A group of dancing cooks were turning surplus food into delicious ‘disco soup’ at a Salford community centre today.
The event at the Angel Centre, Chapel Street, aimed to turn surplus and ‘wonky’ vegetables into a shared meal, while playing music and encouraging dance breaks.
Lynsey Ilett, centre host and marketing officer for Social adVentures at the Angel Centre, Chapel Street, said: “A third of all the food in the UK goes in the bin. That’s a huge amount.
“People don’t know what to do with it, or they’re not very good at the planning of it, or they’ve got no confidence in cooking it.
“We try here to give people different opportunities to learn how to do it.”
Families with children on half-term break joined regulars in the chopping and cooking.
Natalie, an attendee at the event, said: “It’s good to see the community coming together.
“I do find that I really struggle if the children don’t finish their food, and it’s hard to see the food then just going into the bin and and maybe not using all the food up.”
DJ and centre regular Brian was in charge of the music for the ‘disco’ element of the event, with a space cleared for a dance floor.
He said: “I walked in this morning and I wasn’t expecting this! It’s good that the kids are getting involved as well.
“You’ve got to consider people in the world that would be grateful for some of this food. We just take it for granted, don’t we?”
Across the room were different ‘stations’, with children helping chop cucumbers and carrots with the help of grown-ups, a table for more oddly shaped vegetables such as butternut squashes, and a potato peeling area.
Edward, who was peeling potatoes, said: “It seems a bit a bit of a terrible thing that all this food would have been going to the landfill.
“It feels like everyone’s come together.”
Volunteer, Chantel, was helping the children chop up the ingredients.
She said: “You can tell that they’re just enjoying every step, and they’re just so eager to help.
“It’s my first event at the volunteering centre. I’m just looking around and thinking wow, this is very lovely.”
A team of chefs were then cooking the soup.
Anny, a resident chef at the Angel Centre, volunteers every Monday, cooking meals for around 50 people.
She said: “I just learned from YouTube!”
Chicken and mushroom, potato and leek and minestrone soups were made in the Angel Centre kitchen, with around 40 people contributing.
The Angel Centre offers free or low cost activities, courses and events, which help people access healthier and happier lives. It also has an allotment for its gardening groups.
For more information about future events at the Angel Centre, see the website here.
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