Whittington is a low SES community in Greater Geelong. This project seeks to build a healthier Whittington for the community by empowering people to prepare healthy meals for themselves and their families.

The impacts of 40 years of economic recessions and industry restructuring policies have transformed large parts of Geelong into disadvantaged blackspots. People in Whittington have experienced significant social, cultural and economic disadvantage which has coincided with food insecurity and unhealthy eating behaviours (Brotherhood of St Laurence 2016). These challenges were worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic (Grattan Institute 2020). In economic data Whittington routinely places among the lowest 3% of Australian suburbs.

 In response to community feedback, and feedback provided by attendees of the Whittington Neighbourhood House Foodbank, they seek to establish a community cooking experience in their neighbourhood kitchen. They have a small commercial kitchen on site and this program will provide lessons and experience in cooking skills, kitchen process, and food preparation and service.

Whittington Neighbourhood House aim to operate cooking classes that function as a working kitchen where participants prepare healthy, affordable meals that they serve to their communities in the foodbank. As such, participants learn cooking and kitchen skills and provide for themselves and their community by learning how to make food that is healthier and cheaper than fast food.