The concept of the UK MTKi was formally piloted at workshop within a public event in Cambourne in April 2023 in partnership with CamCare UK and the University of Brighton. The event paved the way for the NNEdPro-UK roadshow events held in September 2023 in various parts of the UK, namely Cambridge, Belfast, Aberdeen and Dundee, in partnership with the University of Queensland, Center for Community Health & Wellbeing. The roadshow events provided a deep dive into the programme's potential impact in the UK. Attendees explored how hands-on nutrition education can empower communities and individuals to make healthier choices. More details can be found here.
In November 2023, a culinary nutrition education workshop was conducted in Dundee, Scotland, in partnership with the Dundee and Angus College, where participants learned about different food groups, how to read food labels, and how to make healthy swaps in the recipes and the nutrient profiles for each dish. This workshop led to the development of the first 'preceptors' group within the UK. These preceptors would work with nutrition and culinary experts from the UK MTK team to subsequently train members of the public to become potential UK MTK champions. More details can be found here.
In 2024, with support from EIT Food, we ran a Proof of Concept to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition in two underserved UK communities. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. The initiative conducted a needs assessment to identify specific challenges and opportunities for impact within these communities, then implemented the Mobile Teaching Kitchen International (MTKi) model. Deliverables of the project included:
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Demonstration of Effectiveness: The MTKi model effectively improves participants' nutritional knowledge, cooking and entrepreneurial skills, and dietary behaviours.
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Test Feasibility: The feasibility of implementing the MTKi model within the UK's socioeconomic and cultural context, adapting the model as necessary.
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Assess Scalability: Demonstrate the model's potential for expansion to reach a broader population across diverse communities.
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Empower Communities: Fostering a culture of self-sufficiency and empowerment in communities to support healthier food choices and improved nutrition.
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Generate Evidence: Collect quantitative data on changes in dietary behaviours and community knowledge dissemination.
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Inform Policy and Advocacy: Use collected evidence to advocate for policy changes and resource allocation to address food insecurity and malnutrition in the UK.
Now, with support from the IMGO Foundation, we will continue the UK activities by recruiting new Champions from two different communities in the Dundee & Angus region.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
[PHASE 1] Key dates on the EIT Food Proof of Concept with two Community Cohorts:
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21st February: Culinary Nutrition Education Session 1 for Cohort 1 utilising an exemplary South Asian MTK menu template. Check out photos.
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27th March: Culinary Professionals training (to develop further 'preceptors' for the training of community members) on an exemplar Mediterranean MTK menu template, in partnership with Ristolab Italy. Check out photos.
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8th May: Culinary Nutrition Education Session 1 for Cohort 2, focusing on an exemplary South Asian MTK menu template. Check out photos.
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22nd May: Culinary Nutrition Education Session 2 for Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, focusing on the Mediterranean MTK menu template. Check out photos.
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11th June: Awareness session for future MTK Champions.
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12th June: Culinary Nutrition Education Session 3 for Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, concentrating on the Scottish MTK menu template. Check out photos.
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25th June: Participants from Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 will receive access to a Virtual Learning Environment created for the project. In this environment, we will cover topics such as Introduction to Nutrition, Culinary Nutrition Education Training, Project Management, Microenterprise, and Events Planning.
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26th June: Dundee Food Festival Briefing. Check out photos.
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6th and 7th July: Public Culinary Experience Event showcasing all three MTK menu templates at the Dundee Food Festival. Check out photos.
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17th July: Certification Ceremony and close of phase one. Check out photos
[PHASE 2] Key dates on the IMGO Foundation grant with two new Community Cohorts:
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10th October 2024: Train participants on two menu templates, with the 5 core champions leading the session. Menu refresh and practice session in preparation for the College of Sanctuary event. Check out photos.
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21st October 2024: College of Sanctuary Event. Cooking demonstration, information stand, and table buffet featuring the Indian and Scottish menu templates. Check out photos.
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27th November 2024: North Fife Community Hub at St David's Centre (Scottish Menu). On this occasion, the UK MTK champions had the opportunity to explore the menu proposals further with the North Fife community, engaging them in making new plates.
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30th January 2025: Invited presentation on UK MTK Efforts at the Society for Academic and Primary Care (SAPC) Annual Meetings.
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5th February 2025: North Fife Community Hub at St David's Centre (South Asian Menu). This occasion of the Dundee workshop saw fantastic engagement, where participants explored Indian and South Asian menus, enhancing their awareness of nutrition and health benefits. Check out photos.
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7th February 2025: Angus Climate Hub at Arbroath Academy (Scottish Menu). After the great success of the Dundee workshop, we introduced new recipes in UK communities, raising awareness of their health benefits through hands-on cooking and quizzes. Check out photos.
next steps
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4th April 2025: Arbroath.
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5th April 2025: St Andrews. A monthly marketplace where the UK MTK champions can showcase their skills and propose a complete South-Asian menu in the perfect setting to reach and engage as many people as possible.
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12th April 2025: Cooking classes with the the UK MTK.
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2nd-4th May 2025: Belfast, Northern Ireland.
project team
UK MTK Central Project Management Team
Project Manager: Matheus Abrantes
Deputy: Sarah Armes
Principal Investigator: Shumone Ray
Co-Principal Investigator: Kathy Martyn
Advisor: Pauline Douglas
Data Managers: Ramya Rajaram and Suvetha Manoharan
Operations and Researchers: Rauf Khalid, Ramya Rajaram, Suvetha Manoharan, Sarah Armes & Champions
Socials: Wanja Nyaga
Dundee & Angus College Staff
Katie Baxter, Maja Gach, Fiona Kilcullen, Sarah Sullivan, Kichelle Williams-Robinson & Team Members
Champions
Beth Fitzsimmons, Rebecca McCagh, Kathleen McLeod, Debbie Nelson & Tracey Toal
Volunteers
Alya Nath
Ahana Nath
Devendra Nath
Kush Chowdhury
Monika Nath
Nikitah Rajput Ray
Purbasha Chakravorty
Santanu Roy
Stazka McCormick
Ristolab
Dr Sofia Cavalleri & Chef Amabile Cortiglia
Angus Climate Hub
Kate Munro
