Altogether Now participants were joined by six wonderful British Gas volunteers for a hands-on baking session focused on building confidence, independence and practical life skills.
Four young people from the project were each paired with at least one British Gas volunteer, forming small teams who worked together to follow recipes and produce four different batches of cookies; milk chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, M&M, and triple chocolate. Each group took responsibility for their recipe from preparation through to baking and finishing, supporting one another throughout the process.
A key highlight of the session was the leadership shown by young people who had previously completed their Level 2 Food Hygiene training. These participants took an active lead in supporting preparation, confidently demonstrating safe food handling practices, guiding others on kitchen hygiene, and helping ensure all groups worked safely and effectively. This peer-led element allowed them to put their training into practice while building confidence as leaders and role models.
Alongside baking skills, the session strongly supported the development of soft skills essential for education, employment and everyday life. Communication, teamwork and problem-solving were developed throughout as young people and volunteers worked together, adapted recipes and managed timings. Participants also demonstrated patience, resilience and time management in a real, practical setting.
The British Gas volunteers helped create a warm and supportive atmosphere throughout, offering encouragement, guidance and positive role modelling. A huge thank you is extended to them for their time, energy and enthusiasm, and for the positive impact they made on the session.
I had an amazing partner called Paddy, he definitely led us on the baking, hopefully I'll go home and bake some cookies myself now!
Vicky Bethell, British Gas
Once the structured baking was complete, the group moved into a “freestyle bake”, giving young people and volunteers the chance to get creative with their own cookie combinations. This encouraged independence, decision-making and creativity while still reinforcing teamwork and shared learning.
By the end of the session, trays of cookies were proudly produced, shared and enjoyed together. More importantly, young people strengthened their confidence, developed practical cooking skills, and built a wide range of soft skills in a fun and inclusive environment.
The Altogether Now Project continues to show the value of partnerships like this, where volunteers and young people come together to create meaningful, skills-focused experiences that extend far beyond the kitchen. If you're looking to get involved or find out more, please contact Ross Cox ross@leicestershirecares.co.uk