Premier League Kicks provides football sessions, mentoring and personal development activities for youngsters aged eight to 18 in some of the most deprived areas of the country, where young people are most at risk of engaging in antisocial behaviour and youth violence.
Although football is the main attraction across the 90 clubs that deliver the programme nationwide, the West Ham United Foundation (WHUF) regularly delivers enrichment activities looking to develop the young people’s life skills.
By partnering up with the Beyond Food Foundation, West Ham’s PL Kicks participants took the learning off the pitch and into the kitchen for a cooking masterclass with the Brigade Bar’s head chef, Leon Seraphin.
Based in Tower Hamlets, the Beyond Food Foundation is a charity that works with vulnerable individuals, including those grappling with mental health issues, at risk of homelessness, and young people outside of mainstream education.
“Cooking on a budget in the context of the cost-of-living crisis is something we considered really important,” insisted WHUF Youth & Community Work Manager Paul Iseghohi. “We finish our Kicks provision at age 18, so a lot of these young people will be moving out of their homes, going to university, or landing their first job, so this activation is a great learning opportunity for them.
“From a PL Kicks point of view, one of our main objectives is to provide young people with opportunities that they may not usually get. We’ve got a really big influence using the power of football and the West Ham badge, so it’s great to use these outside of the regular football sessions to empower young people to reach their full potential.”
During the three-hour session, participants were split into groups, each tasked with preparing a hearty meal from the Beyond Food Foundation’s cookbook.
For head chef Seraphin, the main takeaway for the young people was the realisation that they could create restaurant-worthy meals on a budget with their newfound culinary skills.
“Walking into the restaurant downstairs, it looks really high market and fancy,” commented one participant after making their way through the charity’s partner restaurant, the Brigade Bar, into the workshop kitchen. “But at the Beyond Food Foundation, we’ve learnt that good food doesn’t necessarily come from expensive ingredients. With the right knowhow and recipe, anyone can cook tasty meals on a budget.
“The food we made was extremely good. I really look forward to taking this cookbook home and working on some of the other recipes.”
Commenting on the partnership, WHUF PL Kicks Coordinator Najma Shariffu concluded: “The partnership aligns with the goals of both organisations in the way it helps young people develop new skills which will positively impact their future. So, we’re hoping that they’ll be able to take what they’ve learned today and apply it as they move into college and university. At Kicks, we value learning off the pitch as much as on it.”
