A MEDSTEAD woman who has rustled up a charity cookbook with a difference has popped into the Castle of Comfort pub to help promote it.

And so far Helen Bennett has been doing a sterling job, with revenue from her cookbook already securing £3,000 for the Wings for Life charity.

Helen, 49, has independently created the ‘Life’s Recipes’ cookbook using contributions from local cooks, restaurants and coffee shops, as well as nationally recognised professional and celebrity chefs, to raise funds for a charity which is so close to her heart.

Herself a mum of two, Helen’s 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 Wings for Life.

She 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.”

While copies of the book are available from The Naked Grape in Four Marks, Arrows off licence Four Marks, Porters Newsagents Alton, The Handy Store and The Castle of Comfort at Medstead, Helen has also undertaken some book signing evenings, including at the Castle of Comfort where she was joined by friend and current MasterChef champion Jane Devonshire, who has also contributed a recipe to the book.