Charlie’s Story: Building Confidence One Recipe at a Time

Charlie’s Story: Building Confidence One Recipe at a Time

At Project Food, we believe that food is more than just fuel; it’s a powerful tool for building confidence, independence and connection. Charlie’s journey is a beautiful example of how cooking can support mental wellbeing and personal growth.

Meet Charlie

Charlie, 24, lives at home with his supportive adoptive parents. He has FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), which means he sometimes needs a bit more time to process information, but he’s a keen learner with a creative spark. He loves photography, nature, and all things Korean, especially the food and music!

Charlie was referred to us by Headlight, a local young people’s mental health support group. He was experiencing anxiety and intrusive thoughts, particularly around food and eating habits. But he was also full of enthusiasm and ready to take on a new challenge: learning to cook.

Setting Goals

Charlie’s goals were clear and full of heart:

• Build confidence in the kitchen
• Learn to manage multiple tasks while cooking
• Cook for his friends
• Lead a pizza-making session for his Headlight peer group

With the support of our volunteer Sam, Charlie began a series of six one-to-one cooking sessions designed to help him grow his skills and independence.

Progress in the Kitchen

From the very first session, Charlie showed curiosity and creativity. He loved exploring how to use leftovers, like turning extra tomato sauce into something new. He prepped food with minimal support, tried brown rice for the first time (and loved it!) and even made a garlic loaf at home, proudly sharing photos of his creation.

We talked about different cooking methods, gas, electric, BBQ and how to adapt recipes. Writing things down and keeping a cooking journal helped Charlie remember what he’d learned and track his progress.

A Big Milestone

Two months later, Charlie achieved something amazing: he hosted his very own pizza-making workshop for his Headlight group. He shared his new skills with confidence and joy, creating a fun, supportive space for others to learn too.

“Thank you, Project Food was really fun and I think it helped me a lot!” – Charlie

“It was lovely to see how happy and confident he was today, a big grin at the end when enjoying the food he made.” – Lola, Mental Health Support Worker, Headlight

A Community Effort

Charlie’s journey is a shining example of what can happen when organisations work together to support young people. This collaboration between Project Food, Headlight, and Action East Devon shows the power of community in nurturing confidence, independence, and wellbeing.

If you or someone you know could benefit from support like Charlie’s, get in touch with us at Project Food. We’re here to help.
If you would like to learn more about the fantastic work Headlight do for young people in our community, you can find them by visiting the Action East Devon website