Nettle pasta recipe by volunteer Annie

It's Summer Recipe month at the Mini Cooking Club! We've got an unusual recipe for nettle pasta to share with you by our cooking volunteer, Annie! Read on.

Being half Italian, I believe I’ve got a keen appreciation for all things food-related, especially when it comes to pasta. I remember my nonna and nonno spending hours together in the kitchen when I was growing up, painstakingly making pasta dough, rolling it through the machine, laying it over the little ravioli trays and filling each square with a delicious spoonful of meaty goodness.

These ravioli (we called them agnolotti) would then be stacked up in our freezer for months to come, ready to be whipped out and cooked up in about five minutes flat. Absolutely scrumptious with a bit of melted butter and some parmesan cheese.

Many years later I’ve managed to acquire a pasta-making machine of my own. Determined not to let it gather dust in my cupboard, I invited my gourmet friend over to help me make stinging nettle and ricotta cheese ravioli the other day.

Sounds a bit dodgy I know, but bear with me because the results are worth it. First step, picking the stinging nettles. We donned a pair of marigolds each and set out to our local park, which is thankfully a haven for the pesky weeds.

Attracting a few weird looks from the local dog-walkers, we stashed a big bunch of nettles safely in a bag and headed for home. After washing the nettles carefully (kept the marigolds on for this) we blanched them in boiling water (they lose their sting from the hot water) before draining and squeezing out the excess water. Then bunged them in the Magimix with 250gm of plain flour and 2 lightly beaten eggs and whizzed it all up together to form the dough.

Before you leave pasta dough to stand, you need to give it a good kneading on a lightly floured surface. This is tricky because if you over-knead it or put too much flour into the mixture, it will become heavy and lumpen and brittle. If you don’t knead it enough or there’s not enough flour then it remains sticky and wet and ends up more on your hands than anywhere else. It’s a bit of a test and learn process really, aiming to get the dough smooth and supple without over-doing it.

While the dough was resting (set it aside for an hour in cling film) we made the filling by whizzing together 700gm of ricotta cheese (surprisingly hard to find), 80gm of parmesan, 2 egg yolks and a pinch of ground nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Then came the fun bit, rolling the pasta. Obviously having watched my grandparents do it umpteen times, I thought we had this in the bag. It’s actually not as easy as they made it look. We ended up with loads of holes in the dough and had to re-run it through the machine a good few times before it started to really smooth out in a satisfyingly elastic way that stretched really well over the mould.

Then it was a simple matter of dolloping in the cheese mixture, a bit of eggwash round the edges to make the top layer of pasta stick and then pressed that into place. The little green ravioli popped out of the mould straight into a waiting pan of boiling salted water and then two minutes later hey presto...

Coated with melted butter, a few leaves of chopped up sage and a good handful of freshly grated parmesan, this was gratifyingly one of the most delicious meals I’ve eaten for a long time!

By Annie Bruzzone

Happy volunteers' week!

It's the 30th anniversary of national volunteers' week and the number thirty is their theme. Volunteer Eric Ogbogbo is only 26 so he's a bit too young for that theme, but we'll let him off. Eric has always lived locally in Peckham, which is where he co-runs our Fit Foodie class at the Copleston Centre. He specialises in exercise physiology, and is keen to share his experiences with us.

How did you get involved with the Mini Cooking Club?

I got involved with MCC because I liked the work they were doing with teaching children about healthy cooking. The idea seemed fun and positive and because it was happening in my local area I thought I should get involved and add to the organisation with my expertise in exercise.

What's your favourite part of working with Club? 

My favourite part of working with the MCC is getting the chance engage with the children and seeing them have fun or learn something from the session. Its wonderful when a parent tells me their child has been talking to others about the class or that they have been really looking forwards to coming back. That is all the reward I need and makes it all worthwhile.

How important is it to take part in community activities?

I think we all have a duty to add to our community one way or another. We all have skills or experience that can aid others so it important that we are active in the community to make our society a better places to live in for ourselves, our friends and family going forwards. If we all treated others as we would like to be treated, the world would be a much better place.

How healthy is your lifestyle? Do you exercise regularly and cook from scratch?

I am an exercise physiologist and run my own health and wellbeing company www.oglifestyles.co.uk so I have to be healthy but also it is just a part of my life. I teach people how to live healthily. It can be difficult to navigate with all the bad food and our busy lifestyles but there are simple things anyone can do ensure they exercise regularly and cook from scratch. Exercise should be fun so anything that gets you moving and your heart pumping which you enjoy is great, then food is at the centre of most cultures in the world. Cooking and eating is how we connect and celebrate, and express ourselves so we should look at preparing a meal as a meaningful event then enjoy the proceeds.

How do you come up with the activities for the children to do in the sessions?

I come up with the sessions by asking the children what they want to do the week before then deciding between a few options. I plan out the points I want get across to the children such as teamwork, the importance of cardiovascular fitness, etc then I try to incoporate it into the session. I try to make the sessions organic so I try to get input or decide what direction to take the session in from how the children are responding.

What's your best tip for living a healthy lifestyle?

My best tip for having a healthy lifestyle is; believe that you deserve to be healthy, be consistent and be organised.

Thanks, Eric!

Image: Eric and volunteer Andrew running a Fit Foodie exercise session for the Mini Cooking Club.

Catherine: a year with the Mini Cooking Club

This month is Catherine's one year anniversary at the Mini Cooking Club. She has been volunteering as communications officer, and is responsible for looking after social media, the Mini Cooking Club blog, and the e-newsletter. She has also been involved in other activities such as fundraising, events, volunteer recruitment and cooking classes.

What made you volunteer for the Mini Cooking Club in the first place?

I was working in a role that I wasn't really enjoying and the type of work wasn't at all what I wanted to do. I had only just graduated from my MA course in English Literature, so I was in search of more practical experience to help me find a job that would enable me to use the written skills I had learned. Also, I wanted to volunteer to help others and become more involved in the community. As I was living in South London at the time, and that is where the Club is based, my twin sister - who was previously also a volunteer for the Mini Cooking Club - recommended I apply for this role.

What is the most significant thing(s) you've learned over the past year?

I've learned how many great people there are to meet in the voluntary sector. The vast majority of people are very passionate about what they're doing and helping others. I also became - I hope! - much more skilled at writing technically. For example, how to communicate your message simply and effectively, and what type of writing best suits the web. Also, more interesting things to cook from Cecilia, the Mini Cooking Club's founder!

Why do you think healthy eating and cooking are important?

For a proper enjoyment of life, you need to feel healthy and the food you eat is a massive part of that. Schools can often be over stretched, so children might not learn valuable information about nutrition or really get a chance to learn practical skills. Obviously cooking skills give you the power to choose exactly what you eat, and those skills need to be learned! The Mini Cooking Club inspires children and adults to enjoy cooking.

What is a memory of the past year at the Club that really stands out?

When we tried to hold a fundraising cake sale and it decided to pour with rain. The tents we were under weren't very waterproof and it was also blowing a gale-force wind. Everyone was so helpful and positive, and I learned that sometimes you just have to adapt to circumstances! We still sold all the cakes.

What would you say to anyone else thinking of volunteering?

I would definitely say do it, but only after considering how much of your time you can give and whether you would be willing to give up, say, a few hours over consecutive Saturdays for a period of time to teach children how to cook! Volunteering is really fun and worth the while, but you only get out as much as you put in.

What about to someone who would like to learn to cook but is currently lacking in confidence?

I would say, it's perfectly natural to be nervous about trying something new but even the most famous, world-renowned chefs weren't born with a wooden spoon in their hand! Everyone learns the most basic skills first, so cutting vegetables and boiling pasta. Sure, you'll cook things that by common definition may be disgusting, but that is all part of the learning process. It's worth it for the sense of empowerment you'll get when you become more accomplished!

Volunteers cook and learn!

Clockwise from left: Monisha, Ingrid, Sophie, Eric, Annie, Oliver, Nicola and Catherine

The Copleston Centre is a church in Peckham that normally hosts our Fit Foodie, Creative Therapies and Family Cooking sessions, but today was just for Mini Cooking Club staff and volunteers.

This week's team meeting saw a big collection of our volunteers coming together for a healthy eating lesson, kitchen hygiene and safety reminder, and finally eating a home-cooked meal.

We made sure we were all up to speed on kitchen safety and hygiene essentials like always washing hands before handling food, and never running with knives. But you all knew that!  We covered the Eat Well plate, essentially a nutritional guide for eating a balanced diet, which must include carbohydrates, protein, some fat and lots of fruits and vegetables (big surprise!).

Cecilia Belier, the Mini Cooking Club founder, cooked everyone delicious mandarin pasta (mixed with rocket, green beans, and seasoned with olive oil and Parmesan). This was followed by freshly sliced pineapple, which was bursting with flavour due to the fact that it is now in season.

Led by Cecilia, this meeting shows just how complex the charity has grown. From a small organisation consisting solely of Cecilia and two others, the staff and volunteers included people from the cooking, fundraising and media sides of the charity.

Cecilia reminded us of why the Mini Cooking Club is all about food. In previous roles working in the public health sector, she experienced a lot focus on nutrition and not nearly enough on cooking. Cecilia started the charity with the aim of teaching children and adults the joy of cooking, and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Near the end of the meeting, discussions moved a little sideways onto the Great British Allotment Challenge and the importance of 'digging for Britain' during the war. We talked about the sustainability of food, and whether any of us would reduce our meat and dairy consumption to cut emissions from farming.

We wondered if it was even necessary to eat meat at all, given the unethical treatment of livestock and poultry, and thought widespread community growing initiatives were probably the way forward.

There was a real sense of community and shared spirit that arose from the evening, and the conclusion of our debate was, quite simply, 'everything in moderation'. Thank you to Annie, Oliver, Monisha, Ingrid, Nicola, Eric and Sophie for coming, and thank you Cecilia for teaching and cooking - what a great evening.

Interview with Mini Cooking Club volunteer, Tim

Our wonderful volunteer, Tim, has been with the Mini Cooking Club ever since it started four years ago, and he is now one of our trustees. Tim tells us about what inspires him to volunteer.

What made you want to volunteer for a food charity?

Food plays such an important part in my life. Even after the worst day, you can always brighten it up with a delicious meal in the evening. 

What have you learnt since volunteering with The Mini Cooking Club?

It's easy to wrap yourself up in the London rat race: coming to the various classes, watching or helping people from all walks of life learn so much about nutrition and food preparation is both satisfying and humbling. I have learned not to take anything in life for granted, even the smallest of things, as we often do not appreciate how lucky we are.

What is your best memory/funny moment from the Mini Cooking Club?

Being in a class and witnessing the reaction of kids touching raw meat for the first time was quite something.

What would you say to people that are thinking about volunteering with us?

Make sure you understand that volunteering may look fun and "glamorous" from the outside - but ask yourself if you really want to give up  your weekends, or your evenings, to come and help others.
You need to be really passionate about what you're doing and what you want to achieve.

Thanks, Tim! 

Volunteering with The Mini Cooking Club

Volunteers play such an important role in our charity, without them we could not do the amazing work we are doing at the moment. The Mini Cooking Club runs cooking classes for children and families in the borough of Southwark.

Our volunteers are often university students studying a nutrition related degree that are looking to expand their skills and get on hands experience in the field, or professionals in the food industry wanting to give back to the community. However, you do not have to be an expert in nutrition or cooking to volunteer for us.

For the last couple of years, the Club has had a range of volunteers from all walks of life. Some are retired and looking to meet new people, while some are professionals who are tired of the London rat race and looking for new experiences. We even have chefs who want to put their skills at work even after cooking the whole day!

However, what all of our volunteers have in common is sharing their passion of food with others.

One of our volunteers says: “I’ve found that eating well can make a big difference to my health and would love to share this knowledge with other people”.

A typical day for a Mini Cooking Club Volunteer may consist of assisting in the kitchen, helping people with knife skills, talking about the nutritional content of food or writing food-related articles. Whatever your interest is, there is something for everybody – but what is also important is that you are “keen, socially motivated with an appetite for change.”

Volunteers say that they learn a lot of things related to food and nutrition. They say that they also find it humbling to witness people learning about this. However, being a volunteer brings with it a lot of memorable moments.

One volunteer says “Being in a class and witnessing the reaction of kids touching raw meat for the first time was quite something.”


If you are thinking of volunteering with The Mini Cooking Club and seeing what it is like to share the joy of cooking, our volunteers say: “Do it, it's a fantastic experience.”

For volunteering opportunities please contact us at info@theminicookingclub.org.uk or visit our website for more information.

By Yancy Jensen

Food Therapy: Bake Yourself Happy

Baking, formerly the preserve of the traditional domestic housewife, is currently enjoying a revival. Polka-dotted cupcake cases, retro cakes and striped aprons are everywhere in the craze for cake-making, and the fad is showing no signs of slowing down yet. The popularity of programs like the Great British Bake Off is a testament to the kitchen-craze sweeping the nation. However, did you know there are also myriad health benefits associated with this sweet past time?

Heading to the kitchen to whip up some scones or muffins is one way in which you can take control of your own well-being, without simply waiting for disaster to strike first. Baking’s proven mood benefits mean that investing in essential equipment like a whisk, scales, rolling pin and mixing bowl should be top of your list of things to do. Let’s start with the actual physical satisfaction of eating something you’ve made yourself- it’s warm and delicious to munch straight from the oven, though be careful not burn yourself!

Also, humans generally really like eating sugary carbohydrate-based foods - which of course must be limited to occasional treats – because they release a rush of endorphins into the bloodstream. You don’t even need to eat the cakes to feel the benefits. Next time you feel a bit down, take a walk past the local bakery and just try not to feel instantly better when those delicious smells waft over you.

Physical activity is a proven stress-reliever – remember how people always tell you to go for a walk, or do some exercise when things are getting a bit much? The repetitive physical actions of baking, the concentration required for accurate measurement and strength needed to mix the batter properly all contribute to the same effect.

Cookies, cupcakes, roulade and brownies – there seems no end of the number of things you can whip up from the recipe books using flour and eggs as your staple ingredients. Creativity is well-known to contribute to overall well-being and baking offers this possibility in abundance – through careful adherence to the recipes combined with the possibilities of food colouring, icing and other decorations you can end up with some fantastic results. Butterflies, houses, cats, stars – anything!

One way to make sure you only eat baked goods in moderation is sharing your results with family and friends. They’ll be overjoyed when you tell them you’ve been getting busy with the mixing bowl, and you’ll feel good that you managed to make other people happy, providing an instant mood-booster.

Finally, having a tangible sense of achievement also provides a feeling of happiness. So much of our days are spent in front of computers, on the phone or texting that we often don’t see the fruits of our labours. Baking is different – for a while, anyway, before the “tangible results” have been devoured! Feeling proud of your achievements is another natural way to release those endorphins and help you feel connected to the world. When people compliment you on how tasty your baking is, you’ll find your warm glow of pride increases even more.

The Mini Cooking Club promotes educational nutrition and cooking classes to improve the overall health of society, and we run our own Baking Club for kids at Lansdowne Youth Centre in Stockwell. Email Enterprise Un-Ltd (who we work in partnership with to provide this free after-school club) to book your child’s place now.

So, next time you feel down, instead of giving in to stress or turning to unproductive activities, try baking a batch of delicious chocolate muffins and handing them out to friends, and see if you don’t feel better. You can take a look at this website for some healthy baking ideas to get you started, but once you’ve mastered the basics, the baking world is your oyster!

By Catherine Heath

Waste Less Live More Week: Better Food For All

From 16 – 22 September, the Mini Cooking Club is taking part in Waste less, Live more Week 2013.

Waste less, Live more is a campaign which aims to raise awareness of how environmental and social issues are linked. The theme of the week this year is Better Food for All. There are huge benefits for society and the environment if we all waste less food and eat healthier food.   

A big part of cooking is the ability to schedule shopping trips at least weekly and ensure the fridge and cupboards are stocked with ingredients. However, whilst it is good to plan ahead, a great deal of food bought in Britain is wasted – 19% of everything actually bought, in fact. Much of this can be avoided, and charities like Waste Watch (now part of Keep Britain Tidy) have launched campaigns to help.

Between 16 – 22 September there will be a variety of activities and events hosted by a diverse range of organisations, businesses and charities encouraging people to perform a simple act, big or small, that supports both people and the environment. The aim is to demonstrate how we can all live better whilst consuming less.

The Mini Cooking Club will be hosting its own activity to raise awareness of Waste less, Live more Week in the coming month. Keep checking our Facebook page for updates. 

People and the environment are inextricably linked. If we waste less food, there will be less energy and money spent on farming unnecessarily, transport and packaging. This means that the environment will benefit through the actions of people making small but significant changes in their daily lives.

For further information about what is going on during the week or to get involved in Waste less, Live more Week visit the official website.   

Follow Waste less, Live more Week on Twitter or share the link (www.wastelesslivemore.com) with your friends on Facebook.

By Catherine Heath

Five Ways to Mental Heath: Creative Therapies Project

The Mini Cooking Club works in partnership with the Creative Therapies Project at the Copleston Centre in Peckham. They run a community mental health project for residents of Southwark, and those who live close to the area.

The ethos of the project is that every individual has mental health, and therefore at times we will all have concerns about it. Breaking down barriers between mental health and illness, the idea is to maintain mental well-being on a regular basis. A bit like taking a car for an MOT, you wouldn’t just wait until it broke down before getting it serviced.

In today’s society, we are bombarded with technology, advertising and demands on our time. It can be stressful keeping up with the super-fast pace of modern life. Overall well-being involves both the mind and body, but it can be tricky to find a balance or learn what’s right for you.

That’s why the Creative Therapies project takes a wide approach to mental health in line with the focus of Southwark Council. They promote the Five Ways to Well-being, which are intended to address all aspects of feeling good about life. The Five Ways are defined as:

1.    Connect
2.    Be Active
3.    Keep Learning
4.    Give to others
5.    Take Notice.

These are worthy goals and have been successfully identified as ways to help maintain the mental health of the community.

The Creative Therapies Project lives its own values through the following ways:

1.    The group sessions facilitate members connecting with others and meeting new people.
2.    The exercise and healthy eating classes keep members active and healthy.
3.    The sessions teach valuable new skills
4.    The volunteer programme provides a platform for members of the local community to give something back whilst learning new skills at the same time.
5.    Psychotherapeutic discussions (both group and individual) grant people the space in which to take notice of themselves and others.

The sessions and classes are held at the Copleston Centre and all are completely free to attend. CPT runs art therapy and music therapy, counselling sessions, complementary therapies, art café and sound café, as well as pilates and zumba. Book your place by emailing Marcela Vielman. The Mini Cooking Club runs cooking classes every Wednesday from10am-12pm.

The message is that you don’t need to wait until you have a problem to be pro-active about your mental health. Also, if you do have a problem, there are plenty of things you can do about it and lots of people who are willing to help.

Follow this link for more information about the Five Steps to Well-Being.


By Catherine Heath

Camberwell Arts Festival Fundraiser

Saturday’s fundraiser at Camberwell Arts Festival was a big success! There was live music, craft stalls and art workshops. The Mini Cooking Club was in the middle of it all selling homemade cakes, breads and biscuits to raise funds for our organisation. 

It took a little while to build up momentum but by mid-afternoon there was quite a crowd. The most popular item was the rich chocolate and guinness cake, baked by one of our members, followed closely by the banana bread. 

When we finally packed away the marquee – which was threatening to blow away in the gale - all the cakes left on the table had been sold. We received a number of enquiries about our work and even an offer to volunteer or two.

The donations have not been counted yet but the support was overwhelming, despite adverse weather conditions. More pictures will be uploaded to Facebook soon! 

We’d like to thank Kelly O’Reilly (Camberwell Arts Festival) for giving us this opportunity. We also thank all the Mini Cooking Club volunteers who lent their time and baking skills to help us raise money for our vital work in the community. 

The festival continues until June 23rd with many more events to come! It would be great if everyone showed their support for the local area by attending. 

By Catherine Heath

The Nutrition During Pregnancy Programme: Week One

It’s been a busy week for the Mini Cooking Club since the launch of our brand new Nutrition During Pregnancy Programme, which started on Monday 13^th May at East Dulwich Community Centre. I went down there to check it out.

It was off to a bit of a wobbly start when we discovered that the community centre put locks on their equipment cupboards for safety, leaving us with no key. Off I popped to the local Co-op to see if they could help.

The first class was a success! The programme was created and is run by our certified nutritionist, Karen Buckley ANutr. On the menu this week was a delicious and surprisingly simple mango and lettuce salad, homemade chips and homemade burgers, both veggie and meat. Dessert was to be Karen’s signature mouth watering banana and carrot muffins.

One of our attendees

It was off to a bit of a wobbly start when we discovered that the community centre put locks on their equipment cupboards for safety, leaving us with no key. Off I popped to the local Co-op to see if they could help.

We started off baking the muffins first, much to the dismay of the weight watchers group in the next room. Next, we prepared the burger mixtures, chopping and blending to create coriander and butterbean for the veggies, and onion and minced beef patties for the meat eaters. We sliced up large baking potatoes for chips, and baked them in the oven along with the burgers.

We had a break for the nutrition class, during which Karen taught the students about the stages of pregnancy and associated physical changes, weight change, The Eat Well Plate, and the necessary nutrients to stay healthy.

After our work was done, we sat down to eat and get to know one another. Thankfully we had cutlery, as the salad covered in lemon juice would have been impossible to pick up with our hands! Sitting down to eat together at the end is one of the key elements of the programme, because it encourages the attendees to discuss their experiences. According to all involved, the first class was a success! You can view more photos here. We headed for home, tired but happy.

As a brand new programme, Nutrition During Pregnancy holds much promise and is the first of its kind. Our aim is to reach out to people who might not otherwise have taken an interest in the food they eat and teach them useful information at such a crucial stage of their baby’s development. It’s also an important way for mums-to-be to network with one another, and make friends.
 

If you are pregnant and looking to learn about the best nutrition for you and your baby, or know someone who is, please email Karen, or call 07779129371. Places are still available.

Our two nutritionists and an attendee

By Catherine Heath

St Paul’s Cake Sale, 12 May 2013, Covent Garden

HIV remains one of the most significant public healthy challenges today. At the end of 2011, an estimated 96,000 people were living with HIV in the UK (National Aids Trust, 2011). These include about 73,400 people diagnosed with HIV, and 22,600 who were infected but undiagnosed. Treatment for the condition has significantly improved since the 1950s, with life expectancy increasing from a few years to near normal. And with an early diagnosis, a person’s life can be just as happy and fulfilling as anyone else’s.

There are numerous charities dedicated to helping those with HIV. The Food Chain is an innovative charity seeking to promote nutrition education and cookery skills to those living with the condition in London. They have lots of reliable information for those seeking to understand HIV and offer many practical solutions for people living with the condition. The organisation seeks to provide people with access to the nutrition they need to get well, remain well and lead healthy, independent lives. They also deliver meals and other food to people at home, hold cooking and nutrition classes, and offer communal eating opportunities to people living with HIV and their dependents.

Charities like The Food Chain always need more funds, and this Sunday 12^th May, The Mini Cooking Club is teaming up with them to host St Paul’s Cake Sale at Covent Garden, part of the ‘Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival.’ We will be offering delicious homemade banana bread, cupcakes, carrot cake and bread rolls in exchange for a donation. Our day will start at 10am, in time for the colourful procession at 11am. We hope to see you all there. Find out where we’ll be.

To find out more about The Food Chain initiative or get involved, go to their website.

By Catherine Heath

Help is Here: The Nutrition During Pregnancy Programme

Our nutritionist, Karen, and one of our volunteers

Are you expecting a baby, and concerned about the health of you and your child? The Mini Cooking Club is here to help. 

Pregnancy is both an exciting and stressful time, during which hormones can seem out of control and the body is craving all sorts of food. Diet can seem like a minefield, and reading dozens of lengthy nutrition books can be the last thing you want to do. 

That’s why our nutritionist, Karen Buckley, has designed the Nutrition During Pregnancy Programme. On this free six week course, you will learn about the different stages of pregnancy and associated physical changes. 

Karen will teach expecting mothers about the best eating practices to prepare body and mind for childbirth, and ensure your baby has the best start to life. This opportunity involves learning about the best food provision pre and post-birth, for you and your child. 

You will also learn about weight change, the Eat Well Plate and in-depth information about essential nutrition, danger foods, and religious or meat-free diets. You will learn about the benefits of exercise, what to avoid, post-birth nutrition and breastfeeding. 

The Mini Cooking Club welcomes people into the kitchen for hands-on cooking classes, and attendees have the opportunity to participate fully in the food preparation process under the supervision of our chefs. These classes are designed to be fun, creative and above all informative about food products and different cooking methods.

The classes provide people living in the London community with opportunities to learn nutrition and cooking skills. The Nutrition During Pregnancy Programme is the first of its kind, and completely free. The course is open to all pregnant women, starts Monday 13th May and runs for six weeks at East Dulwich Community Centre. We're excited to see you there!

Places are still available, so book yours now. Email Karen, or call 07779129371.

Our founder, Cecilia (far left)

By Catherine Heath