Member Article

Hammerson supports Jamie’s Ministry of Food Cooking Lessons

Hammerson, the developer behind the Victoria Gate scheme, announces that it has partnered with local health and wellbeing charity, Zest – Health for Life and Jamie’s Ministry of Food Leeds to offer up to 125

subsidised places on a standard eight week cookery course to people living in deprived LS postcodes.

People living in inner Leeds postcodes that fall into the lowest 10% of areas that are disadvantaged in the city will be able to attend classes at Jamie’s Ministry of Food centre at Kirkgate Market in Leeds, where they will learn how to cook simple, nutritious meals.

Jamie’s Ministry of Food Leeds is a project funded by Leeds City Council and managed by local charity Zest – Health for Life, in association with the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation. The project teaches basic cooking skills in a friendly environment whilst also offering shopping and budgeting tips as well as healthy eating advice.

Jon Brookes, Community Manager at Hammerson, said: “Building on the success of our healthy eating recipe book which we launched last year in partnership with Zest- Health for Life, Victoria Gate is pleased to be able to support another initiative alongside the charity that helps to promote the benefits of healthy lifestyle within the local community.

Helping to fund Jamie’s Ministry of Food Leeds cookery courses means that people can attend for just £1 and in some cases for free, which provides a fantastic opportunity for those that need it most to learn how to cook healthy meals from fresh, market-sourced ingredients, in an enjoyable environment.“

Simon Chappelow, Zest’s Food Projects Coordinator, said: “Thanks to the generous donation from Hammerson, 125 Leeds people who would not normally be able to afford to attend will get the chance to learn skills that could really make long-term improvements to their lives and those of their families. Each week, course participants can take home food that they’ve cooked, along with recipes and health information.

“Eating a balanced diet plays a huge part in helping people to keep well, and learning how to cook meals from scratch can have massive health benefits for long-term eating habits. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don’t know how to cook any more – it’s a skill that wasn’t passed on to them by their parents, or they weren’t taught to cook at school. At the Ministry of Food we’re doing our bit to change that by showing people the simple skills they need to for a healthy and satisfying diet.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Victoria Gate .