Moville men graduate six-week cookery class with flying colours

It was a not so warm Wednesday morning in April at the Men’s Shed in Moville but the unseasonable weather didn’t hamper one group of men who came together all in the name of healthy food.

Fourteen men of all ages came together every Wednesday morning at the Men’s Shed over the last six weeks to take part in the increasingly popular Slaintecare Healthy Food Made Easy cookery classes.

Ran by trainer Maureen Doherty and co-ordinated by Inishowen Development Partnership’s community nutritionist Niamh Britton, the six week course taught the men a variety of healthy cooking tips and tricks.

However more than that is taught the men the importance of looking after themselves and how their diet and routine can have serious health implications.

During week five of the Healthy Food Made Easy Programme a dietician visits each group to talk in depth about health concerns and to reinforce the importance of eating a balanced healthy diet.

“I found this part of the course very beneficial,” said one of the participants Sean McBride.

“The lady was very good and she stayed with us for the two hours and we all had a good chat with her.”

As part of the programme a nurse also conducted health checks on a number of the men.

IDP community nutritionist Niamh Britton said this part of the course is invaluable.

“Dietician appointments are getting increasingly difficult to get so this part of the HFME programme is so beneficial to all the participants,” explained Niamh.

However it was the cooking [and the craic] that had the men coming back week after week. Trainer Maureen Doherty said she couldn’t praise their commitment and enthusiasm highly enough.

“This group of men in the Men’s Shed really were a great bunch,” said Maureen.

“They were here every week ready to get cracking from the start. They were open to trying new foods and learning new ways of preparing food. They really were great and I felt they really appreciated the fact that we brought the HFME here to the Men’s Shed so they could learn and cook in their own environment.”

Participant Mickey Bryne said taking part in the classes was a great experience – both socially and practically.

“The cooking was great – simple instructions that we can easily bring back to the house,” he said.

“But socially for men of different ages like this group to be able to get together and be on the same level is a great thing.”

Similarly Charlie McLaughlin, who did the previous HFME men’s class in Greencastle, said he would 100 per cent recommend the classes to everyone else.

“It’s rare to have men together like this cooking so it has been great to be a part of that. I learned a lot and enjoyed myself too – they even convinced me to buy and air fryer,” added Charlie.

Moville Men’s Shed became involved in the HFME classes through the Shed’s For Life programme, which is funded by the Sláintecare Integration Fund, and run by the Irish Men’s Sheds Association

It is a community-based health promotion programme aimed at addressing some of the serious health inequalities that exist for men in Ireland. The programme works to support the physical, mental and social wellbeing of men’s sheds members.

As part of the programme the men have been doing weekly exercise and walking classes with local Moville trainer Paul McGowan and they will also have access to Heart Disease and Cancer screening, as well as a workshop of diabetes prevention and mental health.

The idea is that all of these activities take place within the shed or its surround which makes it easier for the members to access and use them.

Something which is definitely happening with this group of men in the Moville Men’s Shed!