These workshops, trialled earlier in the year, saw Craft Guild members bring parents and their children together in school classroom kitchens to start cooking and appreciating food again. The first event in 2012 will take place on January 26 at the Simon Balle School in Hertfordshire, where Bernard Matthews will be providing turkey for the cooking experience. The summer workshops will also use the company's turkey to prove to families that turkey can be used to create a host of dishes and underscore that it is not just a festive bird. "Supporting healthy eating is certainly something that we are committed to doing as a company," said general manager Duncan Marsh. "The workshops that the Craft Guild are running are the perfect avenues to get families enjoying cooking and eating together, and to get all involved learning about where their food comes from and the nutritional benefits of food. We are certainly proud to lend our name to such a top concept and hopefully the workshops will continue to go from strength to strength." In December Marks & Spencer Hospitality gave a fantastic boost to the programme by agreeing to sponsor the workshops, which will begin to be rolled out further into schools across the UK. The emphasis will be on back to basics – ingredients, cooking equipment, nutrition and cost saving will be talked about by the chefs. The workshops are hands-on, and having fun while cooking is the central theme that the Guild wants to promote. Despite an increase in cooking related shows on TV, many families lack the understanding of what constitutes a healthy, nutritious and cost effective meal. They also miss out on the enjoyment that eating together as a family provides, and the simple pleasures and satisfaction of cooking and then eating food. The Craft Guild is hoping that more sponsors will be in place to help with ingredients. It is also looking at its business partners to find solutions for offering the workshop experience to schools who don't have good catering facilities. • For more information on the cooking in schools initiative, visit www.craftguildofchefs.org, or email [email protected]