TALENTED cooks have been serving up some tasty treats by leading healthy eating lessons at a Greenock community centre.

Angela Lynch, NHS community cook organiser, has been helping local folk create some tasty meals at Craigend Resource Centre in conjunction with the Inverclyde Food Network.

The aim of the four-week course is to teach people how to cook from scratch from healthier, and cheaper, ingredients, improving their diet and overall health as well as helping them with their budgets.

Angela and Ruth pictured with cookery students Mark Robertson and Martin Deveney. (Image: George Munro) Angela has been cooking up a storm all across Inverclyde, including Larkfield Early Learning Centre and St John's Primary Nursery, and Rainbow Family Centre, to aim classes at parents with young children.

Angela, who was joined by Ruth McNeill, said: "It's all about healthy eating, using more vegetables and cooking from scratch. We run small classes for four or six people.

"It's to encourage people to eat vegetables and beans, butter beans, kidney and cannellini beans. These are the latest superfoods.

"You can tell that they are a bit nervous when they come in at first. A lot of people don't cook from scratch, and then at the end of the class they are really excited and want more recipes.

"We try to encourage people to try new things.

"Today we're cooking pasta arrabbiata. We also link in with the Inverclyde Food Network, who grew their own food, and then we use them in our cookery lessons."

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Mark Robertson, 46, who was joined by his friend Martin Deveney, is the latest student on the course, and was keen to get started.

Mark said: "It's a good skill to have and it gets me out of the house and meeting people.

"The staff are really nice."

Brian Power, the centre's manager, said: "This is the second block of classes we've done. This will finish on December 5 and another class will start in January.

"We've had good feedback from the public. People seem to be interested. Some people have never cooked before and are keen to learn new skills."

The classes run on Thursdays from 4pm to 6pm. For more information, call 01475 786739.