A Dundee church has been piloting an innovative “wonder box” cooking project helping some of the city’s poorest save money on utility bills.
Lochee Parish Church’s workshops have been teaching struggling local people how to fashion the insulated boxes, which are essentially slow cookers, from polystyrene.
Food is firstly brought to the boil in a pot on a hob, then the pot is placed in the base of the wonder box with the lid on top.
After this, the wonder box will then keep cooking the food and keep it warm so there is no more expenditure on gas or electricity.
The first series of workshops were held in Lochee Parish Church’s hall.
Local community members chose the project to receive grant funding through the Kirk-backed participatory budgeting initiative.
Muriel Black, the community café co-ordinator at Lochee Parish Church, said the idea came from the Faith in Community team which discovered similar classes in some of the poorest areas of Glasgow.
She said: “Our community café was asked to host a pilot scheme supported by members of Faith in Community Dundee who sourced funding, supplied equipment and helped to advertise the workshops.
“The classes were run alongside the opening of the café.
“Each week, four or five people have taken part, which brought in new folk to the café. They were then keen to be part of the cooking classes using budget one-pot recipes suitable for use in their wonder boxes.
“The workshops were initially delivered by one person whose role was funded through the Faith in Community team, but since then two people have volunteered to run the sessions, which has allowed more one-to-one working with those taking part.”
The wonder box workshops were piloted as a result of participatory budget funding won at last year’s community funding event at Dundee West Church.
Around £8,000 was split between the winners including Lochee Parish Church, Mainstreet Young People’s Group and the Parish Nursing Recovery Map.
Chloe Clemmons, parliamentary officer for the Kirk’s Church and Society Council, said: “It is fantastic for churches to be able to invite people to come together at a participatory budgeting event and make real decisions about funding activities in their area.
“Churches which hosted events in previous years have found the process helped them to increase their connections in the local community and support some brilliant local projects like wonder box workshops.”
The next round of funding will be awarded at Dundee’s PB event being held on Tuesday 30 April between 1pm-3:30pm at Coldside Parish Church.
To apply to take part, email dundeepb2019@gmail.com and complete an application form by Friday April 12.
