Newly arrived refugees and young mothers will be amongst a number of Bankstown residents to participate in an education program early next year, aimed at helping households save up to $1000 a year off their grocery bills.

Bankstown City Council has received funding of $9,900 as part of the NSW Government’s Love Food Hate Waste program to run the Community Kitchen workshops, targeting low-income households, newly arrived refugees and single parents living in the Villawood and Chester Hill area.

Mayor of Bankstown Clr Khal Asfour said the health and wellbeing of our community is a priority for Council.

"Every year more than 40 per cent of household rubbish sent to landfill in NSW is food waste that could be avoided.

“The Community Kitchen project is aimed at providing vulnerable residents in our community with tips on how to save money and avoid food waste.

"I encourage eligible residents to consider participating in this important community educational program," Mayor Asfour said.

The workshops, beginning in February 2012, will run through all aspects of menu planning to cooking and food storage, and include excursions to community gardens in the Bankstown area and interactive cooking demonstrations.

For information and tips to waste less food and save money, all residents are invited to visit Bankstown City Council's Love Food Hate Waste stall at the Bankstown Bites festival on Saturday 30 July.