New teaching kitchen to help Wolverhampton young people learn skills for life

Young people across Wolverhampton will benefit from a new, expanded teaching kitchen at The Way Youth Zone, thanks to funding secured by City of Wolverhampton Council from the Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund.

The project has transformed the Youth Zone’s cooking facilities by extending the existing kitchen into a neighbouring office area, creating a space that is double the size and able to support more young people to take part in cooking activities.

The Pride in Place Impact Fund invests directly in neighbourhoods and is part of the broader Pride in Place programme, which focuses on local and community regeneration efforts.

The investment responds to strong demand for cooking at The Way. In the past 12 months, 239 young people have taken part in cooking activities at the Youth Zone, creating 580 moments of connection through cooking.

Cooking sessions at The Way support young people to learn practical skills including meal preparation, food safety, healthy eating and budgeting, while also building confidence and independence.

Isiss, 14, explained: “Cooking is one of my favourite activities at The Way because I get to learn new things every week. Before I started coming to the cooking sessions, I wasn't very confident in the kitchen, but now I can make meals on my own, like lasagne and garlic bread, and help out at home. It's really fun cooking with other people and trying recipes I wouldn't have tried before.”

Paul Snape, CEO of The Way Youth Zone, said: “We are incredibly grateful to City of Wolverhampton Council and the Pride in Place programme for making this project possible. The kitchen is one of the busiest and most popular spaces in our Youth Zone and this investment will allow more young people to access cooking activities, learn valuable life skills and gain confidence in a safe and supportive environment. This is about much more than a new kitchen. It is about creating opportunities that help young people thrive now and in the future.”

Warinder Juss MP said: "I was proud to support funding for this fantastic new teaching kitchen through the Pride in Place programme. Investing in young people is one of the best investments we can make in our city's future. This new space will help young people build confidence and valuable life skills, while giving them the opportunity to discover new passions and potential career paths. It's wonderful to see so many young people already benefiting from cooking activities at The Way, and I look forward to seeing even more young people thrive in this fantastic facility."

Councillor Stephen Simkins, City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, said: “It is great to see funding from the Pride in Place programme already making a significant difference to our communities.

“We want our young people to have the best opportunities available to them and this new expanded teaching kitchen facility will enable that, supporting the outstanding work of The Way.

“It will help teach young people skills for life and gain confidence for whatever they choose to pursue in the future.”

The new kitchen will officially begin welcoming young people this summer and will play a central role in upcoming programmes and activities, including a five-week Lidl-funded cooking programme that will support 160 young people to learn new recipes and develop practical life skills.

The kitchen was showcased to supporters and partners, as well as Warinder Juss MP for Wolverhampton West, at a Patron Breakfast on 30 July. Guests had the opportunity to see the new facilities and hear more about the difference cooking activities make to young people.