Happy Time, run by passionate home cook Erina, is a relaxed community cooking programme that brings people together over delicious food, exciting conversation and shared learning.
Running every Friday morning from 9:30am to 2pm at the Perdiswell Young People’s Leisure Centre in Worcester, the sessions offer a welcoming space where anyone can come along, cook together and pick up new recipes in a friendly, no-pressure environment.
The sessions are completely free to attend and suitable for people with any level of cooking experience, from complete beginners to confident home cooks. Participants simply need to bring themselves and a food container to take their food home at the end of the session.
Every week the group tries a new recipe from a different culture. Participants cook together, share tips and enjoy the social side of being in the kitchen.
As regular attendees Jenny and Sue say:
“This is more than just healthy eating. It’s connection. Socialising and merging cultures”
“We learn a new recipe or skill every time we come. We’ve had lovely days out. We feel gifted and lucky to be here. Everyone accepts everyone else. It’s a safe space.”
Happy Time is about more than just learning new recipes. It is also a chance to meet others, build confidence and enjoy being part of a supportive community. Erina focusses on healthy dishes that can be recreated at home, helping people leave with skills they can actually use.
“It’s always a surprise what we make, and I always learn something that improves my cooking at home” – Jenny
First-time participant Hanife thoroughly enjoyed the session and spoke about how much she had taken from the experience: “Fabulous. This is fun. I’m really enjoying it. If I hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t have learnt how to do this. What I’ve learnt is good for me and my husband.”
Hanife’s experience reflects what many participants gain from Happy Time: practical skills, confidence in the kitchen and something positive to take home and share. Happy Time shows how something simple like cooking together can create connection and a real sense of belonging within the community.
It’s true what they say, good food really does bring people together
To find out more about how a Public Health community grant could help you improve wellbeing in your neighbourhood please visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/communitygrants