Men of a certain age are often accused of holding the view that a woman's place is in the kitchen – well, not any more.

These budding chefs have lined themselves up for a cookery course which will teach them their way around a kitchen as they try to spice up their culinary skills.

The course – appropriately named Old Spice – is being run by Age Concern Brighton and Portslade as part of the charity’s LifeLines project.

LifeLines' volunteer co-ordinator Janette Palfrey said: “This project was started as older men are a really difficult group for us to reach.

“The idea for it came when a chap came up to us at an event and said he was a widower and that his wife used to do all the cooking and that he needed help with it.

“A lot of older guys can't cook so it's about helping them.”

The eight-week course, which starts on September 10 at South Portslade Community Centre, covers a wide range of cookery skills such as setting up a larder to making sauces and how to stir-fry.

Age Concern recently ran a taster session for the course for men interested in learning to cook.

Laurence Garrard, a 78-year-old retired Seeboard worker from Southwick, was one of those to sign up for the trial session.

He said: “I do cook a little bit but you get a bit bored doing the same things time and time again so I thought I would expand my repertoire.

“We learnt how to cook a risotto, which I could never do properly before. I went home and then thoroughly enjoyed my own one.

“It wasn't as good as the one our group made but the point is I learnt a new skill.”

Mr Garrard said he would be signing up for the full course in September.

Ms Palfrey added that the taster session went well and that hopefully at the end of the course the men will hopefully be able to hold their own cookery classes to pass on their skills to others who can't cook.

She said: “With LifeLines support we'll help them run their own taster sessions.”

For more information about the Old Spice course contact Janette Palfrey on 01273 508118 or email lifelines@ageconcern-bhp.org.uk.