PUPILS at a north Durham primary school have produced a healthy eating recipe book for charity.

The children from Collierley Primary School, in Dipton, have been working with staff from Derwentside Homes to produce recipes and posters around the theme of eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

They have been compiled to produce a colourful recipe book which will be sold to parents, friends, teachers and Derwentside Homes staff, with the money raised donated to The People’s Kitchen, in Newcastle.

School headteacher David Grimes said: “We have developed a really positive partnership with Derwentside Homes over the last few years and have worked together on a number of different community projects.

“This has really strengthened the children's understanding of their community and how they can contribute and make a difference, which is fantastic.

“The healthy eating booklet allowed us to reinforce the work we do in school around the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and for the children to see their work published is an added bonus – hopefully the messages around being healthy will stay with them for life.”

Copies of the book are available from the school and cost £1 each.

There are also plans to produce tea-towels featuring the pupils’ designs to raise further funds.

Maureen Hogg from the People's Kitchen said she was delighted that the charity had been chosen by the school and Derwentside Homes to receive the proceeds of the book.

She said: "Eating healthy food is just as important for our friends as it is for everyone else and in some cases, even more so.

"It's fantastic that this book will help to raise awareness of the foods that are good for us at the same time as raising much needed funds for the People's Kitchen."