Residential Spring Fayre held at Beck House
Saturday 29th May saw the first-ever Residential Spring Fayre take place at Beck House in Salisbury. The Fayre was attended by Five Rivers adults and children, and was part of our Food for Thought project, which aims to teach our children how to live sustainably and healthily by growing and cooking seasonal, fresh food.
At the Fayre, children and adults alike enjoyed the warm weather in the garden, which was decorated with bunting to celebrate the occasion. There were different stalls with games and activities, items for sale, as well as a bird trail around the garden.
A selection of food was available at the fayre, all made by Professional Chef, Warren Hoile, who has worked with our homes developing the cooking skills of both the adults and the children. Food on offer included Chicken Shawarma with flatbreads, Homemade Beef Burgers, a selection of salads, and rhubarb and apple crumble.
The event coincided with Children’s Gardening Week, and was a great opportunity for children to share with the organisation the progress of the allotments which have been built in many of our homes. The team at Beck House are currently growing broad beans, sweetcorn, raspberries and gooseberries, under the careful guidance of Beck House’s deputy manager, Sarah Pike.
Sarah Stefano, Head of Residential, said: “This year we’ve been actively seeking opportunities for the children in all our homes, to get outdoors and learn from nature.
We’ve introduced new allotments and taught the children how to grow fruit and veg, we’ve re-homed three chickens, and arranged for the children to have virtual cooking lessons with a professional Chef. It’s incredibly important to us that we give our children the knowledge and hands-on experience that they would get in any family home, so that when the time is right, they have the skills to live independently.”
“Our Spring Fayre was a chance for all of our children to get together, swap stories about what they’ve been doing and learning about the garden, and passing on hints and tips. We all enjoyed the beautiful weather and had a lot of fun playing in the garden and learning about the source of our food.”