Tim can often be found happily busy in the kitchen creating delicious meals here at Jack Drum Arts where he volunteers with the Feel Good Fridays social group.

Tim’s ROAD to new skills

Formerly employed as a civil engineer, Tim had been made redundant and had faced significant challenges in returning to employment. As he was experiencing both mental and physical health issues during this period, Tim was referred to ROAD, the Reaching Out Across Durham partnership of which Jack Drum Arts is a delivery partner. ROAD helps people who are unemployed to improve their chances of re-entering the workforce through a variety of innovative projects which run across the county.

The Feel Good Fridays group is one such project and is a free weekly wellbeing session for adults that provides a warm and welcoming space for participants to enjoy good company, learn new skills by working alongside our professional chef, share a freshly cooked meal and participate in a range of creative activities.

Tim already had an interest in cooking and through ROAD received some 1:1 support from Martina, Jack Drum’s ROAD Health Trainer, as well as joining the gym and a healthy eating course where each week a different topic was discussed and and some healthy recipes were cooked. Tim says he particularly valued learning about the use of herbs in the kitchen. He now enjoys adding to his existing culinary skills by volunteering for the Friday group, helping to create a new dish each week at Jack Drum Arts and Tim finds attending the session easy to balance with his new post working for a popular building and DIY retailer.

Opening up new opportunities

Since first attending the group in around 2019, Tim has found himself becoming involved with Jack Drum Arts’ wider programme of arts activities, particularly Crook Winter Light Parade where he has helped with making lanterns and also as a puppeteer for a large illuminated dragon.

There are many reasons why Tim enjoys attending the weekly sessions, he particularly values the leafy setting of our former school building in the scenic grounds that we share with our neighborhood RC church, and he especially values the friendships he has made over the years.

Tim is looking forward to rustling up a feast for everyone at to enjoy at our Christmas Ceilidh in December and we are looking forward to tasting it!