New cookbook launched by Luton Food Bank

Organisers from the Food Bank flooded Luton Central Library with a colourful display of food and artwork to back up the cookbook – which was illustrated by artist Darrel Innes.

Fiona Morton was one of the volunteers who gathered local recipes. She said: “It was really inspiring to read people’s family stories, some touching, some funny, and I tried to keep that sense of community and love and humour in the recipes.

“We had recipes from local churches, community groups, WI members and Luton people who were keen to share their energy and penny saving ideas.”

A group of local artists worked together to produce the cookbook, with contributions sent over from the USA, Canada and other parts of the UK.

A fundraising event for the project was previously held in Flamingo Arts in High Town, hosted by Mary Hearne. She said: “We held discussions on food poverty, social justice and environmental issues whilst serving up a choice of two soups, the recipes of which appear in the cookbook.”

And artist Darrel Innes said: “I wanted to create a series of townsfolk characters to guide the reader through the cookbook. Luton is a very diverse and culturally rich town and I wanted to highlight this diversity.”

One of the leaders of the project Helen Jones added: “The Luton cookbook project has been inspired by the work of Nicholas Bourriaud – an art critic and curator who coined the term Relational Aesthetics. This happens when artists facilitate social events that audiences participate in to make positive changes in their community.”

The launch lasts until Tuesday. A children’s poster-making workshop will be held at the library on Saturday, May 6, from 12pm to 4pm.