Culinary Arts at SERC Delivers Win-Win Training and Support for the Community during Festive Season

Culinary Arts students at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) are well prepared for the festive season in the industry thanks to an innovative partnership with Bangor Foodhub and Community Support (BFCS) involving a series of community engagement, social impact and wellbeing events delivered throughout the year.

Paul Mercer, Principal Lecturer and Commercial Hospitality Manager at SERC said, “There is no doubt that both Christmas and New Year celebrations bring one of the busiest periods for the hospitality industry, and for our students, the buzz of the season is part of preparation for work in the industry, so we have been extremely busy.”

He added, “Starting in October this year, supported by funding from the Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust (AHPT), we delivered a series of interactive cookery demonstrations and lessons specially designed for groups such as uHub (a local group provide counselling, cognitive behaviour therapy,  and holistic and creative therapies for adults, teens and children in North Down), SERC student carers, foodbank volunteers, and BFCS clients. The AHPT funding is also supporting a series of filmed cookery demonstrations, which will be shared across both SERC and BFCS social media channels to maximise outreach and community impact. Giving people the know-how and confidence to make, simple, nutritious and filling meals is a skill for life that we are passionate about sharing.”   

“Students also prepared, cooked and served community dinners and wellbeing events to strengthen connections with smaller charitable groups supported by BFCS. In the New Year, they will be hosting a Men’s Shed winter barbeque, and a carers’ dinner at the Birches Restaurant in SERC’s Bangor Campus."

He continued, “Since September 2025 we have prepared and donated over 450 frozen ready meals through our Freezer Friends Initiative which continues to supply BFCS with meals on a rolling basis. The initiative supports vulnerable individuals and families across the Bangor area, whilst our students gain industry relevant skills through preparation of these meals.   It really is a case of win-win for everyone involved.”

BFCS has also recently opened a new foodbank in the Portaferry area and the college hopes to extend their collaborative work by involving culinary arts and hospitality students and staff from SERC’s Downpatrick Campus in the New Year.