Old Spice cookery course in Portslade is a big success (From The Argus)

Old Spice cookery course in Portslade is a big success

8:00pm Tuesday 13th March 2012 in Community By Sheralyn Morey

A group of older men have been brushing up their skills in the kitchen at Old Spice cookery classes in Portslade.

The eight-week course is run by the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership in collaboration with Portslade Community Forum.

It has been so popular that there is now a waiting list for the next one.

Lorette Mackie, the community development worker for Portslade, said: “Men are usually more difficult to engage in community activities but we have had a lot of interest.

“One man has been widowed recently, and another man’s wife is ill and he is her carer. Others are retired with time on their hands and some have been sent by their wives!”

During the course the group will try out a range of recipes, as well as learning about food safety, storing food correctly and shopping wisely.

Colin Mann signed up for the course as he would like to help with the cooking at home now he is retired because his wife still works.

He said: “Now I can go home, pick up a cook book and follow a recipe, which I couldn’t do before. It’s not so frightening now.”

Each Monday the group cook a two-course meal and then sit down together to eat it at the end of the session.

Oliver Philipson has enjoyed the social aspect of the course after losing his wife.

He said: “I could cook easy things before but this has expanded my knowledge and made cooking a meal a bit less daunting. It’s also a nice social thing, we eat together at the end and have a good time.”

At the end of the eight weeks, the group will host a banquet for their family and friends to show off their new skills.

The Brighton and Hove Food Partnership also holds an Old Spice course at Ebenezer Church in Brighton on Thursdays.