Visually impaired Bonnybridge chef cooks up confidence in the kitchen for others with sensory loss

David Black, 44, a chef and cookery teacher at Camelon’s Forth Valley Sensory Centre received a food champions award from NHS Forth Valley’s Public Health

Nutrition team in recognition of his commitment to helping others through the cookery classes he runs for people with sight and hearing loss and learning disabilities,

teaching them how to make healthy, nutritious food on a budget.

David, from Bonnybridge, has a hereditary sight loss condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, and is also deaf. He uses a range of assistive technology, including

talking scales, to measure ingredients and has a volunteer helper who acts as his eyes while he is cooking at the lessons at the centre on Tuesday and Friday mornings.

Taught to cook by his mum, Joan, who was also blind and started volunteering at the centre in 2006, David creates tasty dishes at the popular FVSC cafe when is not

teaching his cookery classes.

David said: “I like passing on what my mum taught me. She was an independent, blind woman with five weans. She taught us how to look after ourselves. She was

very focused on us being independent and I want to pass that basic stuff on to other people.

“Cooking for yourself means you can save money and its healthier. I’m lactose intolerant and I can’t read the labels on food – so if I make something from scratch, I

know what it has in it.

“I want to give people that basic independence. When you are blind or deaf you think ‘I can’t do that’ but with the right support you can do anything.”

Jacquie Winning, FVSC chief executive, added: “It’s great to see David recognised for his hard work and commitment he has put into teaching people a variety of

cooking skills, people who are from all walks of life and ability level.

“We all love eating David’s food at the centre and feel very lucky to have him. I particularly recommend his lemon drizzle cake.”