A COMMUNITY cook recently received some tips in the kitchen from Jamie Oliver himself.

Leanne Cresswell, a cook from Reading-based Ufton Court Educational Trust, learned how to make the most of surplus food donations and minimise food waste after taking part in the Tesco Community Cookery School with the famous chef.

The trust is one of 7,000 charities and community groups to receive free surplus food from Tesco stores via food distribution charity Fareshare, under the supermarket's Community Food Connection scheme.

Leanne said: "As a children's charity with hundreds of children visiting us a week, it was a really useful day for getting tips and inspiration to provide healthy and tasty meals.

"The techniques we were taught were extremely useful and I will definitely be sharing these skills among our team."

Jamie Oliver said: "We want to give loads more amazing community cooks the confidence to create delicious, balanced meals from food that would otherwise have been thrown away.

"It’s about empowering charities with the knowledge and tools they need to help those who need it the most."