A NEW initiative which teaches residents how to cook and eat healthy has received funding in partnership with a developer.

Food for Thought Darlington has been running weekly sessions in Red Hall over a period of eight weeks where residents plan menus, cook healthy food on a budget and try out different recipes.

UK homebuilder, Keepmoat Homes, has partnered with Darlington Healthy New Towns to fund the programme.

Louise Graham, Chair of Food For Thought Darlington, said: “We were delighted that Keepmoat Homes were able to support this programme and I was over the moon that they were also able to help one of our cookery group obtain a hob. This has enabled her to continue to develop her cooking skills at home and expand her repertoire. This is exactly the kind of responsive action we need in order to build strong, supportive communities.”

Geoff Scott, at Keepmoat Homes, said: “A great deal of thought has gone into the design of the new homes at our Fairways development to ensure that they meet people’s needs as they change over time.We have also looked at ways to promote healthy lifestyles for the residents."