We thought it would be great to introduce you to some of our fabulous Bags of Taste team, here you can find out more about Helen who works for Bags of Taste in Hackney and Waltham Forest…..

 

1. Can you share a bit about your background and how it led to your work with Bags of Taste?
I finished my Nutrition with Public Health degree in 2023, having previously worked in Finance. My plan was to get a full-time job in a public health role, but new caring responsibilities meant I could only work remotely, and remote-working jobs are very sought after. In her webinar ‘How to Get a Job in Nutrition’, Zoe Griffiths advises Nutrition graduates to gain experience via voluntary work, and she suggested organisations with such opportunities, one of which was Bags of Taste. The role of volunteer mentor was a perfect match in terms of Public Health Nutrition (my main interest) and flexible remote working which suited my personal circumstances. After 18 months of volunteering I was offered a paid role to coordinate groups in Hackney and I also work across Waltham Forest.
2. What inspired you to get involved with Bags of Taste?

I want to be involved in projects that empower people to eat a healthier diet, eat fewer ultra-processed foods and cook more meals from scratch. I love that the Bags of Taste course is inclusive – by cooking the meals at home in the person’s own time it is more accessible and less overwhelming than a cooking class. I also love that low-cost store cupboard ingredients are used to make simple yet delicious meals.

3. Can you share a memorable moment when you saw someone benefit from the Bags of Taste programme?

One of the participants I mentored told me that Bags of Taste was the first food/diet related activity that she and her partner actually found useful. An autistic young woman, she was in good health as a teen, but multiple chronic conditions had left her unable to work and reliant on her partner to cook for her. She said the course had helped to improve her partner’s confidence to cook from scratch and try more recipes, whereas previously they had worried about getting things wrong and wasting money. She also said Bags of Taste provided useful, relevant information about food prep and storage. In the past they had tried to source such information online but found internet content to be too overwhelming. And she loved how inclusive the course is.

 

4. How has your background in nutrition helped you with your role?

Before I started my Nutrition degree there was a small part of me which still believed that achieving a healthy diet and lifestyle was down to individual responsibility. The various modules on Public Health I undertook helped me to understand about the multiple external factors which influence and limit people’s food choices. Bags of Taste staff and mentor training also focuses on these ‘Social Determinants of Health’ but I think having prior knowledge from my degree has helped me to better support people and appreciate their individual situations.

 

5. Lastly, what do you like doing when you are not working at Bags of Taste and in your spare time?

I also volunteer at the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership Community Kitchen – with other kitchen volunteers supporting the chef to deliver community cooking sessions for children, adults and families.

I like to run and I’m a regular at my local weekly 5K park run.