Memories at the Barn Cook Book. The perfect gift at Christmas

Our friends, Memories at the Barn have produced a wonderful recipe book which they are selling for charity to directly help their members. It would make a fantastic Christmas present! The funds raised will fund social outings and Art and Café resources for those living with dementia and their carers.

Memories at the Barn is a local, voluntary initiative run by registered charity Nailsea Tithe Barn Trust. Its purpose is to support local people with dementia and their carers. The Tithe Barn in Nailsea has become a valued and busy place for supporting local people with Dementia and Memories at the Barn has grown from being a social meeting once a month to providing a wide range of activities at least two afternoons a week throughout the year and a number at weekends.

This includes:-
• A Memory Café which offers tailored activities for individual members who live with dementia and a carers support group
• Barn Owls Dementia Choir for people living with Dementia
• Artful Minds, a creative group for people living with Dementia and their carers
• New Directions for carers when the person they have cared for has moved into care or passed away.
• A Peer Support Group for people living with dementia
• An events and outings programme
• Training programmes for volunteers, carers and people living with dementia
• Home visits and telephone support for families facing difficult times.

The idea for the cookbook came from Joe Garstin, one of the care partners involved with Memories at the Barn. He had been involved with a similar project when he was in the Royal Air Force in Berlin in Germany when he and others produced a cookbook, sold for charity to commemorate leaving Berlin in the mid 1990’s. Joe thought it would be a great project for Memories at the Barn. The design and technical assistance for the project came from Karen Smith and her daughter Laura, whilst the recipes and artwork were provided by the Memories at the Barn Members.

Joe says “Cooking has always been a way to bring people together and this cookbook is no exception. Created with love and care, this collection of recipes is a testament to the incredible spirit that binds the memory café community. Each recipe was generously contributed by our members, everyone with its unique story. The beautiful artwork was produced by our Artful Minds members.
Our goal with this cookbook is to share delicious and heart-warming recipes. From comforting family favourites to exciting new dishes there is something for everyone. All profits from this book will be used to support the work of Memories at the Barn.”

Karen Smith says “Many thanks to Nailsea and Backwell Rotary for their generous support in funding the printing of the first 100 copies of the cookbook and local print company Adroit Print, based in Blackfriars Road, Nailsea, for publishing the cookbook. Also, I would like to thank nutritionist Victoria Kubiak for her expert input, all our recipe contributors and Artful Minds for the amazing artwork. If you would like to purchase this cookbook which costs £10, please email tbarnmemories@gmail.com”

For further information about Memories at the Barn please look on the Nailsea Tithe Barn website https://nailseatithebarn.co.uk/memories-at-the-barn