The scheme is running across the foodbank’s five Aberdeenshire locations and sees low-income families given the support they need to make healthy meals by providing them with food and slow cookers, along with a booklet containing healthy low-budget recipes and tips, information on food growing opportunities and additional resources.

The group has also launched an online series of cooking demonstrations to help recipients boost their confidence in cooking and provide them the skills to create simple-to-make and hassle-free meals.

The funding from the CALA Homes community bursary helped the Aberdeenshire North Foodbank team to purchase additional slow cookers, which have been donated to more families who needed the additional support from the charity.

Stephen Balfour, development worker at Aberdeenshire North Foodbank, said: “Due to the pandemic, there has been a huge increase in the number of people depending on our foodbanks in the past year.

“This increase in demand meant we needed to think of a more sustainable approach towards supporting those who need our help. Through the cookery skills scheme, we hope we can provide families with the abilities and practical tools to prepare stress-free and delicious meals in a cost effective and simple way.

“Thanks to the kind donation from CALA Homes and its community bursary grant, we have been able to provide even more families across the region with this support.”

Mike Naysmith, managing director at CALA Homes (North), added: “Our community bursary was established with the aim of helping some fantastic groups and charities that really benefit the local community and Aberdeenshire North Foodbank is a great example of this.

“We hope that this donation will play an important part in helping to feed families across the region and building a healthy ethos to food and cooking.”

The donation was made as part of the CALA Homes (North) £10,000 Community Bursary initiative, which has helped a total of seven local groups, charities, and organisations this year.