. In addition, local resident Maria Drury has played a vital role in promoting interest in the group by leading dozens of cooking sessions which have helped improve the dietary knowledge and skills of those attending.

In the knowledge that funding for the group would eventually cease, it was decided to explore the possibility of establishing a constituted group. Four key members of the group ~ Tina Farage, Shim Whicker, Alice Cushnie and Avril Augustine ~ volunteered to form a steering committee to guide the group along the next step of its journey. After many meetings over several months, they developed a constitution and policies to recommend to their membership.

At Friday’s inaugural general meeting, under the presiding chairmanship of NDC manager Steve McGann, the constitution was adopted by the members of the newly constituted club. Later in the meeting, Tina was elected chair, Shim vice-chair, Alice treasurer and Avril as secretary, while Dorothy Harrison and Merle Alleyne were also elected to the committee. Two vacant committee places, the meeting agreed, would be filled later.

If you are interested in improving your diet and getting involved with The Vitality Club, give Tina a call on 020 8694 8688 or on mobile 0775 438 8878