Residents in Stockton are sharing ideas when it comes to healthy eating. And a community collection of tasty, nutritious recipes is set to be the result of their hard work. Residents of Stockton's Parkfield area have been working on a healthy eating project. Work is underway to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables local people eat and improve people's awareness of increasing their intake of wholesome food. Susan Elden, associate public health specialist with North Tees Primary Care Trust's department of public health, said: "Stockton has a good market offering plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, but that's not easy to access for everyone. "Parkfield is one of our target areas where we are working hard to improve healthy eating. "Consumption rates of fruit and vegetables are low and it's an area with a lot of takeaway shops where it's all too easy to pick up food rather than have something home cooked." Tomorrow residents are getting together at Stockton International Family Centre for a food tasting and ideas sharing event. It's hoped recipes from all sectors of the community will form part of the new cook book. "We'll be providing food for people to taste, but we've also asked local people to bring along simple dishes of their own to share with everyone," added Susan. "Hopefully this will introduce people to lots of different foods - from lots of different cultures. "We are working to address the need for culturally relevant information on health eating and alternatives to high fat and high sugar additives." Local resident Grace Isaac Obed has the task of bringing all the ideas together for the cook book. She is one of Parkfield's community champions working to improve health matters in the area. Grace went through a training course to become a community champion. "I'm very interested in health and healthy eating," she said. "I did the course in April and really enjoyed it. "The cook book is the latest project I'm working on and I'll be pulling all the ideas together." Susan added: "Our community champions are great role models. "They are out there in the community really helping get the message across. "We hope the cook book will be a real success. "It will be for people in Parkfield to start with but if the demand is there people in other areas may benefit from it too." * The healthy eating event is being held at the Stockton International Family Centre, Dovecot Street, tomorrow from 12-3pm. | 
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Enterprise North East
Evening Gazette's
