Poole care home teams up with local Brownies and Girl Guides to bring back favourite recipes

A care home in Poole has teamed up with a local (Broadstone) Brownie and Girl Guides group and joined a nationwide campaign to save traditional recipes from being forgotten.  

A poll of 2,000 adults carried out by Care UK, which operates The Potteries, on York Road, found almost two-thirds (65%) of the nation no longer use family recipes that have been handed down through the generations, however, 43% of people surveyed are keen to save them. 

In a bid to prevent family recipes passed down from generations from being lost forever, Care UK has launched a free downloadable recipe book – Recipes to remember, which features recipes shared by care home residents across the UK. From food enjoyed during World War Two to quirky desserts from the 1970s, the book includes residents’ favourite foods, alongside recipes tailored to support older people by Care UK’s award-winning chefs. 

Keen to keep their recipes bubbling away in Poole for many years to come, Fredda, 91 a resident at The Potteries, rolled up her sleeves and donned her apron, to team up with two youth groups, the Broadstone Brownies and the local Girl Guides to show just how tasty their food favourites from the past are.

Together, Fredda and the Brownies and Girl Guides spent an evening recreating Fredda’s Fava beans recipe – Ful Medames. With food stations set up in the home’s kitchen, the children learned about the different beans and spices used – some of which the children had never heard of. 

Commenting on the afternoon, Fredda said: “This afternoon brought back wonderful memories of my time spent in Egypt and recreating this family traditional recipe bought a happy tear to my eye.”

Zita Turner, Home Manager at The Potteries, said: “Spring is in the air – and so too are the smells of some incredibly tasty home-cooked recipes adored by residents and their families for generations.  

“Just like a photograph, a family recipe can be a way to revisit the past and reminisce on a cherished memory or loved one. How something tastes or smells can be a powerful tool for triggering memories and positive feelings, especially for those living with dementia, which is why we’re delighted to be taking part in Care UK’s Recipes to remember campaign.

“It was wonderful seeing Fredda and the Brownies and Girl Guides revisit her beloved Egyptian dish. It’s clear from how much the afternoon was enjoyed that there’s still a hunger for foods from the past today – so don’t give up on them!”

To find out more about Care UK’s Recipes to remember initiative or to download your copy of the recipe book, please visit: careuk.com/recipes-to-remember 

The Potteries has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives in a luxury environment. The home provides full-time residential care, nursing care, dementia care and respite care and also boasts plenty of space – both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.