A COMMUNITY fund set up to support local projects has enabled a charity to run a cookery course for parents of children with additional needs in Richmondshire and Hambleton.

Parents and Carers of Special Children (POSCH) were successful in their application to Broadacres’ Community Development Fund.

The panel, which is made up of Broadacres’ customers, approved funding of £500 which enabled POSCH to set up a ‘Cook ‘n’ Eat’ project.

Over four weeks at Northallerton Bowling Club, mums who are members of POSCH learned a range of cookery skills and how to cook a variety of well-balanced meals on a budget.

This is particularly important because many of the mums have children with autism who are particular about what they eat, making meal-time selection difficult for their families.

One of the aims of the course was to introduce meals/recipes that were likely to appeal to the whole family. It was also designed to help those who are lactose or gluten intolerant.

Marie Holmes, whose daughter has autism, took part. Her daughter eats only a narrow range of food so Mrs Holmes often finds herself having to make three different family meals as her husband works nights. She said: “I found the course very useful because it has given me much more options when it comes to preparing meals and I am hoping it will help to widen my daughter’s diet in particular.”