Residents of Orchard Park in Cambridge can cook up a storm after producing a recipe book containing their favourite recipes from around the world.

Members of the Park Arts Group, which is based at Orchard Park, developed and produced the book after working with members of the local community to get contributions from families living in the area.

Katie Huane, Chair of the Park Arts Group, said that the idea came from the Orchard Park Primary School PTA, which approached the Group to help get it off the ground.

“The PTA approached us late last year to find out if we were interested in helping develop a recipe book that featured contributions from local residents,” said Ms Huane.

“We thought that it was a great idea, as Orchard Park, and consequently also the school, has a huge variety of people with a wide range of backgrounds.

“Food is such a universal thing and we thought that developing a book that had recipes from members of the community would be a great way to bring people together and learn more about each other.”

The Group received funding to develop the recipe book from housing association, bpha, which manages a number of properties on the site, along with funding organisation Cambridge Community Foundation, the site developer, Gallagher Estates, South Cambridgeshire Council, and the Public Art Fund.

‘Once we’d confirmed the funding we put a call out to all the local residents asking them if they would like to submit recipes and received an overwhelming response.  In total we received more than 30 submissions representing many different cultures and countries,’ said Ms Huane.

The Group then worked with the local community development officer to run a ‘taster session’ where people were asked to cook their recipe so that other community members could taste each one.

This event also included a local artist and a local resident who volunteered his time to ensure there were photos of each recipe and their contributor, and then to design the whole book to make it attractive and easy to use.

The recipe book itself is now being sold to raise more funds for further community events for residents of Orchard Park.  It can be bought from the Park Arts Group itself, through the Orchard Park Primary School PTA, through the local community council, and will be sold at future community events.

To purchase a copy of the cookbook, contact Katie Huane on chair@parkartsgroup.org.uk.