A campaign that encourages healthy cooking and eating in Hounslow has won the Social Enterprise category at the One Hounslow Community Awards this week.

Stir It Up Cookery started teaching children how to cook healthy food about 5 years ago, in after school clubs and summer holiday groups, with much of their work based around Brentford.

Founder, Jacquie McBeth, hoped her campaign would encourage the community to reap the social, economic and health benefits of cooking and eating together, with a personal ambition to get kids to love kale.

In May, she launched the community interest company Stir It Up Recipe Bags, a meal kit delivery scheme, helping busy parents feed their families through healthy, quick, easy and kid-friendly dishes.

Jacquie, who lives and works in Brentford, said she still can't quite believe her win, and hoped the award will mean more people hear of Stir It Up Recipe Bags.

She said: "Winning the award is fantastic as it will allow me to bring good food to even more people!

"All I wanted to do was have a positive impact on as many people as possible; supporting families, supporting community groups and supporting family run organic farms."

Jacquie also ran a 10-week healthy eating campaign across social media, obtained funding to deliver cookery classes in local children's centres and - when lockdown prevented the classes - set up Curfew Kitchen, sharing recipes on Facebook to help local families. 

Much of the Stir It Up produce is sourced from local horticultural projects like Chiswick House and Garden, where the income is reinvested into community outreach projects.

A One Hounslow Community Awards nominator said: "Stir It Up has been strengthening our community and the local economy.

"Jacquie's keen to use her profits to teach children and their families, and run more healthy eating campaigns so everyone can eat good food."

As well as Brentford, Stir It Up also covers deliveries in Chiswick, Ealing, Barnes, Isleworth, Acton and Richmond.

The One Hounslow Community Awards 2021, organised by Hounslow Council, took place at Hounslow House, on Wednesday, October 6.

Find out about the other community champions, here.