A REFUGEE charity has opened a new community kitchen to bring together refugee and minority groups in growing and cooking food.

Investing in People and Culture (IPC) helps people from migrant, refugee and ethnic minority groups on Teesside to access education and training.

It also helps them to learn English as a second language and builds on existing skills and experience to adjust to life within a new community.

The community kitchen has sprung up from two other projects.

IPC trustee Bini Araia said: “The IPC Community Kitchen represents a fusion of two other projects – the Community Growing Project in Albert Park and Cultures Cooking Together.

"It allows people from different countries and backgrounds to work together to share knowledge and skills in growing and cooking food. As well as the more obvious benefits to health and bringing cultures together, the project also positively contributes to the local community.

“Since the IPC was set up we’ve been overwhelmed by the help and support from local Teessiders. We’d like to thank community partners, including North Star, for their support."

He said the community growing project involved teaching people how to grow fresh produce on the allotment, then they could bring it into the kitchen each Friday to learn how to cook healthy meals.

North Star Housing group, which includes Endeavour and Teesdale Housing Associations, has been supporting the project for about 18 months.

North Star’s community investment officer Peter Locke said: “The aim of the IPC is to build strong relations between vulnerable migrant communities and the local community in Middlesbrough, dispelling negative myths about asylum seekers and enabling people to integrate into British society.

"The Community Kitchen project will further help the migrant and existing British community in Middlesbrough to work together to keep our North-East communities strong.”

For more information about Investing in People and Culture, to become a volunteer, or to book a place at the Community Kitchen on a Friday, visit www.i-p-c.org or contact info@i-p-c.org or 01642 232 642.

*An open event is being held at the community garden, through the Park Road South entrance in Albert Park, on Wednesday, October 28 from 10.30am.