The KookClub and the youth centre in Fribourg have been at a standstill for months. There is currently no suitable place to continue activities. And now local politics are also involved.
“This is more than just a cooking club,” says Marcel Elzermann, councillor for Livpar Tinarlo. “This is a safe haven for children who might otherwise be excluded or bullied.”
So for him, it was justified to sound the alarm loudly. The cooking club in Friese brought together more than twenty (sometimes more than thirty) children, who cooked for next to nothing. “I really liked it, but it was more about being together,” says Robin van Es.
She’s quite upset that the club has been closed for months. “I think it’s a shame. It’s always been so much fun. I hope we can go again soon, no matter where.”
The volunteers already have an idea of this. For example, the village hall of De Panne, located in Nieuw Rijswijk, would be a good place. But the municipality of Tinnarlo makes all kinds of courses mandatory for this purpose. For example, the volunteers must be able to give first aid and know everything about hygiene.
“No problem,” says one volunteer, “but all these courses cost money. Money that the cooking club doesn’t have. “If the municipality was willing to offer this to some of us, this problem would be solved.”
Elzerman believes the municipality could easily help. “Organize courses or modify the strict requirements if necessary,” he says. He also advocates creating a structural space for the cooking club.
“This is very important to the quality of life in the village,” Elzerman says. “It’s more than just cooking, it builds respect for each other.”
Councillor Hans de Graaf (Christian Union) said in response that he is very supportive of the cooking club and is actively looking for a new location. De Panne village hall may not be the place to be. “The guidelines from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority forbid this,” he says.
He will come up with an alternative. “It might be possible at De Camp’s gym. The space is there and you can have it ready for cooking in the foreseeable future.”
De Graaf dares to mention a term. “We have to get this done in two months.”
“Total coffee specialist. Hardcore reader. Incurable music scholar. Web guru. Freelance troublemaker. Problem solver. Travel trailblazer.”
More Stories
Brabanders are concerned about climate change.
The “term-linked contract” saves space on the electricity grid.
The oystercatcher, the “unlucky national bird,” is increasingly breeding on rooftops.