Families Cook Up A Treat With Communities First And Tesco

A free programme that provides cooking activities for children and their parents in Bridgend County Borough has benefited from a donation of supplies from Tesco. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Big Cook Little Cook programme run by Communities First, has received 26 weighing scales, 155 children’s aprons and over 300 goody bags and recipe booklets for the little ones to take away. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Catherine Hill, store manager at Tesco Superstore Bridgend, said: “We are delighted to be able to help Communities First with its Big Cook Little Cook Programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s wonderful that families throughout Bridgend County Borough can access a service like this free of charge to gain skills in cooking healthy recipes together – it’s an important lesson that will serve them well. Plus the children look adorable in their aprons.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Big Cook Little Cook is accessible to children and families living in Flying Start Areas throughout Bridgend Communities First programme’s cluster areas, which are: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

– Upper Cluster (Maesteg, Caerau)
– Mid Cluster (Betws, Sarn, Blackmill, Ynysawdre, Bryncoch, Llangeinor, Evanstown)
– Lower Cluster (Cornelly, Pyle, Brackla, Morfa, Newcastle, Oldcastle, Wildmill, Bryntirion, Laleston, Merthyr Mawr) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The six-week programme offers parents and children a variety of healthy recipes to make at home and enables parents and children to learn together. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fay Calloway, Communities First Manager, explained: “Communities First is a charity that works to reduce poverty within Bridgend by improving health, skills and employment opportunities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our Big Cook Little Cook Programme is really popular and accessible to so many. It’s a great opportunity to spend quality time with their little ones whilst gaining important information about diet and healthy cooking and the importance of these for maintaining good health. We’re thankful to Tesco for their support.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The work with Communities First is part of a wider Tesco initiative to support local communities throughout Bridgend County Borough. The food retailer is also working The Bridge Mentoring Plus Scheme, a charity situated on Dunraven Place, Bridgend, that offers a variety of free programmes to local residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​