WARM BRIGG WELCOME FOR HEALTHY COOKING & EATING PROJECT

Healthy eggs on sale at a Brigg stall.

North Lincolnshire Council this week launched North Lincolnshire Cook4Life, a project that aims to improve people's knowledge and skills in cooking and healthy eating. The initiative has been warmly welcomed by Brigg councillor Rob Waltham, who is the district authority's new Deputy Leader.
As part of a consultation people told the council that they would like practical support to be able to cook healthy, appetising meals within their budget. Therefore in response to this the councils Health Trainer service is launching this new and exciting project. 
Cook4Life is a two-year project to support residents to improve their diet through cooking healthy meals; in turn helping to reduce the overweight and obesity figures in North Lincolnshire. 
In North Lincolnshire 70 per cent of adults, 25 per cent of children (aged four to five) and 35 per cent of children (aged 10 to 11) are overweight or obese.
The North Lincolnshire Cook4Life team will be delivering a variety of free cooking activities, including weekly cooking classes, cook and eat sessions, taster demonstrations and healthy eating talks. 
Activities are already taking place in some areas and many have already been arranged for upcoming weeks and months. 
All activities will be designed to provide individuals and families with the opportunity to learn:

• How to create meals and snacks that are delicious, nutritious and affordable 
• How to confidently shop and cook from scratch 
• How to understand basic nutrition, food labels and food hygiene 
• How to make healthier choices and improve health and well-being 

The Cook4Life activities will be delivered in a fun, interactive and supportive environment in venues across North Lincolnshire. They will include children’s centres, Community Well-being Hubs, community centres, schools, colleges and workplaces.
If you are interested in taking part in North Lincolnshire Cook4Life or hosting an activity contact the Health Trainer service on 01724 292170 or email nlc.healthtrainers@nhs.net 
Anyone who is a resident in North Lincolnshire is eligible to access the Cook4Life project. It is accessed on a first come, first served basis. To ensure you don’t miss out register your interest with the Health Trainer service as soon as possible.  
Coun Waltham, in his role as cabinet member for health and strategic projects, said: “North Lincolnshire Cook4Life is a fantastic project that will give both families and individuals the support they need to cook healthy balanced meals. People often think that healthy meals aren’t appetising however healthy meals do taste better than fast food or takeaways. It is important that we all eat healthily and look after ourselves. We want to ensure North Lincolnshire residents are healthy. 
“The Cook4Life team aims to provide people with this knowledge so that they can easily cook a nutritious meal within a budget. We understand that not everyone’s budget will be the same, which is why the team will have a range of recipes to suit individual needs. 
“If you think you could benefit from this exciting new project get in touch with our Health Trainer service to find out more details. Everyone is welcome to register their interest, whether you are an individual, couple or family.” 
N.F. ADDS: Plenty of food for thought there, folks. And remember to stock up on ingredients from Brigg shops and market stalls.