Local families enjoyed foraging for fresh herbs and blossoms to cook around the campfire at Foxhole Community Garden in Dartington.

Youngsters added wild garlic seeds to damper bread cooked over the fire, herbs to butter for jacket potatoes baked in the embers, and chives to a fresh tomato salsa which accompanied smokey campfire beans.

All the dishes were washed down with a cold herbal fruit tea infused with rose petals and elderflower.

The practical cooking event was led by nutritionist Anna Thomson of the Totnes-based Nourishing Families social enterprise, and formed the culmination of a year-long Lotto funded project.

Anna said: “It was important for the children to have the experience of picking and cooking food growing around them, and have the chance to taste in the dishes they prepared for themselves.

“Often children are more open to trying new foods in a different environment.”

Thanks to the grant, groups of parents from across the South Hams and further afield have taken part in a series of Nourishing Families nutrition and food education courses, which aim to help families build lifelong, positive relationships with food.

The families were then invited to along to their local celebratory Family Feast and Forage days.

Darington mum, Hannah Barth said: “Both of my young children really enjoyed getting involved with the activities - collecting, preparing and cooking the food.

“I noticed my youngest boy engage in a way I hadn’t seen before. He surprised me by being focused and able to listen and finish the task, definitely a sign he enjoyed it.

“I hope to get them involved with cooking at home more often”

The courses and forage days were funded with a £9,962 Awards for All Lottery grant.

Nourishing Families is planning its next funding bid and Anna would love to hear what support or events local families would like to see in their area.

Anyone with ideas can email her at [email protected].