Something special is 
cooking at the YMCA

A new initiative to inspire communities through learning new cookery skills and techniques has been launched at Carrickfergus YMCA.
Arlene Thompson, Carrickfergus Cookery School tutor, sharing her culinary skills in the kitchen at the YMCA. INCT 46-791-CON COOKERYArlene Thompson, Carrickfergus Cookery School tutor, sharing her culinary skills in the kitchen at the YMCA. INCT 46-791-CON COOKERY
Arlene Thompson, Carrickfergus Cookery School tutor, sharing her culinary skills in the kitchen at the YMCA. INCT 46-791-CON COOKERY

Under the expert eye of tutor Arlene Thompson, Carrickfergus Cookery School is providing opportunities for participants to be creative and experience something new.

Situated at the YMCA, 30-34 Irish Quarter West, the fully equipped kitchen can facilitate practical training for a maximum class size of seven, making it ideal for running cookery sessions with a high level of one to one tuition.  

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Carrickfergus Cookery School is currently providing classes for young people on training programmes to help them learn cooking skills, healthy eating, food safety, life skills and enjoy working as a team. Arlene comments: “ There is nothing more rewarding for me than to help young people and parents learn how to cook healthy affordable meals made from fresh ingredients, and the icing on the cake is when they come back and tell me they made the recipe at home for their family.

Arlene Thompson, Carrickfergus Cookery School tutor (centre) and Adam Hamilton, Step Up programme leader (far right) with students at the YMCA. INCT 46-790-CONArlene Thompson, Carrickfergus Cookery School tutor (centre) and Adam Hamilton, Step Up programme leader (far right) with students at the YMCA. INCT 46-790-CON
Arlene Thompson, Carrickfergus Cookery School tutor (centre) and Adam Hamilton, Step Up programme leader (far right) with students at the YMCA. INCT 46-790-CON

“Our next project is to open Carrickfergus Cookery School to the general public and we have just opened a Facebook page with our ‘Scratch Cookery Classes’ schedule for Nov-Jan”.

Ivor Mitchell, general secretary, Carrickfergus YMCA, adds: “Our new Scratch Cookery Classes have been developed to help provide extra funding for the work we do at Carrick YMCA and enable us to improve our services and provide cookery training to vulnerable young people.”

The Scratch Cookery Classes will run every Tuesday afternoon and evening, and are available for group bookings. They feature recipes with a wide variety of cooking skills ranging from easy to more advanced.

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The programme commences on November 25 under the title ‘Italian Passion’ and featuring butternut squash and red onion risotto with gremolata. This is followed on subsequent weeks by Bake Off, Festive Flair and Festive Flavours themes before Fish for the Family and Soup and Puds are served up early in the new year.

The schedule can be viewed online at www.carrickymca.org or on Facebook www.facebook.com/CarrickfergusCookerySchool or contact Arlene at [email protected]

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