Wiggly Charity
Everyone deserves to cook
Learning to cook is an essential skill everyone should have the opportunity to develop. However, transportation challenges and specific care needs can prevent individuals from being able to attend cooking classes, leaving them isolated and without basic kitchen skills.
That’s where Wiggly Charity steps in. Wiggly is a Gloucestershire based charity that offers life opportunities through food. They offer fully inclusive and accessible cookery sessions, empowering people of all ages and abilities to gain confidence and independence in the kitchen.
What our funding has been used for
So far, using Barnwood funding, Wiggly has run two successful five-week courses for adults with learning disabilities from the PACE LD community group. The focus for the classes has been on learning new cookery skills, developing communication skills, teamwork and developing independence.
One participant, who was shy and withdrawn on week one, gained so much confidence that by the final week, he stood at the front of the class to demonstrate his dish to his peers. The transformation in all the groups, exceeded the teams’ expectations and those of their support staff.
Wiggly’s 2024 Highlights
Speaking to Wiggly, they informed us of their key highlights for 2024:
- Reaching over 2,450 people through 400+ sessions, including cooking courses for disabled adults, veterans, young people, and carers.
- Serving 3,300 meals through initiatives like the St Paul’s pay-as-you-can community lunch in Cheltenham, creating spaces for connection and support.
- Launching the Grow with Wiggly program to teach individuals about seasonal produce and starting Social Source – producing 350 jars of sauces and preserves, which are now sold locally. This initiative aspires to create a sustainable income stream while offering employment opportunities for marginalised individuals.
- Donating over 540kg of surplus food to pantries and sharing recipe cards to help people cook healthy meals.
Looking Forward
“As a small charity striving to make a big impact, this year’s achievements wouldn’t have been possible without Barnwood’s generosity and your fantastic collaboration. It has been so rewarding to begin a new partnership with Barnwood Trust which has enabled us to work with groups of adults with learning disabilities to build their confidence and skills through cookery. Looking ahead to 2025, we are committed to building on this progress, expanding our reach, and deepening our impact. “
With the Trust’s funding, Wiggly Charity has been able to improve accessibility to their cookery classes. These sessions not only teach lifelong skills but also build confidence, independence, and stronger communities.
We look forward to seeing Wiggly Charity building on their progress and impact in 2025.
Find out more information about Wiggly Charity here: wigglycharity.org
