Government-backed scheme encourages Ribble Valley youngsters to make happy and healthy lifestyle choices

The Play and Skills at Teatime Activities (PASTA) programme is open to families in the Ribble Valley with children aged 5–8.

The scheme empowers families with skills and awareness so that healthier lifestyle choices are available and are centred around family needs.

It is available during each half term break, across a six-week window, and lasts for 90 minutes, offering a fitness-based focus.

Children can take part in a range of activities for the first hour, including sports, athletics and boxing, before learning cookery skills, which is aimed at recognising constraints such as budgets, home cooking facilities and food culture.

The scheme is available each half term for six weeks and lasts for ninety minutes. This comprises of 60 minutes different physical activity such as different sports, athletics, boxing and fitness.

It is then followed 30 minutes of cookery skills aimed at recognising constraints such as budgets, home cooking facilities and food culture.

The dishes are handmade from scratch with the hidden veg burger, BLT pasta salad and puff pastry pizza all featuring on the menu.

The sessions are now, due to increased demand, run over two days. The first is held on Tuesday between 4pm and 5-30pm at "In The Zone", next to Trinity Church, with Big Cook Little Cook.

Families can also book their children on to the course at Roefield Leisure on Thursday, between 4pm and 5-30pm, with Flavours Cookery School.

More information can be obtained from www.ribblevalleywellbeing.co.uk/pasta or ring Sarah at Roefield on 01200 442188.