THE Organic Cookery School in Haslemere has won through to the finals of the prestigious BBC Food and Farming Awards.

Former primary school teacher Lucy May, who runs the not-for-profit venture, is one of just five competing to win the BBC Food Chain’s global champion award.

Finalists were nominated by the BBC World Service audience and judged by an international panel headed by the writer, cook and Netflix star Samin Nostrat.

The Organic Cookery School teaches cookery and nutrition to families and children through hands-on community programmes and online.

Courses have included local authority and lottery-funded subjects, such as Cooking with Dad, Cooking for Baby and Food Explorers, as well as projects commissioned by Age UK Surrey, and the Stroke Association.

The school is also passionate about equipping teens with the skills to be independent in the kitchen, minimise food waste and feed themselves healthily on a budget.

It currently works with more than 200 schools running Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme-approved Street Food and Student Survival cookery courses.

Lucy said: “Teaching is such a rewarding job. I am delighted the work our grass-roots organisation does has been recognised.

“Since setting up in 2004, we have engaged more than 50,000 parents, children and young people across Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex and neighbouring counties, and trained more than 320 teaching staff and volunteers.”