Cooking lessons are giving young people with sight loss new skills in Southampton.
This summer, the participants, supported by Tesco’s The Sun Healthy Eating for All campaign, have been practising cutting, dicing, and preparing various meals.
The sessions, called Cooking with Confidence, were more than just culinary lessons.
They were part of a programme aimed at promoting healthy eating, developing life skills, and fostering independence.
Cooking lessons teach independence to children with vision impairment(Image: Southampton Sight)
Each session was guided by Guide Dogs’ specialist habilitation officers, ensuring the activities were both enjoyable and educational.
The sessions help young people with sight loss build the independent living skills essential for confident, self-sufficient futures.
Angela Wood, a Guide Dogs habilitation specialist, said: “With the right techniques, equipment, and strategies, preparing meals with sight loss doesn’t have to be daunting.
“We’re delighted to have helped children with a vision impairment learn essential skills and cook recipes they might not otherwise have had the chance to try.”
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The programme, mindful of the limited resources in schools for extracurricular learning, aims to complement formal education by focusing on real-world independence.
To extend the benefits beyond the sessions, every participant was given an accessible cooking starter kit.
This includes talking scales, liquid level indicators, and other adaptive kitchen tools.
Angela added: “Thanks to the equipment bundles provided, they can now take these skills home and continue cooking with their families – a real recipe for success.
“A huge thanks to Tesco and Southampton Sight for making these sessions possible.”
Jackie Powers, CEO of Southampton Sight, said: “A sighted child typically develops through watching and imitating what other people do in everyday situations, but children and young people living with sight loss need extra support to learn these everyday skills.
“With funding like this from Tesco/The Sun, we are able to offer fun learning experiences that not only prepare these children and young people for their future but bring with them a buzz and zest for life that really makes our work enjoyable and worthwhile.”
Southampton Sight, a local charity, aims to empower visually impaired individuals by offering lifelong support, reducing isolation, and helping them achieve personal goals.
Dining and Cooking