There is something powerful about a kitchen full of laughter and the smell of freshly baked bread.
During our visit to Sunniside Community Centre, a group of women are gathered around the worktops, kneading dough, sharing stories and debating whether treacle or golden syrup makes the better topping. The grandkids, it seems, have the final say.
At Sunniside Community Association, the baking sessions are shaped by the people in the room.
One member brought along memories of her mam making stotties and finally had the chance to make her own. A simple recipe became a connection to the past, a new skill and a story to share.
In a village with no shops, limited bus services and few places for people to meet, the community centre has become a place where people can find company, learn something new and feel part of something.
More than baking
The idea behind the baking sessions began with a practical idea: use surplus food to help people cook affordable, healthy meals.
But what has grown is about much more than what comes out of the oven.
Each week, ingredients arrive from FareShare, Tesco and Greggs. The group works with what they have, turning bananas into loaves, apples into cakes and puddings, and surplus fruit into jams and preserves.
Around 75 apples, 20kg of tomatoes, rhubarb, 8kg of plums, 40 punnets of blueberries and 55 punnets of strawberries have been used rather than wasted.
The food is taken home, shared with family, or enjoyed through the community café.
For the people attending, the biggest change is often less visible.
A Sunniside resident shared:
“Louise’s baking groups at Sunniside Community Centre mean so very much to me. Since joining the group, my mental health has definitely improved. For example, pounding bread dough is great for relieving stress and anxiety.”
They describe how the group has helped her build confidence and friendships:
“Also since joining I have made new friends and we all enjoy a laugh together. Everyone helps each other.”
And the impact follows her home:
“At the end of the baking sessions, I feel proud of what I have achieved and I get to take home the delicious home made food that I have made.”
Finding a place to belong
For some people, simply walking through the door is a huge step.
One participant shared how difficult everyday tasks and social situations can feel while living with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD).
“I have CPTSD and find some everyday things really difficult, including stuff around kitchens/shopping/food and social stuff (unless the others have four legs and fur!), so the thought of cooking classes has been my idea of hell.”
But after encouragement from a neighbour, they decided to try. The group’s relaxed atmosphere helped them feel comfortable:
“Louise makes it a safe relaxed place and the fact that we get something yummy to take home is a treat.”
For them, the sessions have created confidence beyond the kitchen:
“Also I don’t have a working oven at home and it’s made me think I could one day sort that out. I think it’s brilliant.”
The ripple effect of local giving
The baking group was made possible through Point North’s Community Grants Programme, with support from Learning Curve Group, Robson Laidler and Eldon Charitable Fund.
The funding paid for a baking tutor, ingredients and additional cooking facilities, but the value created reaches much further.
More than 46 people from Sunniside and surrounding villages including Oakenshaw, Crook, Stanley Crook, Tow Law, Roddymoor and Thornley have taken part in the lessons. People came for different reasons. Some wanted to learn how to cook on a budget, some wanted to make their money go further, and others were looking for company.
They found all of that, and more. One participant describes the group as:
“A fab social session. I can be me.”
They explain: “The additional bonus is the joy of sharing especially with my family it gives me an excuse to go visit and bring a smile to a range of people’s faces which is priceless.”
A community that keeps growing
The baking sessions are part of a wider network of support at Sunniside Community Association.
The community shop helps local people access affordable food. The café provides a place to meet. Volunteers collect surplus food, support activities and share their own skills.
The project shows what can happen when local knowledge, community passion and generous support come together.
A grant from Point North helped buy ingredients and pay for sessions, but what it created was something harder to measure: friendships, confidence and a place where people know they belong.
As one group member said:
“Without the community centre in Sunniside, residents would have no other communal space to come together and meet others.”