Just like my mother used to make

‘Just like my mother used to make…’ is a partnership project between Ayscoughfee Hall Museum, Spalding Library and Spalding International. It is a project inspired by the ‘Feast of Fenland’ exhibition which explored the local link with food and farming and was funded by Renaissance East Midlands, Lincolnshire County Council, South Holland District Council and Culture East Midlands.

‘Just like my mother used to make …’ is bringing together migrant workers and local people in Spalding to explore the foods that remind them of their childhoods. The recipes will be found, then trialled and made by Sergi’s, Spalding’s local delicatessen. The participants will then taste and talk about the food and the project will culminate with an event at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum on Sunday 9 March where visitors can taste and comment on the food and their culinary memories of childhood. Visitors to the event and the ‘Feast of Fenland’ exhibition will then be able to take home the recipes to try for themselves.

This project has been developed as a direct result of a pyramid consultation process. The project manager undertook initial consultation with more than 30 organisations that were either cultural providers in Spalding, employed migrant workers or provided community support for migrant workers. This group talked about the specific needs of migrant workers in Spalding and how Ayscoughfee Hall Museum could help meet these needs.  As a result, partnerships were developed with organisations who were trying to ensure that there is cultural integration and understanding between the local people and migrant workers. 

Consultation was then carried out with five local groups/cultural providers: Spalding Library, Boston College, Spalding International (a migrant worker community group) and two local churches. The project ‘Just like mother used to make...’ developed to meet the needs raised during this consultation process:

• be sociable
• encourage cross cultural understanding
• encourage integration
• be about food

The project started on 24 January and thirteen people attended the first meeting: six were born in the UK and seven in Latvia, Lithuania and Romania.  The project is continuing throughout February.

To find out more email Richard Davies or email Claire Adler at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum.