A MEDSTEAD mum of two has written a charity cookbook with a difference in that it contains contributions from local cooks, restaurants and coffee shops, as well as nationally recognised professional and celebrity chefs.

Wings for Life supporter Helen Bennett, 49, has independently created this cookbook to raise funds for the charity that is so close to her heart: her nephew had an accident when he was 11, resulting in a spinal cord injury, and it was this that has triggered her desire to support the charity.

Helen said: “Wings for Life is a spinal cord research charity carrying out research to cure spinal cord injury. Every year at least 250,000 more spinal cord injuries occur, 50 percent from road accidents, 24 percent from falls, 17 percent other causes, six percent sports and three percent from extreme sports – a spinal cord injury can happen to anyone.”

The author, who has lived in Medstead since 1989 and whose family, and especially daughters Leah, 23, and Libby, 20, are “very proud” of her, came up with the idea to compile a cookbook of ‘Life’s Recipes’, made up of recipes from a range of chefs to represent every aspect of cookery, from Michelin star recipes to family favourites.

As a keen cook and food lover, the idea seemed an obvious but different way to fund raise. Inspired by the amazing quality and choice of dishes served in the restaurants and pub’s she ate in while travelling for business, Helen started to contact chefs.

On September 2 last year, she e-mailed Rick Stein at the Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. The response was positive and encouraging, and soon after that Lorraine Pascale, Gino D’Campo and The Tanner Brothers came on board.

Locally, Helen has had a lot of support with recipe contributions from friends, pubs, restaurants, and “the best Italian coffee shop in town!”.

Over the next nine months she continued to e-mail chefs, restaurants and charity supporters, any places she ate in while working away were asked for recipes and given a ‘Helen’s charity cookbook’ business card. In addition to the recipes, Helen wanted to make the book informative – her local wine merchant, butcher and top quality knife maker were approached for articles on wine matching, meat joints and how to choose the best knife for the job – without hesitation, the articles came back and the book started to take shape.

Fans of TV cookery programmes will recognise many of the contributing chefs – Albert Roux, James Martin, Brasserie Blanc Winchester, Tom Kitchen, Michel Roux Jr, Chris and James Tanner.

MasterChef is well represented by Mark Stinchcombe, this year’s winner and Four Marks resident Jane Devonshire, and Juanita Hennessey, along with the Great British Menu chefs Richard Bainbridge, Graham Garrett and Tom Aikens.

Formula One fans won’t be disappointed either with recipes from David Coulthard, Daniel Ricciardo, and Daniil Kvyat.

Helen said: “Many of the chefs and bakers are award winning. For royal fans, Justin Gellatly sent in his ‘Royal Buns’ recipe – as baked for Prince William and Katherine’s wedding!”

All of the recipes came via e-mail, but the project nearly stalled at this stage due to high production costs, but sponsors were sorted and a fundraising event planned – nonetheless, there was still a long way to go to reach the amount originally quoted.

By sheer good fortune a friend of Helen’s was at a friend’s barbecue and she was talking to Simon – a printer! He was willing for Helen to contact him regarding the printing of the book.

Helen said: “Simon is an account manager at Geoff Neal Group (London) and agreed to produce the book at cost, not only that, but their paper supplier Premier paper group kindly donated all of paper free. Thanks to their support the project was moving again!”

The collection of recipes gradually became a book, 148 pages of A4 full colour, packed full of recipes, guides and photographs. On September 20, the first draft went off to Simon at Geoff Neal Group (London) and after a few tweaks the final draft was signed off and the book went into production.

So it was that just over a year since the start, on October 14, 500 copies of ‘Life’s Recipes’ were delivered and ready for sale. Orders for more than 200 copies came in within the first two weeks.

The cost of the book is £15, plus £3.50 postage and packing, and can be ordered by e-mailing Helen at [email protected].

Copies are also available from The Naked Grape in Four Marks, Arrows off licence in Four Marks, Porters Newsagents in Alton, The Handy Store and The Castle of Comfort at Medstead.