Families across Bath and North East Somerset are being supported to make healthier eating choices, thanks to the Community Wellbeing Hub. The hub, which is a collaboration between Bath & North East Somerset Council, Virgin Care and 3SG, was formed in March to provide a range of support to residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

Many of the calls the hub has received have been for food support. Staff at the hub’s ‘food pod’ take a holistic approach to their response, from providing emergency food to signposting to advice services.

One of the most popular food support services they offer are cookery courses. Provided by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s partners Virgin Care to families with children under eighteen, the five-week ‘Cook It’ courses teach participants how to cook a range of low-cost, healthy, nutritionally balanced meals while providing information on food hygiene, labelling, budgeting and meal planning.

Andrew Weeks and his daughter are recent graduates of the ‘Cook It’ course. Andrew said: “The cookery course is fantastic, easy to follow, fun and rewarding.

“My seven-year-old daughter has gained so many skills and her confidence has grown over the last four weeks with the variety of weekly recipes offered. Clare is an excellent host, very knowledgeable and interacts brilliantly both with the kids and adults. We especially like the YouTube video tutorials which keep tasks simple and clear, improving my daughter’s focus and concentration.”

The courses are currently run online, and each session is around two hours long.

Jo Scammell, Head of Commissioning and Wellbeing Services, Virgin Care, said: “As we head into the New Year, many people will be considering making resolutions. After nine months of living under restrictions and lockdown perhaps you feel now is the time to reassess your family’s diet, but don’t know how to cook healthy nutritious meals from scratch, or maybe you struggle to feed your family on a tight budget. Our ‘Cook It’ team are here to help as you reconsider your food choices.”

The next online ‘Cook It’ course starts on Tuesday, 12th January. To find out more information, contact the hub by: Calling: 0300 247 0050, emailing: BATHNES.thehub@virgin care.co.uk Texting: 07870 868368 or by visiting: www.communitywellbeinghub.co.uk You can also follow the hub on social media. Twitter - @CWHBANES

The Community Wellbeing Hub is open from Monday to Friday, 9 am until 5 pm.