AN ESTATE cookery project is looking to continue its work teaching families how to make nutritious meals after the success of a pilot project.

Relish has just completed four weeks of sessions in Blackbird Leys as a tester to see if it can run similar initiatives in the future.

The course has brought a number of different families together to learn how to cook a range of healthy meals, make new friends and have fun.

Using food collected by the Oxford Food Bank that would otherwise have been wasted, the after-school club has proved to be a big success, according to co-ordinator Christine McDermott.

She said: “It's been great to see people come together to share skills, information and recipes.

"We had an open door policy and welcomed everyone, whether they were new to cooking or wanted some fresh ideas for what to feed their family.

"Cooking and sharing food is a wonderful experience that brings so many benefits.

"We really want to be able to make this a more regular thing."

Ms McDermott started Relish as a social enterprise in Oxford in 2014.

The group primarily works in Blackbird Leys and has partnered with schools and community groups to teach about the importance of cooking nutritious food.

Funding for the pilot came from Oxford City Council and the group also organise team away days and bread baking courses to help subsidise its community work.

Ms McDermott added: "I'm a firm believer in offering courses like this if the community wants them so the pilot was all about seeing the level of interest and whether we could do this type of thing more often.

"Eventually the aim is to train groups to run their own regular cookery groups.

"So often people get funding to start short term projects but if we can empower local people to do it themselves, that will allow these things to be a lot more long term."

Since she started the initiative, Ms McDermott said she has seen more and more people see the power of food to solve a number of social problems.

She added: "The great thing about food is whether you are a prince or a pauper, everyone has to eat.

"It is a way of introducing people to different cultures and help them gain a better understanding of that.

"We also know that teaching people how to cook can combat loneliness and help people who may be experiencing this feel more part of the area where they live.

"That, for me, is very powerful."

Relish would like to hear from anyone interested in attending a cookery course in future. Email relishcommunity@gmail.com