A BORDERS social enterprise has teamed up with a housing association to help families cook good food for less.

You Can Cook – a local organisation which works to encourage people to make informed choices about the food they consume – has joined together with Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA) to launch a programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The group received lottery funding of £86,520 to provide the three-year project.

The funding will allow You Can Cook to deliver cookery workshops with the housing association, providing advice on health and nutrition, cooking on a budget, as well as combatting loneliness and social isolation in the Borders.

Bosco Santimano, executive director of You Can Cook, said: “Having a healthy diet is the key and first step to leading a successful life.

"As an organisation with healthy living at our core, our ethos is to motivate communities and individuals to enhance their health and well-being through food.

"These activities will also be open to the wider community in some areas as part of our goal to tackle isolation and loneliness.

"COVID-19 has exacerbated the problems in this area as many residents found it very hard due to the restrictions imposed during lockdown and the social distancing rules that meant they could not meet up for a pint or cuppa in their local pub or café.

“All our workshops encourage learning through active participation which allows everyone involved to interact and learn from each other."

The 'socialise while cooking on a budget' workshops will begin this month in Peebles.

The workshops will see Mr Santimano and his team prepare two recipes, they will also offer advice and conversations on how to make the most money-saving and healthy choices when food shopping.

For more information on the workshops and the work You Can Cook does, visit: www.youcancook.org.uk