0:00:02 > 0:00:06Across Britain, in hundreds of towns, cities and neighbourhoods,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09people are struggling with everyday worries
0:00:09 > 0:00:11that have got on top of them.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13But there are places to turn,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16even if it seems that no-one else will help.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19This centre is one of them,
0:00:19 > 0:00:21made unique by the woman that runs it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25A nun for 51 years...
0:00:25 > 0:00:26HORN TOOTS
0:00:26 > 0:00:27Bye-bye!
0:00:27 > 0:00:30..she's made it her mission to get this community back on its feet,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and make a real difference to the
0:00:33 > 0:00:35lives of as many people as she can...
0:00:35 > 0:00:37in her own particular way.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43They don't call me the formidable Sister Rita for nothing.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Today, Sister Rita launches a cookery class,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54teaching local residents the skills to cook healthy meals
0:00:54 > 0:00:56that are within their budget.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Hopefully, they will learn from this
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and make something like that at home,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03not just for themselves but for their children.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Sure, that's a good thing to happen.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Hiya, sit down.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09And the nun has some tough talking to do
0:01:09 > 0:01:12when one man's desperation risks getting out of hand.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13Listen.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Don't do it.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Please don't do it.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19Too dangerous.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26The doors have opened for another day
0:01:26 > 0:01:28at the Lalley Centre in Collyhurst.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30And for the locals...
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Oh, look at all these lovely faces looking up at me!
0:01:36 > 0:01:39..another dose of wit and wisdom is about to be delivered,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42in Sister Rita's inimitable style.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45I particularly support the philosophy
0:01:45 > 0:01:47that can be characterised as
0:01:47 > 0:01:50a hands-up, not a hand-out.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Did you hear me?
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Are you amused? Or are you scared?
0:01:54 > 0:01:56- I'm scared.- Good!
0:01:57 > 0:01:59The nun and her team of volunteers
0:01:59 > 0:02:01are here to help with life's essentials,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04offering practical support to those who need it
0:02:04 > 0:02:06in one of the poorest parts of Manchester.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Right, OK, OK.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11You're just like the kids in the nursery.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14The minute there's a little lull, you're at it again.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16I will throw you out, you know.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19I'm quite capable, I've learned how to do it.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22You know who this centre belongs to, do you?
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Who does it belong to?
0:02:24 > 0:02:25ALL: Us!
0:02:25 > 0:02:27You!
0:02:27 > 0:02:29All I do is clean it up and give orders.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31APPLAUSE
0:02:31 > 0:02:36So far this year, Sister Rita has launched two ambitious new projects.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38The community allotment that she hopes will
0:02:38 > 0:02:41provide the Lalley's food bank with a regular supply
0:02:41 > 0:02:43of fresh fruit and vegetables...
0:02:43 > 0:02:45This is what the allotment is all about.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Fresh produce every week to put into the food bank.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54..and also her plans to revitalise this neighbouring row of shops
0:02:54 > 0:02:58in order to create a community hub right in the heart of Collyhurst.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01We're doing it because
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Collyhurst is bereft of businesses,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09and so we are meeting a need of the people of Collyhurst.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13MUSIC ON RADIO: Money, Money, Money by ABBA
0:03:13 > 0:03:15All that would be more than enough for most people.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17But not Sister Rita.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20She's always thinking of new ways she can improve the lives
0:03:20 > 0:03:22of local residents.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25So on top of her bigger ideas, there's the everyday business
0:03:25 > 0:03:27of giving help to those who need it most.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29# All the things I could do
0:03:29 > 0:03:32# If I had a little money
0:03:32 > 0:03:35# It's a rich man's world. #
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Well, brother, what's going on round here?
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Hello, Sister Rita!
0:03:41 > 0:03:43What are you doing?
0:03:45 > 0:03:48And this time, she's coming to the assistance of Paul Matthews,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52who's been a regular at the food bank for the past two years.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56He has mental health problems and has been unable to work.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58But now he's come to see if the nun can put an end to
0:03:58 > 0:04:02a different problem that's been keeping him awake at night.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Tell me what you need today.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08I'm just wondering if I could possibly have a single bed off you?
0:04:08 > 0:04:10- OK, single bed... - Yeah, cos...- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12The only reason why I'm asking for the single bed is because
0:04:12 > 0:04:15I've not had a bed for... probably nearly a year.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20And I've got this little tiny settee,
0:04:20 > 0:04:21and I've virtually ruined it.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Well, we'll see. I'll do my best.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26And if we get it, I'll let you know.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28I've got your number.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31The bed Paul does have is broken beyond repair,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33and has become almost impossible to sleep on.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Some of the springs have actually started to come apart,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41and now they start to dig into my shoulder, or my back.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45You can hear the shaking, but it's when you're actually lying on it
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and it comes out and you can feel them digging in you.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49What I do, I usually take one of these away...
0:04:49 > 0:04:51In order to get any rest,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Paul's been trying to sleep on this two-seater sofa.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57This is how I have to sleep at night.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01I push that up there to get as much room as I can.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05And as you can see, if I just take these off...
0:05:06 > 0:05:08It's tiny.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Sister Rita and her team can supply basic but essential furniture
0:05:14 > 0:05:18to anyone who, like Paul, they consider has an urgent need.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Your single bed.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Can you lock that, please?
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Can you lock it? Then we'll go.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29And they do it thanks to the generosity
0:05:29 > 0:05:32of other local people and small businesses,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36who've donated items for the Lalley to find a new home.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Well, hello, mister!
0:05:39 > 0:05:41- Come here, I want you.- OK.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43- That's not for me, is it? - Yeah, that's for you.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44- Is it?- Come here.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- Look at that gorgeous mattress. - Look at the size of it, look!
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Isn't that gorgeous?
0:05:49 > 0:05:52And Sister Rita wastes no time in getting Paul
0:05:52 > 0:05:55to spring into action and get the bed into his room.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57SHE HUMS
0:05:58 > 0:05:59Come here, Paul!
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Stand this mattress up, up this way.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03That's the way.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Turn it around here. No, no, no, over there.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Now you put your base down, and you put your things in.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14Come on. You're doing grand.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17For Paul, this should mean an end
0:06:17 > 0:06:19to sleepless nights squeezed on the sofa.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And for Sister Rita,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25there's the satisfaction of knowing what a difference that will make.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30You feel a sense of contentment about a job well done, you know.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32It's great.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35We've got something from somebody who didn't need it,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37we've given it to somebody who does need it,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40and surely that's...you know, that's good for all of us.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Helping individuals will always be at the heart of
0:06:47 > 0:06:49the Lalley Centre's activities.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52But Sister Rita's keen to involve the whole community
0:06:52 > 0:06:54in her plans for the allotment,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56which she hopes will soon be providing a reliable flow
0:06:56 > 0:07:01of fresh, nutritious fruit and veg to the food bank.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04So she's asked children from the neighbouring primary school,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06St Malachy's, to muck in, too.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09And more importantly, get planting.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Right, good morning, everybody! How are we all?
0:07:12 > 0:07:13ALL: Good.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- Are we all ready do a little bit of gardening?- ALL: Yes.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18So follow me and we'll go and have a look where we are.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23Rebecca, from the national environmental charity Groundwork,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26has been managing the plot until it's ready for Sister Rita
0:07:26 > 0:07:29and her team to take over running it full time.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31And she's delighted to have some new volunteers.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33So, if you do it too deep...
0:07:33 > 0:07:36The seeds are very tiny.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Now, do they look like big seeds or small seeds?
0:07:38 > 0:07:39- Small.- Small seeds.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42They're quite small. So can you see that?
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Carrot seeds.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50To maintain an interest in growing their own food,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Sister Rita and Rebecca have set aside an area specifically
0:07:53 > 0:07:55for the schoolchildren.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Have you enjoyed doing a bit of gardening this morning, guys?
0:07:58 > 0:07:59- Yes.- Yeah.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02It's really lovely that they've got their own little plot,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04so the whole local community's involved in the allotment,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07so it'll give people a bit more of an emphasis to want to come down
0:08:07 > 0:08:09and help out down here.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11So it's good. It's really good.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16The allotment's first crops, lettuce, have been swiftly followed
0:08:16 > 0:08:20by successful batches of both spinach and potatoes.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23But growing produce for the food bank is only part of the battle
0:08:23 > 0:08:26to help those using it eat more healthily.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Sister Rita's next aim is to ensure that
0:08:29 > 0:08:33whatever supplies people collect, they know what to do with them.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36And she's worried some of the locals have neither the knowledge
0:08:36 > 0:08:39nor the time to try even the simplest of recipes.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Life's very stressful.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45And people are out all day, and people come in,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and they're very, very tired, and they're very, very hungry.
0:08:48 > 0:08:49So what do they want to do?
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Do they want to set to and start cooking?
0:08:52 > 0:08:54The answer is, no, they don't.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57But the motivating factor is,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59this is the right thing to do.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02It's the right thing to do, to actually get some ingredients
0:09:02 > 0:09:07that are health giving and to actually put a little bit of time
0:09:07 > 0:09:11into very simple cooking, and provide a meal for the family.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15To show how easy it can be
0:09:15 > 0:09:19to whip up tasty, wholesome food without spending much time or money,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Sister Rita's latest initiative is to trial a cookery course,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26one she hopes will help people make the most
0:09:26 > 0:09:28of what's on offer at the food bank.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Now, there's a cookery course starting on Monday 20th June,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35and it's cooking on a budget.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Everything is provided, it'll be in the hall in there.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44One in ten of us admit to not being able to cook at all,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48and research shows it's in low-income homes where people
0:09:48 > 0:09:51are more likely to rely on a high-fat, high-sugar diet
0:09:51 > 0:09:55made up by processed foods and ready meals.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58To tackle this, nearby football club Manchester City
0:09:58 > 0:10:01already runs cooking classes as part of its community work,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05teaching parents and children alike about healthy eating,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07as well as basic cooking skills.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11So Sister Rita has sweet-talked the club's community health officer,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Olivia Loughlin, into running the same classes here at the Lalley.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19The four-week course has room for ten people at a time,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and there's been an encouraging turnout on the first day.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Lisa is a mum-of-three,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27struggling to encourage her family to eat healthily.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29I buy fruit, nobody eats it. Don't eat veg.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Everything just goes in the bin.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33So, yeah, I want to budget.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35That's what I need to do.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38And Tina, who's volunteering at the Lalley
0:10:38 > 0:10:40as part of a scheme to help her back into work,
0:10:40 > 0:10:44has come along to broaden the range of what she can cook.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46I've got five kids.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49I just want to learn new things, that's all.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Just get stuck in a rut, don't you?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54I have a routine, and everything, and eat the same stuff.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Olivia's keen to start with something simple,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01so that no-one's intimidated or put off coming back.
0:11:02 > 0:11:03So, this cooking programme,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06we're going to be doing different recipes each week.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09So today, we've got a really nice breakfast one.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14While breakfast is often considered the most important meal of the day,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16it's reckoned half of us sometimes skip it.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19OK, so today, we're doing a breakfast yoghurt pot.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21So this is a really good one cos it's nice and quick,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23and you can actually leave it overnight in the fridge.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26They're going to chop the strawberries up, put them in a pot,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28then they're going to mix porridge oats
0:11:28 > 0:11:30and the natural yoghurt together.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32So when you pop it in the fridge,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35the porridge oats will absorb the natural yoghurt,
0:11:35 > 0:11:37and that's what will make them go really nice,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40cos obviously, you wouldn't just eat porridge oats dry on their own.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Isn't this raw porridge?
0:11:48 > 0:11:49Yeah, raw porridge.
0:11:49 > 0:11:50And it's all right?
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Yeah, because you can have it tomorrow morning.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- Really?- Yeah.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56And it... Will it be cooked?
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Yeah, that's why you've got the yoghurt in there.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02And it seems everyone's learning something new.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04For many of the parents in the class,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07this simple dish could be a way of getting their families
0:12:07 > 0:12:09to eat a healthier breakfast.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12I want to learn what I can,
0:12:12 > 0:12:16because I've got plenty of kids, big family, so...
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Do what I can.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I've never done this before. I want to learn how to do it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25I want a big, delicious breakfast for my son.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28It's like a cheesecake!
0:12:28 > 0:12:29That looks nice, yeah.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Ah, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38- Very good, very good!- Thank you.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41- OK, thanks, girls.- Thank you!
0:12:43 > 0:12:44With the class warmed up,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48in week two, Olivia wants to see how they handle something a bit harder
0:12:48 > 0:12:52and more substantial - affordable and healthy burgers.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Turkey burgers.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Ooh, isn't that gorgeous?
0:12:56 > 0:13:00The main reason behind turkey is because, first of all,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03it is a lot cheaper than your beef mince.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06OK, so this, the one that we're using today,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10was £2.85 for one of the large packets,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13which is obviously a lot cheaper than your beef mince.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15A lot of people will say that,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18"My children don't like vegetables, they don't like fruit,"
0:13:18 > 0:13:20so a lot of the recipes do encourage
0:13:20 > 0:13:22vegetables to be hidden in there as well,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25so a lot of children don't actually realise they're eating them,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28which is a really good way to get their five-a-day in there, as well.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32While the turkey offers an affordable source of rich protein,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35the other fresh ingredients include chopped onion, coriander,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38as well as egg and crushed crackers.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42What we're going to do with these is use the rolling pin,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45and we're actually going to smash them up and then add them in.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Does anybody know why we would use crackers?
0:13:48 > 0:13:50They can form the burger together.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Exactly, cos it holds it together. That's brilliant, well done.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55ROLLING PINS THUMPS
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Who have you got under your hammer, there, love? Which one?
0:13:58 > 0:13:59THEY LAUGH
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Which one of the family?
0:14:03 > 0:14:06As the team put the finishing touches to their sizzlers,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Sister Rita takes a sample for her team of volunteers to try.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Very nice. Did you do those?
0:14:11 > 0:14:13How could you say that?
0:14:13 > 0:14:14- You say that to the kid... - They look lovely!
0:14:14 > 0:14:17You say that to the kid when they bring them in, and you think,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19"Oh, my," and you say, "Oh, they're very nice."
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- They're very nice, though. - Put a picture on the fridge.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23THEY LAUGH
0:14:26 > 0:14:27Nice.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32While Sister Rita hopes the cookery class
0:14:32 > 0:14:34boosts the community's culinary skills,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37sometimes the support she and her team provide
0:14:37 > 0:14:39has truly life-changing results,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42transforming the prospects of those who can't see
0:14:42 > 0:14:44a way out of their situation.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47And the nun hopes to do that for Adrian Burke,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51who's been battling with depression since his father died 15 years ago.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Too sick to work, he's relied on benefits.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58But he's recently got into financial difficulties
0:14:58 > 0:15:01that have left him dependent on the Lalley Centre for food.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05I'd say 95% of what's in there at the minute's from the food banks.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Luckily enough, we're getting the food from there today.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11And if I take another trip down there tomorrow,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14that'll do me until my next benefit comes in.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Rather than various different benefits,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Adrian receives just one single payment -
0:15:21 > 0:15:25the government's controversial Universal Credit.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Intended to simplify and overhaul the UK's welfare system,
0:15:28 > 0:15:33its roll-out has been delayed amid claims of computer problems.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35And Adrian's convinced that when he was transferred onto
0:15:35 > 0:15:38the new benefit, an admin error occurred,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and his council tax has not been paid.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45He's been contacted by bailiffs for £3,000
0:15:45 > 0:15:47in unpaid council tax and rent.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49The bailiffs are calling round, basically,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52because with all the changing over with my benefits,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57somehow or other, they've stopped paying the council tax.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59And even though I got letters through,
0:15:59 > 0:16:03and I phoned up the council to enquire about it,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06the council have said, as far as they're aware,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08they're not being paid it.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12So I got onto the social, and as far as the social were concerned,
0:16:12 > 0:16:13they were paying it.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18So because the two of them won't speak to each other,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22it's going more and more into arrears all the time.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25With little spare income, Adrian is often left struggling
0:16:25 > 0:16:28to top up the prepayment meter for his electricity.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32If the electric's run out, it's run out, and I can't do anything.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36So I use... I've got little lamps there,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38battery-operated, that I use.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40And other than that, I've got candles.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42So I just use the candles.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45But when he runs out of electricity
0:16:45 > 0:16:47to cook the ingredients he gets from the food bank,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Adrian has come up with a desperate and extremely dangerous solution.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54When I'm out of electricity altogether,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57I've got a barbecue here on the veranda.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01And if it's not raining, I'll cook it out there.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04But if it's pouring it down, as it often is,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07I just open the kitchen there fully, and set it down here.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09And I cook on that.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Not only is using a barbecue indoors a serious fire risk,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16but they also emit carbon monoxide,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19an invisible, odourless and poisonous gas
0:17:19 > 0:17:22that can be fatal in a confined space indoors.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27When Sister Rita gets wind of what Adrian's been doing,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29she's determined to nip it in the bud,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and she pulls him into her office when he next comes in.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37There was some suggestion from somewhere that you didn't have
0:17:37 > 0:17:40an electric cooker, and you were cooking on a barbecue.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43No, what happened was, I had no money for the electric.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Listen. Don't do it.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Please don't do it.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50Too dangerous.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53At the moment, I'm struggling with just about everything,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55because just about everything I'm sort of, like,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59trying to get sorted out, it's taking its time, and...
0:18:00 > 0:18:02It's obvious to Sister Rita
0:18:02 > 0:18:05that Adrian is in desperate need of some help,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08so he can make clearer decisions and get his life back on track.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11So while she starts forming a plan
0:18:11 > 0:18:13of how to motivate and support him in the future,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16she quickly offers an invaluable solution for the immediate problem.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18All right, listen to me now.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Did you know that we at the Lalley
0:18:22 > 0:18:26can get people's gas cards and electric cards,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29go over to the shop and top them up? Did you know that?
0:18:29 > 0:18:32I didn't know that until the other week.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Well, you know it now.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37I want you to bring those two things in
0:18:37 > 0:18:39every time you run out.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41What you must not do
0:18:41 > 0:18:44is not able to feed yourself and not have electricity.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47It's just the start of the assistance Sister Rita hopes
0:18:47 > 0:18:51to be able to provide to get Adrian back on his feet.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54But for now, practical help with his electricity is a lifeline.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57When you're saying your prayers, say a prayer for me, please.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00And when you're saying yours, you pray for me.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01Don't forget, please.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Thank you.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- I'll see you, Sister.- OK.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12There's some soul in this fella,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14and I didn't know he was struggling.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20There's something went terribly wrong for him, you know,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23maybe a little time ago or a long time ago, I don't know.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25But I'd like to know, because if you...
0:19:25 > 0:19:28If you get that, it kind of sets the scene
0:19:28 > 0:19:31for why they're in this position right now.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Are you listening?
0:19:36 > 0:19:39As she sets out to understand Adrian's problems better,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Sister Rita knows more than most how battling with your health
0:19:42 > 0:19:44can prevent you from moving forward.
0:19:44 > 0:19:45- Look after yourself.- Yeah.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49Born deaf, her condition wasn't diagnosed for many years,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51leaving her struggling at school.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55The nuns that taught her mistook her condition for unruly behaviour,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58and it was only really when she first came to Collyhurst,
0:19:58 > 0:19:59to this convent
0:19:59 > 0:20:02of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05that she was able to put all that behind her.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07This is the door I came through
0:20:07 > 0:20:11when I came on that wonderful night in 1961.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15And then this corridor I would've looked down.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18And all the sisters were standing all the way along here,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22all the way along here, all the way down there, all the way down there.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25It was really, really awesome.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28And it was quite exciting, really.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30That's the little...
0:20:30 > 0:20:34It wasn't long before she became firm friends with Sister Ann.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37First of all, when I came, she was
0:20:37 > 0:20:40quite poorly with her ear, she was deaf.
0:20:40 > 0:20:46But once she got...she got the right treatment for her deafness,
0:20:46 > 0:20:53she was able then to take a more active part in everything.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56She'd always a terrific sense of fun
0:20:56 > 0:20:58and she's a good singer.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01I don't know if you've ever heard her sing, but she's a good singer.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Kind of unusual sounds.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06I mean, what would we do without you here, love?
0:21:06 > 0:21:11# What would we do without you? #
0:21:12 > 0:21:15It typically takes around six or seven years of training
0:21:15 > 0:21:19before a nun is considered ready to take her final vows.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22And Sister Rita believes that the self sacrifices and hard work
0:21:22 > 0:21:26involved equipped with the skills she now uses in her mission
0:21:26 > 0:21:28to improve the lives of local residents.
0:21:28 > 0:21:34I think it prepared us for every single eventuality that hits you
0:21:34 > 0:21:36because it did hit you.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Remember, we were young, you know.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41We must've of... Some of us did think about,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44"Should we get married, should we have children?"
0:21:44 > 0:21:47And it was a period of discernment,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51a period of getting in touch with yourself, with your own feelings.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55And it was difficult, but I'm glad it was difficult.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59I'm glad I got what I got because I never now, ever, ever, ever,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03have a situation that I think, "Well, I can't cope with this,"
0:22:03 > 0:22:06because I was prepared to cope with this.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Looks very nice, actually, this quiche.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Many aspects of convent life have remained unchanged for generations.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25But when Sister Rita arrived in the 1960s, the novice nuns
0:22:25 > 0:22:27were forbidden from leaving the convent.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- Remember the dog we had?- Noddy.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33- No, what was he called?- Trixie. - Trixie.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- Trixie.- And he got out.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38And if he was out when the gate was locked, he'd be up and down barking.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41So Bridget and myself - you weren't supposed to go out -
0:22:41 > 0:22:42went all around the streets.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45So we brought Trixie in and met Mother Monica there,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47and she said, "And where have you been?"
0:22:47 > 0:22:49THEY LAUGH
0:22:49 > 0:22:52I said, "We went to find Trixie, Mother, because we thought
0:22:52 > 0:22:55"we'd be in trouble if we didn't. We presumed we'd be in trouble."
0:22:55 > 0:22:59And she went, "Sister, be careful what you presume."
0:22:59 > 0:23:02RITA LAUGHS
0:23:02 > 0:23:05We had such laughs, really.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08They were dead simple, weren't they?
0:23:08 > 0:23:12Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16- ALL:- As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18world without end, amen.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23This chapel is very special. Very special to me.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27You get a lovely feeling when you come in here.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30I suppose part of it says this is your home, you know?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32It'll always be my home, no matter where I live.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- And bring us to everlasting life. - Amen.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Oh, she was always a character.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42I want to go home now.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Mostly...
0:23:46 > 0:23:50..they will say it now, you'd never say no to Sister Rita,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53but it wasn't like that initially, you know?
0:23:53 > 0:23:57It's kind of...she's grown into all the things she's done.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02She has a terrific heart for people and for the poor.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06And I think she'll always listen to people
0:24:06 > 0:24:13and she'll always want to go one step beyond whatever she's doing.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17And hopefully, it will all be blessed as it has been in the past.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19I have tremendous faith.
0:24:19 > 0:24:25I know, I just know that God is next to me and he's never absent.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28I have a couple of saints too.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30One of them is called Saint Joseph.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33I have a couple of fights with him sometimes, but it's OK,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36he moves mountains for me as well.
0:24:36 > 0:24:43So I think faith gives you the ability to actually move mountains.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Sister Rita would say her faith remains the driving force
0:24:48 > 0:24:51behind everything she does to change lives for the better.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Her latest project is the cookery classes,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57intended to equip the Lalley's visitors with the knowledge
0:24:57 > 0:25:01and skills to rustle up low-budget, healthy meals.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05And in the third week of the course, things are cranking up a gear.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Healthy eating expert Olivia from Manchester City Football Club
0:25:09 > 0:25:12is showing the group how to make a nutritious Bolognese sauce.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14OK, so let's get started.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18So the whole point behind this recipe is that we are using
0:25:18 > 0:25:21the tins of chopped tomatoes, OK?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24So, we're going to make our own pasta sauce.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27- Have some carrots. - You don't want that?
0:25:27 > 0:25:29- No.- Go ahead.- OK.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- The more, the merrier.- The more, the merrier.- Don't waste food.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37After helping him with his new bed, Sister Rita invited Paul to the
0:25:37 > 0:25:40cooking class to help him learn some new skills.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- OLIVIA:- Let's have a look. - It smells absolutely brilliant.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Ah! That smells so good.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Paul's hoping to learn recipes that will help make the tins
0:25:48 > 0:25:50and ingredients he gets from the food bank
0:25:50 > 0:25:53go that little bit further, but it seems that his first of taste
0:25:53 > 0:25:56of the course has made a good impression.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Buying food is expensive, anyway.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04But if you get help from places like this, where you can
0:26:04 > 0:26:07actually cook on a budget and they'll actually help you.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09So sometimes you don't have to go out
0:26:09 > 0:26:10and start buying on-the-day stuff.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13You can still eat healthy, just on a budget.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Does anybody else have any more questions?
0:26:16 > 0:26:18No? Perfect.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24The classes are a reminder of Sister Rita's determination to help
0:26:24 > 0:26:27people find ways that can help themselves,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30a principle that remains fundamental to her plans for the allotment.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32You must keep at it.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35"Perseverance" is a long word.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39But things out here haven't been easy,
0:26:39 > 0:26:41with unusually hot weather proving
0:26:41 > 0:26:43far more challenging than anyone expected.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45The team discovered that there was no way of getting
0:26:45 > 0:26:48a mains water supply to the thirsty new crops,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and for several weeks, the volunteers have been working
0:26:51 > 0:26:54extra hard to water all the plants by hand.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57All the plants and vegetable have to die of thirst.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00It's just the craziest thing I've ever heard of.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03So, to raise their spirits and keep the dream of
0:27:03 > 0:27:07a bumper summer crop alive, Sister Rita has arranged for the group to
0:27:07 > 0:27:10visit this community farm near Todmorden, West Yorkshire.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Fruit and veg are grown here on an epic scale and they've successfully
0:27:14 > 0:27:17overcome the very same problems the Lalley's teams are currently
0:27:17 > 0:27:19struggling with.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23The whole site is off grid, we've got no electricity and
0:27:23 > 0:27:28no water and so we manage with sunlight and rainfall.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Volunteer Donna has been at the heart of the work on
0:27:32 > 0:27:34the allotment back in Collyhurst.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38How do you water the plants in the poly-tunnel with it being so long?
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Well, there are several systems. Partly, it's done by hand.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44There's big tanks of water in there, which are from rainwater,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46and when the sun's out, we've got all these solar panels.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49So in the summer, we've got masses of electricity.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51So we can trigger pumps that bring
0:27:51 > 0:27:54the stream water on site in the summer.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Nick runs the project here and is keen to make sure Sister Rita
0:27:58 > 0:28:02and her team don't lose faith in their own ambitious plans.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- You've been here ten years, yeah? - No, we've been here five years.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07- Oh, five. - Been doing it for ten years.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Don't be obsessed with tidiness, grow things that grow quick and
0:28:11 > 0:28:13don't try and grown perfect vegetables.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Don't think about, you know, the show.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18Think about your tummy.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21We didn't become experts instantly.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26We became experts by plugging away at this for a number of years.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31Actually, all they've got to do is plug away at it and it will come.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35- Thank you very much. We're really, really...- Good luck and keep at it.
0:28:35 > 0:28:36A big clap.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43The visit has really galvanised the team and reassured Sister Rita
0:28:43 > 0:28:47that even if she fails in getting a water mains tap put on site,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49the allotment could still work without one.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52But she hasn't given up on a tap just yet.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54So, in a last-ditch attempt to get one,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57she contacts the local MP Graham Stringer
0:28:57 > 0:29:00to insist he persuade the water company and the council
0:29:00 > 0:29:03to get a water supply up and running.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08- Oh, Mr Stringer! How do you do? You are very welcome.- Nice to meet you.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12- Never met you before, have I?- We've met before.- Have you ever met me?
0:29:12 > 0:29:14About five or six years ago, I think.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17You know what he's going to say, "Once seen, never forgotten."
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- Come on. - LAUGHTER
0:29:20 > 0:29:23No sooner has the MP arrived than the nun whisks him straight
0:29:23 > 0:29:26- down to the plot. - The council owns the land.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30- What we wanted from the council... Are you listening?- I'm listening.
0:29:30 > 0:29:35..is to get water... Instead of dragging it from the Lalley Centre,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38how could you possibly water this place, you know?
0:29:38 > 0:29:40- Somewhere on this side...- Yeah.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45So we want water on site so that we can look after what's growing.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51What I can do, by writing letters on House of Commons
0:29:51 > 0:29:54headed notepaper, it's amazing what can be achieved sometimes.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56So, I will write to the city council,
0:29:56 > 0:30:02probably United Utilities as well and see what help can be given.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07While Sister Rita waits to see if the MP can help move things
0:30:07 > 0:30:10in the right direction, she's not wasting any time in trying to
0:30:10 > 0:30:13help Adrian turn his life around.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16She has succeeded in stopping him cooking indoors on his barbecue,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20so next on the list is getting to the bottom of his debt problems.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22Did you like it?
0:30:22 > 0:30:24- We didn't do too bad, did we?- No.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Considering you're only a beginner!
0:30:27 > 0:30:31I meet the majority of the people at the Lalley who are coping with
0:30:31 > 0:30:35things that you wouldn't even dream of.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37And they are carrying them.
0:30:37 > 0:30:42They are like boulders in a rucksack on their backs, and it affects
0:30:42 > 0:30:45them, it affects their health, their mental health,
0:30:45 > 0:30:47it affects how they live their lives.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53Adrian's debt has got so bad that he's been threatened with bailiffs.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57He's convinced that's down to an error with his benefits,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00but his problems began 15 years ago when his father died
0:31:00 > 0:31:04in tragic circumstances, and he turned to drink in order to cope.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08I started off on benefits after...
0:31:10 > 0:31:16..my dad died in a house fire, which is over 15 years ago now.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20Because I was the one who had to actually identify him.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22After that, I was just sort of, like,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25getting nightmares all the time.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29So I started drinking.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34And eventually I ended up losing my job because I was drinking too much.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38I ended up on antidepressants.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43A lot of the times, I was sort of, like, walking around like a zombie.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Adrian has become trapped in a cycle of trying to pay off his debt,
0:31:46 > 0:31:48but needing money to live.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52And it's proving impossible for him to resolve things on his own.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56I owe money out before I even get it
0:31:56 > 0:31:59and then when I get it, and pay back them,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01by the time the next payment is due,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05I'm having to borrow again and start paying that back,
0:32:05 > 0:32:06the next time I get it.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11To find a way of sorting things out, Sister Rita has arranged for him to
0:32:11 > 0:32:15sit down with the Lalley's in-house advice and information worker, Cath.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19Hiya. Come in. Take a seat here.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24So, I'm Cath.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Adrian is adamant that he is up to date with both his
0:32:27 > 0:32:31council tax and rent, and believe the root of his money troubles is
0:32:31 > 0:32:35a mix-up between the council and his housing association.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38And he's convinced that's behind what he sees as unnecessary
0:32:38 > 0:32:41deductions being made each month on his Universal Credit.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44- They do make mistakes...- I know, yeah, but I can't get a straight
0:32:44 > 0:32:46answer off either one of them
0:32:46 > 0:32:48and neither of them will speak to each other about it.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51- So I'm stuck in the middle. - It's very frustrating, isn't it?
0:32:51 > 0:32:54- HE SCOFFS - So, approximately how much?
0:32:54 > 0:32:57- About 1,000 or 1,500.- Right.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01- I can't remember exactly.- That's all right. Just approximately.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03And rent arrears?
0:33:03 > 0:33:05- About the same.- About the same.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07And this, do you feel that
0:33:07 > 0:33:10both debts are due to this
0:33:10 > 0:33:12benefit problem?
0:33:12 > 0:33:13- Yeah.- Right, OK.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Cath knows exactly what Adrian needs to do next and points Adrian
0:33:18 > 0:33:20towards a new debt advice centre
0:33:20 > 0:33:23that has recently opened up close to the Lalley.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26Unlike commercial debt management companies that charge a fee,
0:33:26 > 0:33:30the Gateway Debt Advice Centre is one of several charities that
0:33:30 > 0:33:33provide face-to-face consultations completely free,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35offering solutions on how to move forward.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Information about similar organisations is available on
0:33:38 > 0:33:41the Citizens Advice website, and they can make an immediate
0:33:41 > 0:33:44difference for someone like Adrian.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48They ask them to put a hold for 30 days on things
0:33:48 > 0:33:52so that they can check it all out and clarify.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56In terms of the bailiffs, you don't let them in your house,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59I would say don't negotiate with them.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03Just say, "I've gone through a debt advice agency."
0:34:03 > 0:34:08And I can assure you that they will deal with that. They are very quick.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10I will do a referral over today.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13So try not to worry, I know it's hard when there's bailiffs
0:34:13 > 0:34:16knocking on your door, but it will get sorted.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18Aw, it's lovely to meet you.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21- Take care now.- Thank you.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25But as the centre is in Collyhurst, Cath is able to book
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Adrian the next available appointment.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29Hey, Cath.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32- Hey, Chris. This is Adrian. - Hi, Adrian. I'm Chris...
0:34:32 > 0:34:34What they'll do here is, they'll give him a number of options,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37whether it be go for a debt relief order
0:34:37 > 0:34:40or debt management plan, but it's a charity.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Cos a lot of these places that advertise,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46they would want a cut of the money, but this is a charity.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48They are very much about people.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53He is very desperate and it's very chaotic and unless something
0:34:53 > 0:34:57is done quickly, he's going to end up losing his home.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59As Adrian emerges from his meeting,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02he's optimistic that, with the centre's help, he'll now be
0:35:02 > 0:35:06able to set up a manageable plan for sorting out his debts.
0:35:07 > 0:35:08I think it's gone pretty well, actually.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10It's better than I was expecting.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13So, when I come in to see them next week,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16hopefully, they'll have all the, sort of, like, gist of everything,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19and we can take it onto the next step.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21So, I'm feeling a bit more positive now.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26For Sister Rita, helping people like Adrian
0:35:26 > 0:35:30take the first crucial steps towards resolving their problems
0:35:30 > 0:35:32is what the Lalley Centre is all about.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35And the allotment is her biggest opportunity yet
0:35:35 > 0:35:39to start making far-reaching changes on a bigger scale.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42By getting the whole community involved in growing fresh produce
0:35:42 > 0:35:43for the food bank,
0:35:43 > 0:35:47she hopes to encourage a much better understanding of healthy eating.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49And the cookery classes she's been running
0:35:49 > 0:35:53are designed to help anyone turn that knowledge into action.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56This is something that we have to work on, you know?
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Not just for the parents,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02but also for the children, that they're given a good start,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05that they are given good, healthy, nourishing food,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08and that, you know, they will be encouraged then
0:36:08 > 0:36:11to begin to look at their own potentials
0:36:11 > 0:36:12and try to reach them.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17It all starts, you know, with how people are fed and looked after
0:36:17 > 0:36:19when they're very little.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23As the final week of the cookery course comes around,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Olivia has been tasked with showing how to make meals
0:36:26 > 0:36:28using only items from the food bank
0:36:28 > 0:36:30and fresh produce from the allotment.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33But unsure of what that means she'll have to work with,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Olivia heads over to the food bank,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38where Lalley volunteer Danny can show her what's typically in stock.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41- Hi, I'm Olivia.- Hello, I'm Danny. - Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43- You all right? - This is the food bank.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- OK, brilliant.- There you go, love.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Figures show that poorer households typically spend far less
0:36:49 > 0:36:52on fresh vegetables and meat than those that are better off.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55So the point of this final class is to demonstrate
0:36:55 > 0:36:59what's achievable for everyone who comes to the Lalley.
0:36:59 > 0:37:00- So, this is the meat section.- OK.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03- So, you get different types of meat. - Different types of meat.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07- Like this, here, you get like different varieties.- Right, OK.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09- Then we get loads of tins and that. - Yeah.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11We've got a store room at the Lalley Centre
0:37:11 > 0:37:13- where we do food parcels for people...- Oh, brilliant.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17..and we're gradually bringing them over bit by bit.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Recognising that the type of food that comes into the food bank
0:37:20 > 0:37:23can vary week to week, Olivia wants to come up with a dish
0:37:23 > 0:37:26where the basic ingredients can be easily swapped around.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Armed with tins of tomatoes, chickpeas and packets of chicken,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Olivia believes she's got the basics
0:37:32 > 0:37:34for a healthy chicken dish and sauce.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37All she needs now is to head over to the allotment with Sister Rita
0:37:37 > 0:37:40to see what produce she can get her hands on
0:37:40 > 0:37:43to really jazz it up and add that vital extra freshness.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- Yeah, that will be more than enough. - Yeah?
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Smell it. It's so nice, isn't it?
0:37:50 > 0:37:52Oh, that's lovely. Thank you, Donna.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Look at the size of this.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57- How big is that?- Wow!- I know.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00I'll show you the ones inside that I've just bought today.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03They're coming out with... Put holy water on them!
0:38:03 > 0:38:05THEY LAUGH
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Both Olivia and Sister Rita are delighted
0:38:09 > 0:38:11by the size and quality of produce
0:38:11 > 0:38:14the allotment is finally starting to yield.
0:38:14 > 0:38:15That's so good.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19You can take the big ones or some of the small ones, it's up to you.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22I don't mind, this will be more than enough. This is brilliant.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26- Feel how heavy it is.- See, that would serve about four people.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29- Easily, yes.- Whereas the supermarket ones that are about that size
0:38:29 > 0:38:31- would feed one person.- Yeah.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34The ones we've got inside are even smaller than this.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36I think it's wonderful.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40With the hand-picked courgettes and fresh basil from the allotment,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Olivia's happy she's got what she needs
0:38:42 > 0:38:45to add to her haul of items from the food bank.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48Long term, this is exactly what Sister Rita hopes will become
0:38:48 > 0:38:50the norm for people using the food bank -
0:38:50 > 0:38:53access to everything they need for a healthier diet.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55But for now, all that's needed
0:38:55 > 0:38:59is for Olivia to show her budding cooks how it's done.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02So we're doing...Using courgettes, which are from the allotment,
0:39:02 > 0:39:06peppers, which we can find from the food bank,
0:39:06 > 0:39:07onions as well,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09and we're going to cook those first
0:39:09 > 0:39:12with a little bit of garlic to add some flavour in.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16And then we're going to add half a tin of chopped tomatoes in.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19Then we're going to add some chickpeas in,
0:39:19 > 0:39:21put it all together and that will be the dish.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24Olivia's keen to remind the class how easy it is
0:39:24 > 0:39:26to swap the dish's main ingredients,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29depending on what's in stock in the food bank.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31You could put potatoes in it, it's completely up to you,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33you don't just have to stick to this.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37It's just to show you that you can take little bits of everything
0:39:37 > 0:39:39and put it into one big meal.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43- What do you do with the basil? Just chop it up fine?- Yeah.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45So, chop it up quite finely, yes.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47One of the people Sister Rita is most pleased to see
0:39:47 > 0:39:50joining the cooking course is Adrian.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Battling with spiralling debt and years of depression,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56she's been keen for him to get more active again in the community,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59and this is an ideal way for him to do it.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Already a decent cook, Adrian wants to get more ideas
0:40:02 > 0:40:05about how to utilise the fresh produce from the allotment
0:40:05 > 0:40:06in what he prepares,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09although this time not on the barbecue.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Well, whenever you get fresh food, it's always a lot better
0:40:12 > 0:40:16than what you're going to get in a supermarket or even a local shop,
0:40:16 > 0:40:19and especially when you've actually seen it growing
0:40:19 > 0:40:24and you're able to know when it's actually ready for cooking with.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27It feels good to cook something from the allotment
0:40:27 > 0:40:29because when you watch it planted,
0:40:29 > 0:40:31watch it grow, harvest it,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33cook it, you feel satisfactory
0:40:33 > 0:40:35and somehow it tastes different
0:40:35 > 0:40:38from the one you just get from the store.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40It's good.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46Those people here who are determined to learn how to cook,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49they are making a difference for their families,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52and I think that that's wonderful. And some of them really like this,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55they like to cook, they like to learn
0:40:55 > 0:40:57and I want to encourage that.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02So, you just need to keep it moving, and you'll see it all heat up.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04- Yeah.- So, it will start to soften.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06So, the vegetables are always really hard when they're raw.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- Yeah, yeah.- And then it will start to soften up
0:41:08 > 0:41:10once it gets cooked more.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Sister Rita seems very happy with the results.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25So, this is food from the food bank and food from the allotment.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27- Yeah.- And it can make that meal.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30- Gorgeous.- It's good, isn't it? So, that's what you can do.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33I will think of you tonight when I'm eating it.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34OLIVIA LAUGHS
0:41:34 > 0:41:36And the nun's right-hand man, Max,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40is quick to put Nicky's dish to the test.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43- Mmm.- Delicioso.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Delicioso.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47SHE LAUGHS
0:41:47 > 0:41:49Very nice. Very nice.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Adrian's benefited from the class not just by picking up new recipes,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55but by meeting new people too.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57It has been useful coming here
0:41:57 > 0:42:00because not only does it get you out of the flat for a while
0:42:00 > 0:42:02and a bit of socialising,
0:42:02 > 0:42:06but you're also actually learning as you're going.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10And it's clear that everyone is happy with what's been achieved.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12I'm proud of the Lalley Centre,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I'm proud of Sister Rita,
0:42:14 > 0:42:15I'm proud of the allotment
0:42:15 > 0:42:18because we've just got some stuff from the allotment and we cooked it
0:42:18 > 0:42:21and it turned out to be very great.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Just doing this for the people,
0:42:23 > 0:42:28people that don't have a lot of money, to save on a budget
0:42:28 > 0:42:31and even eat healthy is absolutely brilliant,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34- so Sister's done a lot.- I'm really pleased with how it's gone.
0:42:34 > 0:42:35It's been brilliant.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37And quite a few them said that as well as cooking skills
0:42:37 > 0:42:39and new ideas for being healthy,
0:42:39 > 0:42:41their confidence has actually improved,
0:42:41 > 0:42:43and for me, that was just... It was really good to hear that.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Get in there.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Sister Rita's thrilled the course has gone down so well
0:42:48 > 0:42:49and that it shows her ambition
0:42:49 > 0:42:51for making the allotment work alongside the food bank
0:42:51 > 0:42:56as a key part of the community is getting one step closer to reality.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59First of all, thank you so much for coming.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02Thank you to Liv for being so kind to us.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05And it's very, very good news for all of us
0:43:05 > 0:43:08that we are able to pick stuff from the allotment,
0:43:08 > 0:43:12cook it here on the premises, take it home and enjoy it,
0:43:12 > 0:43:15and I really enjoyed the session, you're a great group.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18- Thanks very, very much. Thank you.- ALL:- Thank you.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27And that's exactly what the Lalley Centre is about -
0:43:27 > 0:43:30creating community,
0:43:30 > 0:43:34creating fun, laughter, understanding,
0:43:34 > 0:43:36reaching out to one another.
0:43:36 > 0:43:42All those things are what we all need, everyone of us.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45We all need friendship, we all need laughter,
0:43:45 > 0:43:49we all need those who will reach out to us when we're going through it.
0:43:50 > 0:43:51Next time,
0:43:51 > 0:43:55Sister Rita takes some of the visitors on their first ever trip
0:43:55 > 0:43:56to the seaside.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00They're like big kids, and it's just sheer enjoyment for them.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04So, they're having a great time and so are we.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08And the nun seizes the chance to help locals gain a new qualification
0:44:08 > 0:44:11by launching a forklift truck driving course.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13But can they pass the test?
0:44:13 > 0:44:16If I could get a decent job with a decent wage,
0:44:16 > 0:44:19if I can finish this qualification, it'll open so many doors up for me.