BARRHEAD families have been taking part in online cookery classes to help reduce food waste and learn upcycling skills during lockdown.

The aim of the Barrhead Climate Challenge Project is to encourage people to gain basic cooking skills and experience new tastes in a fun and relaxed environment.

It is run by Barrhead Housing Association, Dunterlie Food Share and kids’ cookery group Totnosh.

Almost £100,000 was secured from the Keep Scotland Beautiful Climate Challenge Fund for a two-year initiative focusing on the Dunterlie area.

Each week, Totnosh boss Louisa McKay delivers the ingredients to those taking part in the project, who then go online for Zoom classes that teach them how to make meals using leftovers that would otherwise go to waste.

Louisa told the Barrhead News: “It has been amazing to see how families have adapted to doing these classes online.

“Everyone has really enjoyed them and have been making the recipes again themselves.

“We are delighted to be involved in a project that helps families to reduce the amount of food they are wasting and to learn about ways that they as individuals and also as part of a community can do their part to help reduce climate change.”

Bryan Dando, Barrhead Housing Association’s community regeneration officer, added: “The closure of community venues due to Covid-19 delayed the launch of the project but we have been able to adapt and work with our partners and community members to take part in the project online and digitally.

“An example of this is the hugely-popular food waste workshops and, shortly, we will be launching our online upcycling and recycling workshops.”

The next set of classes starts this Friday. To book a place, contact Louisa by sending an email to info@totnosh.net.