Cook Smart, Live Well

Batch Cooking for cancer awareness at Oasis Food Pantry, Brislington, Bristol

A FREE community programme March - July 2026

🍉 Healthy eating
🧑‍🍳 Cooking skills
🍽️ Community meals
🎗️ Cancer awareness

FREE sessions running March - July 2026, for Oasis Food Pantry users and the wider Brislington community.

Batch Cook Club, in partnership with Nightingale Valley Practice, Oasis Food Pantry and St Peter’s Methodist Church, invite you to take part in a free community programme focused on healthy eating, cooking skills, and cancer awareness. Funded by NHS Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance (SWAGCA).

Scroll down for information about sessions.

Help us promote the sessions by sharing this leaflet with your community or displaying in your premises:

Using food as a tool for change

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Using food as a tool for change 〰️

  • Building cooking confidence

    A little kitchen confidence can go a long way to support your health and wellbeing. Our step-by-step classes build participants’ skills and confidence in cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients to encourage higher fibre intake and alternatives to ultra processed / sugar-rich foods. Sign up for a four week course.

  • Sharing fibre-rich recipes

    By using simple ingredients like wholegrains, beans, lentils, fruit and veg, you can create filling, nourishing meals that support your long-term health. Fibre-rich diets are associated with lower risk of non-communicable diseases, including some cancers, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (University of Dundee).

  • Reducing sugar intake and ultra processed foods

    Cutting back on sugar doesn’t mean cutting out flavour. Reducing sugar helps support a healthy weight, steady energy levels, and lowers the risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease (City St Georges, University of London). We’ll show you simple, affordable ways to cook from scratch and enjoy naturally delicious meals and snacks at home.

  • Friendly chats about health & cancer awareness

    Information displays and friendly professionals will be available to offer guidance, answer questions, and signpost to cancer support services. Opportunity to speak to Dr Caroline Perkins and Dr Peter Lillie (clinicians from Nightingale Valley Practice) in a non-clinical setting.

Join us for FREE, friendly sessions to build confidence in the kitchen and support better health:

Food tasters & demonstrations

These sessions are open to everyone visiting the pantry and are designed to inspire healthier eating while creating a safe space for conversation and support.

No need to book - come along on the following dates:

  • 31 March, 12.30-2pm

  • 21 April, 12.30-2pm

  • 28 April, 12.30-2pm

  • 5 May, 12.30-2pm

  • 12 May , 12.30-2pm

  • Using food regularly available at the Food Pantry, we’ll demonstrate delicious and nutritious meal ideas to inspire mealtimes at home.

  • Take away recipe cards with nutrition information and their relation to cancer risk

  • Access clear, supportive information about cancer symptoms, screening, and early diagnosis.

  • Speak informally with a clinician in a relaxed, non-clinical setting. They will be available to answer your questions about cancer screening, symptoms and awareness.

Cook Smart, Live well is being delivered in partnership with:

“I’ve learnt lots and gained confidence with cooking and using new and healthy foods, which is particularly important for me as a disabled person as I usually rely on microwave meals.”

— Learn to Batch Cook participant

Book on to a batch cooking course:

Cook Smart Live Well

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Download our ‘Why fibre matters’ poster for ideas of high-fibre ingredients to try.

Meet the Team

  • Laurie Roche

    Co-founder
    Batch Cook Club

  • Seema Vekaria

    Nutritional Therapist
    Co-founder
    Batch Cook CLub

  • Dr Caroline Perkins

    Clinician
    Nightingale Valley Practice

  • Dr Peter Lillie

    Clinician
    Nightingale Valley Practice

  • Alice Cranston

    Community Lead
    Connexus Primary Care Network