Young diabetics benefit from Gordon Ramsay classes

The children were taught to make fajitas from scratch

Young people with type 1 diabetes are taking part in cookery classes run by the Gordon Ramsay Academy at a Surrey hospital.

Soraia Cabral, a paediatric diabetes nurse at the Royal Surrey Hospital, contacted the chef's cookery school to help patients improve their relationship with food.

A dozen children, aged between 11 and 15, have so far taken part in the free sessions, learning to cook fajitas from scratch.

"The sessions give our young people a better understanding of food and they also get to meet others who are facing the same challenges," said Ms Cabral.

"The cooking experience is great because a lot of children with type 1 diabetes have a complicated relationship with food and they feel confused and anxious about what they should eat and when."

George, aged 12, said: "I thoroughly enjoyed the class as it was fun and taught me how to cook some new foods."

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust is the third trust to work with the academy on classes for teenage patients with diabetes since the academy opened in 2021.

The classes have even inspired some who took part to take further cooking classes offered by the academy.