There's a particular skill to cooking on a barbeque and much of the key to doing it well involves thinking about your preparations. You don't need to be a professional to cook well.

Many of us love to be invited to a barbeque event. Spending an afternoon out in the sunshine, eating nice food, drinking and enjoying the company of friends or family can make for a great occasion.

Some of us also like to host such events. They give us a chance to get outside and do some cooking. What are the keys to hosting a successful event?

It's undoubtedly important that you spend some time preparing for the day. If you're relying on doing everything at the last minute then you're likely to find the day considerably more stressful.

This, in turn, is likely to be bad news for your guests. If you're stressed, then it's likely to become obvious to those that you've invited. You'll find that this is not the ideal way to put them at ease.

Far better that you can all relax, maybe sipping from the fruit cocktails that you prepared earlier.

Spending time on preparations won't simply make things easier for you - it will also show your guests that you've put some thought into the occasion. That's a great way to put them in a positive state of mind.

The food is one area where your amount of preparation is likely to be most obvious. You should, for example, give consideration to the type of food that your guests like to eat.

Have you made sure that you've provided something for everyone? How about side dishes? These are often particularly simple to prepare in advance because they may well be served cold.

Think about your guests and their requirements - it's a great way to ensure that they think more highly of you.