A BRADFORD grandmother is celebrating after being awarded more than £1,600 to run Cook and Play groups.

The money, from Better Start Bradford's Parents in the Lead Awards fund, was awarded to Lubna Khalid, 43.

During the cooking sessions, grandparents will showcase their favourite healthy recipes for families to then cook and enjoy eating with their children.

The sessions will take place at Women Zone Community Centre, Hubert Street, off Leeds Road, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Lubna said: “The project not only provides mothers and grandmothers with an opportunity to share their recipes with the younger generation, but they will also bond and share childhood memories while cooking.

"While the older generation have seen food and eating habits change over the years, the children still enjoy their mother’s and grandmother’s recipes and we are looking forward to archiving those and creating a recipe book at the end.”

Lubna’s project is one of four projects that have been awarded Parents in the Lead funding in the latest round of awards. The projects will share almost £5,000 between them and activities will include a weekly parent and toddler group at St Mary’s and St Peter’s Catholic School, nursery children will learn about gardening and growing food at the Karmand Nursery, Barkerend Road, and a Sudanese Community Toddler’s Group will get a boost from interactive reading and storytelling sessions.

Gill Thornton, Head of Programme, Better Start Bradford, said: “Grandparents are such an important figure in a child’s life.

"They have a lifetime of parenting experience and knowledge to pass on to younger generations and we love to see projects run by them.

“All of the awarded projects aim to give children the best start in life by improving health, social and emotional development and communication skills. We can’t wait to see what the next wave of applications bring."

The next deadline is May 31, 2018.

Better Start Bradford is part of the ten-year £215 million National Lottery funded A Better Start programme.

Better Start Bradford’s Parents in the Lead activities fund is designed to help parents run activities for families expecting babies or with children under four, in the Better Start Bradford area of Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton.

Activities should be for under fours and contribute towards social and emotional development,develop communication and language and improve nutrition and health

For further information, visit betterstartbradford.org.uk/projects or call 01274 723146.

The project is one of four to be awarded a cash boost.

The fund is designed to help parents run activities for families expecting babies, or with children under four, in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton. For details, visit betterstartbradford.org.uk/projects or call 01274 723146.

Pictured is previous project Crafty Kids.