Aspiring cooks from St Paul's in Cheltenham have been encouraged to don their aprons and get their five-a-day.

A group of women who had never cooked before took part in a series of healthy eating workshops put on by County Community Projects (CCP).

The Cheltenham-based charity works to support people who come from deprived backgrounds.

The sessions, which were run in partnership with Winchcombe Women's Institute, taught participants how to make nourishing dishes.

Community workers responsible for organising the course said it would have "huge benefits" in helping participants to lead healthier lives.

Ramona Ray, family services manager at the CCP, said: "The classes demonstrated how to prepare healthy, nutritious family meals on a limited budget.

"The ladies who took part in the course were, for whatever reason, not given the chance to learn how to cook.

"Some of them had never eaten the kind of fresh fruit and vegetables many people take for granted, and we wanted to put that right."

The project, funded by the Government's Let's Cook scheme, saw the women participate in a series of lessons at St Paul's Church Hall.

Mrs Ray added: "In addition to preparing and eating the food, the ladies were encouraged to try new recipes and adopt a healthy five-a-day lifestyle.

"They learned through cooking with fresh ingredients they can create delicious meals on a tight budget – a realistic alternative to fast food.

"It will have huge benefits because they will now be able to go back and cook these dishes at home. The healthy habits should filter down to the whole family."

On passing the course, the aspiring cooks were awarded a certificate and a recipe book giving them ideas on dishes to cook in the future.

The course will be followed by a series of lessons on healthy living and self-esteem in the New Year.