This supper club bridges cultures

One of the best ways to learn a language is through everyday experiences like eating. That’s part of the philosophy behind the Manchester, England supper club called Heart and Parcel. The club teaches English to migrant women through cookery classes. 

The club’s co-founders and teachers Karolina Koscien and Clare Courtney came up with the idea after funding cuts to English classes took effect in 2015, and because they felt that migrant women’s skills were being wasted. “We are not realising their full potential,” she says. The classes they offer are free of charge, and focus on learning the language through preparing and serving food.

Even though they knew intuitively that this would be successful way to learn the language, Clare was surprised at just how effective it was. “There’s so much English to learn through cooking; quantities, adjectives, how does the food smell, is the food good. Learners relax and then the English just flows,” she says. Heart and Parcel started with a small grant and has been growing ever since. They now have over 20 people who want to start their own version of the club. 

Photo of Tear & share pasty from BBC Good Food Magazine by Miriam Nice