New kitchen boost for Trowbridge mother & baby project

A new kitchen extension is set to change the lives of current and future residents of Newburn House, Trowbridge - a project that provides short-term accommodation to four women aged between 16 and 24 years who are pregnant or who have one young child.

Newburn House is run by Westlea Housing and Splitz Support Service, working in partnership.

As well as safe and secure accommodation, the project offers these young women with essential support, advice, guidance and encouragement. They have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities and many learning opportunities including independent living skills, child development, and managing money; there are also chances to access to educational and vocational opportunities.

The new kitchen extension, designed by Westlea's in-house design team, is an important addition to the house says Project Co-ordinator Hazel Rutland: "The kitchen has already made a huge difference to the residents at Newburn House. The four residents now all have their own individual kitchen areas so no longer have to take it in turns and everyone can comfortably cook at the same time if they want to.

"We are now so much better placed to show the young parents we work with how to live healthily by using freshly prepared food and cooking nutritious meals for themselves and their children."

Each resident now has a cooker, fridge, sink area and cupboards for their own use – the new facility is actually four mini kitchens within one large work space with a large central workshop for demonstration purposes.

Splitz Support Worker Sue Pearce says funding from the charity run by Wiltshire’s radio station Heart - has meant the new kitchen is properly kitted out: "Thanks to the very generous donation from Heart, we have been able to buy some fabulous new equipment for the residents to use. And having so much space means that our Friday morning cookery sessions are no longer a logistical nightmare.

"The kitchen has now become the hub of the house and residents are more likely to be found here chatting and laughing together than anywhere else!"

Sarah Jane Plant, who has been a resident at Newburn House for the past three months with her young son, said: "The whole project is brilliant! I have become so much more confident in terms of meeting people and speaking to them; I have got really close to the other mums that are living here and the support we get is great.

"The new kitchen has encouraged our independence and allowed us the space to cook whenever we want without having to take it in turns or getting overcrowded. The advice that we have been given about what is healthy and good to cook for ourselves and our children has been really helpful."