A booming catering service, based in Bridport, Dorset, is backing a new campaign by celebrity chefs, the Hairy Bikers to rescue one of the country’s great culinary treasures – Meals on Wheels.
These well known celebrity chefs are racing to rescue the iconic institution of Meals on Wheels that at its height, delivered more than 34 million meals to the elderly and infirm. The programme, set to air on BBC2, shows how over the last eight years, the number of Meals on Wheels delivered nationwide has plummeted by more than a third, and highlights the importance of good food when caring for people in need. Tuesday night was part one of a four part series.
Local Food Links, a community owned social enterprise, developed a new user led catering service during 2010, to provide older people with freshly prepared meals made from local and seasonal ingredients, and has been going from strength to strength ever since.
The service now provides delicious, traditional meals to an increasing number of lunch clubs across West Dorset, as well as a selection of schools and nurseries and since February 2011 have been offering a meals on wheels service in partnership with Agincare Cuisine..
The meals are prepared daily at Local Food Link’s Bridport Kitchen, and include favourites such as roast pork and apple sauce, steak and kidney pie, stew and dumplings, and a selection of homemade puds.
Catering for all dietary requirements, the Meals on Wheels service also gives residents the flexibility to order as often or as little as they wish. Orders can be placed through Agincare Cuisine who can be contacted on 01308 424884.
The service was created partly thanks to a £288,000 grant from Local Food, a £57.5 million funding programme supported by the Big Lottery Fund, which funds, food related community projects right across the country.
If you are interested in finding out more about the service Local Food Links have to offer then please visit www.localfoodlinks.org.uk.
Hairy Biker’s Meals on Wheels starts at 9pm on Tuesday 13th September on BBC2. Episodes from the four-part series can be viewed here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014sqyx.
