Episode 2 Hairy Bikers' Meals on Wheels

We're the Hairy Bikers

and we've made our name cooking real food for real people.

Glad, you're nibbling on it already!

We're here to see if our mission to rejuvenate a vital culinary lifeline has worked.

Meals on wheels is a hot meal and much-needed face-to-face visit...

Hello, May!

..ensuring Britain's elderly and infirm

are kept safe, well fed, and in good spirits.

Now careful, because it's hot.

Two years ago, we trialled a plan to turn this essential service

into a lean, mean catering machine delivering a difference

to our grans and granddads,

and fit to roll out across 21st-century Britain.

Now we're revisiting the two places

where we first put our master plan into action.

Great to see you!

Girls! Hello!

Last time we'd returned to Elmbridge in Surrey...

They're back again!

..where we found the local council-run service flourishing...

And look at that - fresh veg and salad!

It's like the inside of Antonio Carluccio's head!

..and expanding across the county.

We christen this van Gladys!

Now we're heading north to Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire...

Hello, Enid. I'm Si. Nice to meet you. How are you, darling?

Oh, that were nice!

..where we rallied a community

to start a brand-new meals on wheels from scratch.

Hello, darling. How are you?

It's roast beef, Yorkshire pudding,

and the Yorkshire pudding's in gravy. We've had two each.

-You don't look as though you want anything to eat!

-No...

THEY LAUGH

We'll be catching up with old friends...

Is your mouth moving?!

-You've got food in there, haven't you?

-We haven't!

..and seeing if our trusty volunteers have kept their pledge...

Bottom line - we'll do anything for them, whatever.

..to deliver meals once a week to the local old folk.

-He doesn't like being kissed!

-He does now.

THEY LAUGH

Tonight we're off to where, two years ago,

we got a completely new meals on wheels off the ground.

It took community spirit, good old-fashioned elbow grease,

and, most important of all - volunteers.

Oh, 'eck!

We'd always believed in the power of volunteering

to change people's lives, but it was still a massive ask.

We're back in the village of Slaithwaite in West Yorkshire.

We first came here two years ago,

because it was one of the many places in the UK

that had lost its traditional meals-on-wheels service.

And the local old folk were crying out for a meals-on-wheels service,

so David and I here decided to do something about it.

Nearly one in six of the population here is over retirement age.

I have been living in Slaithwaite over 90 years.

And with many of the village's pensioners living alone...

I've been on my own seven years now.

It's difficult when you're on your own...

sorting meals out.

..it was the perfect place to trial our big idea.

On our first visit we discovered how much the service was missed.

Hello, Mrs Clay.

Not least by 90-year-old Christine Clay.

They were nice. They were nice.

If you'd got pork you got your stuffing, and your apple sauce

and baked potato and mashed potato - it was quite enough.

Since the hot meals stopped, she'd been relying on her daughter Fran.

I come here every day because I love my mother

and I want her to have a warm meal at least once a day.

-Yes.

-You know?

-It was a lot easier with meals on wheels.

-Yes.

-It really was.

-Would frozen meals be any good to you?

-No, it wouldn't.

-She doesn't like microwaves.

-Fair enough.

She blew her last one up.

So, Fran, how much difference would it make for you

if there was a meals-on-wheels service?

It would be so nice to have meals on wheels again.

She does need someone to look after her.

-Not going to go into a home.

-Oh, no, you're not.

-I definitely don't want go into a home.

-No.

-No.

-Why should you?

-Just sitting there, like nowt on Earth.

I've seen them up at t'old folks' home just sitting... like this here.

-That won't do!

-No.

-No.

THEY LAUGH

Mrs Clay's wish became our personal ambition,

but if our plan was to succeed we needed some serious people power.

Oh, my Gawd!

Oh, crumbs!

'Our prayers were answered...'

God, they're gonna be a handful!

'..by these tenacious Yorkshire business ladies.'

If you lot can't start meals on wheels in Slawik,

-nobody can, can they?

-Exactly, aye!

They're no strangers to volunteering.

Hello, I'm Sallyanne Green,

and I was Miss January in the Slaithwaite Naked calendar.

I'm Patricia Bowden and I'm Miss August on the Slaithwaite calendar.

The year before they'd got their kits off for a good cause,

raising £1,000 for the local hospice.

But when it came to meals on wheels, they were total novices.

-So, sisters, are you all up for it?

-ALL:

-Yes!

Come on!

They're still filled with enthusiasm.

We set to work training and inspiring our volunteer recruits...

This is the logo.

..and helping secure all of the facilities they'd need

to deliver a freshly cooked meal once a week.

Tiled. Easily cleanable and washable.

It's great. It's perfect.

Back of the net!

THEY LAUGH

Look at them!

Before we knew it, Slaithwaite's meals on wheels was launched.

Girls, this is it - D-day has arrived!

-Get in!

-ALL:

-Yay!

..and the newly formed "Colander Girls" were determined to keep it up.

Give us a kiss, love. See you later.

-The first kiss for I don't know how long.

-Ooh!

-Donkey's years.

Yeah, well, you can have another. There you go. See you, darling.

If we can't deliver these meals on wheels once a week

for the rest of our lives, then it will be a poor do.

Two years on and we're back in town,

ready to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in with today's delivery.

This is where it all began.

This is where Slaithwaite's meals on wheels service was born.

And in this kitchen the girls

pledged to cook a fresh meal once a week for the old folk.

# Where are the girls? #

It's quiet, isn't it?

What's happening?

Where's the kitchen?

-Dude, there's nobody here.

-Hello.

-SI AND DAVE:

-Hello!

-What are you doing here?

'Let's hope Sallyanne can explain everything.'

-What's happened?

-Don't you know?

-BOTH:

-What?

We're not doing meals on wheels any more.

-What do you mean?

-It all went flat once you'd left.

You were our inspiration guys. It just... We stopped doing them.

-You lyin' toad.

-You're lying.

-It's in your eyes!

-Yeah, I'm lying!

-Oh, you rotten sod!

We've all moved to St James's Church. Come and have a look?

-Yeah!

-You should be cracking on now.

'Hallelujah! We knew our lasses wouldn't let us down.'

Slaithwaite's meals on wheels now has a more permanent home

where Heather, Julie, Pat and the rest of the Colander Girls

-are gearing up for today's delivery.

-CHEERS AND GREETINGS

Nice to see you!

Great to see you!

-You all right?

-It's good to see you!

You're looking lovely, girl! Look at yer!

-Look at you! Diet works, then!

-It does, aye. Works, aye.

Canny, in'it?

Shame you didn't do something with the hair at the same time, darling. but we'll let you off.

THEY ALL LAUGH

That's fair enough. Fair enough.

So when did you move to the church?

18 months.

Is it working out well here?

A lot better. Bigger kitchen.

More space for the cans. A lot easier.

The new location isn't the only good news.

In the kitchen there's a whole team of fresh volunteer recruits,

all slaving over a hot stove.

So, Pat, there's a fella in the kitchen.

-Have you got a colander boy?

-Yeah, that's our Phil.

-Your Phil?

-Yeah.

He's a marvel since... Aren't you, Phil?!

EVERYONE LAUGHS

Keeping Phil company are husband and wife team Elaine and Roy,

kitchen-helper Sue,

local fish and chip shop owner, Binny,

and princess of puds Claire,

who's putting the finishing touches to today's dessert

of chocolate brownies and cream.

So, Claire, why did you get involved? What was your motivation?

I'm a student at the minute, so I've quite a flexible timetable.

I'm doing Nutrition,

and I saw a sign that they wanted some help in the kitchen.

-We need young folk involved in meals on wheels.

-I know.

I think it's a really valuable service.

I mean, it's only one meal a week, but it's still...

one meal they can rely on and it's a proper cooked one.

This is lovely, isn't it?

Are you short on strawberries?

-No!

-No!

Us? Short on strawberries?

It's your big portions again!

Coordinating all these new foot soldiers is a massive job.

Starting a meals on wheels from scratch

with our enthusiastic volunteers was always going to be tricky...

Do we need a whole fillet?

We don't need a whole fillet for one person - that's too much.

-No. No.

-That's too much.

-No, no, no.

..especially with so many fantastically feisty

personalities in the mix.

I'm only saying, how much room do they need?!

-You're wasting a table!

-You gain nothing!

To see how our eager recruits would fare

we tasked them with doing a dry run.

Right, we need to crack on! We haven't got much time - come on!

I am so confident, not only are we going to do it,

it is going to taste wonderful, look wonderful,

and be presented in a really nice way.

But with some strong opinions flying...

-Pam knows it's now 12.30 - she's very unhappy about that.

-Right, OK.

-Very unhappy that it all has to be ready for 12.30.

-Right, OK.

The initially calm kitchen soon descended into chaos.

WATCH THEM BRANDY SNAPS!

Turn it upside down and peel off while it's hot.

-Five minutes to half past!

-I can't do this.

One minute to half past.

I can't get them to work

and we've got two great big things to go in yet.

And having too many cooks really did nearly spoil the broth.

Girls, spread them out so you can get the heat down the side of it.

That's it.

We desperately needed a leader.

I think it might've knocked the cockiness out of them.

-I think it has. Which is good thing.

-Yep.

Thankfully today, there's one woman who's got all under control.

Pam's our sergeant major.

There was nae surprise there! That was always in the offing, wasn't it?

She's the sergeant major.

What d'you mean by that? I've no idea what you mean by that.

So are you the boss?

No, we don't have bosses.

We all do us own whack, and we all pull the same amount of weight.

Rallying the troops is just one of Pat's weekly tasks.

She now oversees the whole operation,

helping organise the menus,

ordering supplies,

and picking up fantastic fresh local produce for the kitchen.

We'd have won the Second World War

a lot quicker if she'd been in charge.

Thank you. See you later.

Pat's lovely.

Laugh-a-minute, her, isn't she?

Her last but crucial weekly task is checking in with all the recipients.

Enid, love. It's Pat, meals on wheels.

On a Monday night I ring round. Course they all want to talk to me.

So it takes, you know... But I let them know what cooking,

And if they want a meal.

Well, that's nice. And I'm not being rude, but you do like to talk.

-Yes, I do.

-Cos you're good at it.

-I am.

Today's meals-on-wheels main

is a hearty roast beef with all the trimmings.

Bloomin' 'eck!

-Real Yorkshire puddin's.

-They are corkers!

A yorkie?

Purely in the interests of research, of course, we think it's time

for a little quality control.

Is your mouth moving? THEY LAUGH

-You've got food in there, haven't you?

-We haven't!

-Yes, you have!

-We haven't.

-Look at me!

Hey, they're lovely yorkies.

With the kitchen turning out perfectly cooked Yorkshire puds

and an aura of quite calm, it's a far cry from the chaos

we witnessed two years ago.

It seems the lasses and lads of Slaithwaite

have truly hit their stride.

Nothing interrupts on a Wednesday.

Wednesday is meals-on-wheels day.

Just like you've got to get up and go to work,

Wednesday is meals-on-wheels day. And we all do it.

Such resolute commitment means our big-hearted volunteers

are delivering much more than just a plate of food.

Hiya! Hello!

They're taking their time to really go an extra mile.

Whether it's helping out with the weekly shop...

Oh, that's a big 'un!

It's a whopper, that!

Giving birthday gifts,

and Christmas treats.

There you go!

Or even dishing out the odd short-back-and-sides!

-Does that feel better for you?

-Yeah.

Let me check them sides are the same length.

OK.

Local lass Sue has one small but crucial task due on today's round.

-I've got to change a light bulb!

-THEY LAUGH

-That's so important!

-Yes.

The bottom line - we'll do anything for them. Whatever.

Anyway, we've got a bone to pick wi' you two.

-DAVE AND SI GROAN

-I'm afraid.

-What? What on earth is...

-"Slathe-wate"?

On our last programme, all we got through the whole thing,

was "Slathe-wate".

Even though we'd said to you it's "Slath-wate",

you still said "Slathe-wate".

THEY LAUGH UPROARIOUSLY

What can you do?!

We won't be making that mistake again!

Back in the kitchen, the team's busy preparing meals

ready to go out on the rounds.

But food's only half the challenge of setting up a meals on wheels.

As a volunteer start-up, we didn't have the resources to buy

any industrial meals on wheels equipment,

so we had to find a simple and practical way to deliver

food to the old folk that kept it piping hot and looking good.

So we roped in Sallyanne and Heather...

-How are you? All right?

-Well, thanks.

-Yeah.

..to road test some potential bits of kit for transporting the meals.

It's got to get there, and get there in good nick.

As well as a simple plate and cover, takeaway containers, and plastic trays,

there's something rather special too.

This one. This is really interesting.

-This is a tiffin box. It's what they use in India.

-Yes.

There's only one way to see which would cope best...

Yeah - that's one hot dumpling.

..and that involved filling them with food and sending them off...

-Good luck!

-Thanks!

Go on!

-Sallyanne, peep him!

-SHE TOOTS HORN

..on a 40-minute, round trip, up and down the Yorkshire hills.

Obviously, we want to try and get the food to be delivered

so it actually looks nice, because that's part of it.

Oh, no!

Some of the methods didn't come up to scratch.

And where's the peas gone?

-Did you put peas in?

-SHE CHUCKLES

..but the trusty tiffin tin came head-and-shoulders above the rest.

This actually keeps all your food, hopefully, nice and separate.

So in terms of heat, which is mega-important, the tiffin box wins.

Two years on and they're still going great guns.

It's great the way the tiffin boxes

do keep all the meat separate to the veg

and it doesn't come in one mess. I'm glad they've worked.

Stand by your beds. Stand by your beds.

-Sar'major!

-Hi de hi!

As midday approaches, it's time to dish up.

When they've got all the tins piled up, pass them over here,

and one of the girls will stack them in here.

-Oh, right.

-Right, right.

-Will do.

And could we have a small one for Sue, please?

-Small one for Sue!

-Small one for Sue!

Big one for Dave!

We always wanted our newbie volunteers to start small

before expanding, once they'd found their feet.

Especially when it came to how many meals to send out.

Before they delivered their first lunch,

the women need to track down the local old folk

most in need of a hot meal and a friendly face.

-Hello, darling, are you OK?

-Yes, thank you.

-Good.

What about Tony? He's a very poorly man now.

Drawing up a list of potential recipients

wanting fresh tasty food brought to their door once a week...

Ah-haah! Two.

Hello, mate!

For that first meal they delivered a very manageable 15

to those that needed it most.

-Lunch is served.

-There's your pudding, my darling.

But within weeks that number was creeping up!

-17 out of the 18 liked it!

-There's always one!

Today's meals on wheels total stands at a brilliant 28...

There should be 28 containers, because we need 28 puds.

..almost double the number of the first delivery.

It just goes to show how much these meals

are wanted by the old folk of Slaithwaite.

Who's got a car?

As the gang gears up for delivery,

there's even more new volunteers,

all trying to get the meals off on the rounds.

Right, you're going with Jillian, you're going with Jenny.

Including staff from a local engineering firm.

-Do you enjoy it?

-Yeah.

-We do, yeah. It's good. Yeah.

We'd stay with them all afternoon we could.

Having a chat.

The church's Rev has even popped in for a taste of today's food.

Well, I come in every Wednesday about quarter to 12 to have my meal.

I usually get the leftovers.

-That's OK with me.

-Yeah?

It's all good stuff, beautifully cooked, helps me, helps my wife -

job's a good 'un.

Without further ado, it's time to hit the road.

I saw Jack last time.

-Yes. He's best friends with Cyril.

-Oh, excellent.

-Do you want me to take the dinners?

-Yes, please.

You'd have been better to've sat this side. There's more room.

-Are you OK?

-Yes.

-SI SPEAKS LOUDLY

-Do you want your seat belt on?

-Yes, I better had.

-Are you sure?!

First stop, Jack, who's lived in Slaithwaite for almost 70 years.

We don't mess about, you know?

Because Jack phones Cyril and says "Have they been yet?"

-Hello, Jack!

-Hello. Hello, darling. How are you?

-Hello, Jack. I'm Dave.

-Nice to meet you, Jack.

-Hello, Jack. I'm Si. How are you, sir?

It's roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, two veg, all the trimmings.

And the Yorkshire puddings are great - we've had two each.

You don't look as though you want anything to eat!

THEY ALL LAUGH

-You can rely on the truth, can't you? You know!

-Yeah.

They make you smile, don't they?

If you went in there feeling a little bit down, they're a tonic.

It works both ways, doesn't it?

They make you laugh. It's just great.

One delivery down, but there's plenty more chats to have,

and mouths to feed.

Hello, Cyril. How are you?

How are you? Oh, look how smart you look!

Not really.

-Do you want to cup of tea, darling?

-I've just made one.

I'll pop pudding in.

Roast beef and...

Yorkshire pudding!

-He don't like being kissed!

-He does now!

-Right, Cyril. We'll see you next week, sweetheart, OK?

-See you.

Hello, Enid. I'm Si. Nice to meet you, how are you?

Oh, that were nice.

Do you want anything else? Would you like a drink?

-No, I've just had one.

-OK, then.

Any other jobs you need me to do today?

OK, my love. OK, then.

-It was lovely to meet you, Enid.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Thank you.

-See you next week, Enid.

ALL: Bye!

Any time.

SHE CHUCKLES

With the meals all delivered, it's clear our volunteers

have well and truly pulled it off.

-By God, they've bloody done it!

-Yes, they have done it.

The energy and the commitment is quite remarkable.

It's just brilliant.

And proud of them we are, too.

Rousing volunteers was always at the core of our meals-on-wheels project,

but to make it sustainable, it had to be a community effort.

And as soon as the deliveries were up and running,

it seemed the residents of Slaithwaite agreed.

Have you heard about the new meals on wheels service?

-Yeah.

-Fantastic.

-Yeah, yeah.

It's the essence of what community is, isn't it?

Word was spreading like wildfire!

I think it's a fantastic idea, actually. Giving them a hot, nourishing meal

and then they are also getting a visit, so it's a bit of comfort

and, you know, excitement for them, I think.

And it was clear the villagers were behind us all the way.

I think it's a fantastic idea.

It's great to get communities like this together, definitely.

-Just creating a real buzz, I think it's lovely.

-Really?

Yeah.

Meals on Wheels is now a staple of the community

with everybody getting in on the act.

From the greengrocers offering up cost-price fruit and veg...

Morning, Binny. How many of those will we need?

About 20 carrots?

More?

To the butcher giving fantastic discounts on meat...

Even the local dairy farm is providing milk

and cream free of charge!

I thought Meals on Wheels had died a death years ago

something when I was a child is being resurrected and

when we saw what they were doing and heard what they were doing we thought

it would good to be involved.

It's a true community effort

and it helps keep the costs of the meals down.

I think it's good it's local people helping local people.

It's what milkmen do, look after customers.

Belonging to a community like Slaithwaite - who can run something

like this and everybody's behind you, supporting you - it's a good feeling.

To give our lasses the very best possible chances of

success we wanted them to have a slush fund to pay for any

emergencies and to get them on their feet.

So, inspired by the Colander Girls and their naked Colander...

..we dropped our kecks!

LAUGHTER

How do you want us, Gaz?

OK, guys, that's it, straight down the lens.

Do you want to take your hand off your helmet...?

That's it, there, good.

-Posing starkers for a T-shirt.

-That's brilliant.

We got naked!

SCREAMING

-You, get your money out!

-80...90...

And raising some serious cash in the process.

900.

Taking our lead and with plenty of their own initiative,

the women have been busy adding to the pot ever since.

We've had money from doing lady's nights, fashion nights...

Local businesses, local charities donate money.

We do get a lot of support and it's built up momentum.

The group's fundraising effort's mean the price

the old folk pay to receive the service is still as low as possible.

We've been able to keep the meals at £3 a week for...

the last two years, and, I think, certainly for the next three years.

With the future of Meals on Wheels looking secure in Slaithwaite,

the women have taken the bold step of expanding.

And now, even deliver a second meal, once a week, at teatime.

The pensioner's favourite.

Fish and chips.

Fish and small chips for Doris.

Every Friday, led by Pat and our Phil, up to 20 perfectly, parcelled

portions are despatched around the village.

-Careful, cos it's hot.

-All for the bargain price of £3 a pop.

As well as a delicious slap-up treat it's a second weekly chance for a natter

-with the old folk.

-All right, love.

-Don't you go trotting off anywhere, will you?

-No.

-OK!

-Something that's very much appreciated.

-Ah, it's lovely.

You get up on a Friday and think, "Oh, boy, it's Friday!

SHE LAUGHS

And they are big 'uns!

Slaithwaite's old folk may have wanted our meals

on wheels to start in the village but they weren't going to

settle for second best and always told us exactly what they thought.

It must be all the fresh Yorkshire air.

None of them stick more in our minds than the simply unforgettable

Christine Clay.

A woman who was never backwards in coming forwards.

What's your favourite?

What would you like to have on your Meals on Wheels?

-I like a nice bit of meat.

-Yeah.

-I don't like Yorkshire pudding.

Beef - I like it well-cooked and some nice thick gravy with it,

not too much and I like boiled potatoes

and a few mashed potatoes, that's what I like.

-But I don't like onions!

-No.

-Can't bear 'em.

-No onions, then.

-I can't abide peas.

-Do you not like mushy peas or...?

-No, I don't care for them.

I'm not Yorkshire enough for them.

This is all very good information...

-I do like a nice bit of fish.

-Yes.

-My favourite fish is hake.

A nice bit of hake and some nice bread and butter,

you've got a feast for a king.

With such fabulously feisty opinions when it came to delivering

the very first Slaithwaite Meals on Wheels...

I think it's safe to say that Slaithwaite Meals on Wheels is back.

Having gathered the town behind us...

-WOMAN SINGS

-First delivery.

..there was only one possible person to have the first taste.

-Hello, sweetie.

-Hello, Mrs Clay!

-Brought a nice day, haven't you?

ALL SHOUT

-Who's that?

-Meals on Wheels.

-Very good.

-May we come in?

-Very good.

-We've brought you a fantastic meal for...

-Have you?

-Yes, we have.

And you've got a pick of wine or stout!

-Oh, I don't drink that!

-No, you can have a cup of tea.

LAUGHTER

-We got you a nice shepherd's pie.

-Very good.

-And some buttered carrots.

-Yes.

-Some broccoli.

And a lovely plum and almond tart and then a nice piece of boiled

fruitcake and Cheshire cheese for afters.

I don't have to eat all day again, then.

LAUGHTER

The fruitcake and cheese you can keep for your tea.

It's shepherd's pie as it should be shepherd's pie.

ALL CHEER

We've had some very sad news - Christine Clay, the fantastic

92-year-old lady that we delivered

the very first Slaithwaite Meals on Wheels to,

she very sadly died a couple of months ago.

And, you know, she was such a force of nature

and had such a wicked sense of humour.

What we've decided to do is catch up with her daughter, Fran,

to see what the meals meant to her in her last days.

Born in Scotland in 1920, Mrs Clay left school at 14

before working in a aircraft factory in Coventry during the War.

After marrying her husband Frank in 1949 she started a family.

Before returning to work as a weaver in one of Slaithwaite's many

textile mills.

-Fran!

-Come in.

-Hi, Fran, how are you, darling?

-Welcome back.

-Hello, darling.

-Nice to see you.

-And our sympathies for your mam.

-I know, I know.

-She was a belter.

-I know.

It was very sad. She had a nice funeral, as she wanted it,

she expected it - you know my mother - "I want this and I want that

"and I want you to have this and that."

-And...the two girls from the Meals on Wheels came.

-Yes.

They were very nice. And in the eulogy they were mentioned.

Did the Meals on Wheels mean a lot to her for the short time

-she was to enjoy...?

-Oh...what! The girls were wonderful.

-Yeah.

The girls were wonderful.

Yes, they always had a word for her -

when it was her birthday they were there

-and yes, she loved them.

-And what does that sort of mean to you?

That meant I got a bit of time to myself.

-For nine years I haven't had any time to myself.

-Yes.

-Now, I've got lots of time to myself.

-She liked a good feed, didn't she?

-Oh, yes!

-She loved her food.

-And she loved you two.

Oh, we loved your mum, too.

Honestly we were just saying about her before,

she was such a force of nature and had such a wicked sense of humour.

-Yep.

-She was just fantastic.

We still nick some of her lines, you know. We use them.

ALL LAUGH

It means a lot for Dave and I because we did have a very,

very, very big soft spot for your mam.

-Yeah.

-And it means a great deal that the service that we've helped...

-Yeah.

-..create, worked for her. Darling, it's lovely to see ya.

We're off. It's good to see, you, sweetheart.

-And think you very much for sharing that.

-Thank you.

-Bye, dear.

-Keep your chin up.

-Yeah, I'll try me best, yeah.

-See you, sweetheart.

-Bye.

-See you.

Unfortunately, Mrs Clay isn't the only Meals on Wheels

recipient who has passed away in the last two years.

-Here's your pudding, my darling.

-I'm Dave.

Losing friends is an occupational hazard

when you're caring for old people.

But that doesn't make it any less sad.

The downside of doing Meals on Wheels is, of course, when they die.

Because you get so close to these people and it's quite heartbreaking.

I think four out of five funerals I've been to

they have mentioned Meals on Wheels.

Yeah.

And, I think, at one funeral we actually got the collection.

At least, with the new Slaithwaite Meals on Wheels

we can take comfort in knowing we did our bit to bring a moment of joy

into the old folks' lives, making the most of every second.

I think that's the only way you can think about it, celebrate

the last few years they've had when they've had a little bit more.

Our incredible band of volunteers are so committed we

know they'd always want their Meals on Wheels in Slaithwaite to

be the very best it can be.

When you're starting a service from scratch, getting honest

feedback is crucial to letting you know what you're doing right.

And, where you need to improve.

Dearly departed Christine Clay was never short of an opinion

but to find out what the other recipients think we've

been a bit sneaky and conducted a little survey on the sly.

And we've gathered the team to reveal the results.

BOTH: Hello, ladies! ALL: Hi!

-How you doing?

-Really well.

-OK.

Right, we think we're doing a great job

but it doesn't matter what we think.

It's about what the recipients think.

Aye, so what we've done is conducted a secret straw poll to find

out what your elderly clientele really think of your efforts.

-Oh, no.

-And guess what?

-What?

-Go on.

-We've got the results.

ALL: Ohh!

David...

First things first - we wanted to know what are the favourite dishes

-of Slaithwaite's old folk?

-Yeah, I like the old-fashioned meals.

-You know, straightforward.

-Chicken, definitely. I love chicken.

Ham and pineapple or meat and potato pie.

They love the meat and potato pie, the roast beef, the fish -

honestly, ladies, there was endless, endless praise for you.

-But, it wasn't all good news.

-We wanted to discover if any of

the dishes didn't get the old folks' thumbs-up.

They don't like - mince!

-I don't like mince.

-Well, I don't like that mince.

I don't like the mince, no.

Oh, I don't like mince, I can't stick mince.

I don't like mince, no way, no.

That's coming in loud and clear! But we think we've got a solution.

We've created The Hairy Biker's Deliver a Difference

minceless...

LAUGHTER

..Meals on Wheels cookbook! Everything's there...!

-Pat...

-Sarge!

Lastly, what do they make of the volunteers who organise and

cook the meals in their own spare time?

We asked...

for their comments on you...

They said...

"I couldn't do without it."

"It's the only hot meal I have each week."

QUIET GROANS

Yeah.

"The girls are brilliant."

They also said...

..that you're angels.

-Ohh.

-You're going to have us in tears in a minute.

"I am so very grateful."

And from all of them...

a very simple...

..thank you.

-It's not often we're speechless.

-Very proud.

It's exactly how we would want them to think about us.

It's just lovely to hear them say it, really.

-I think we should have a group hug.

-Yeah!

-Come on, give us a snog!

LAUGHTER

-Get in, girls!

-Get in!

CHEERING

-They're nice girls and they're doing a damn good job.

-Well done, Sally.

Well done to you.

They are a smashing bunch of ladies, yes, they are.

KISSING

I really appreciate what they're doing, as, I'm sure, all the other

-pensioners do.

-They're brilliant.

It's really, really touching, you know, to hear them say that

themselves.

I'm glad they didn't say that to our faces -

-we would all have been blubbering, wouldn't we?

-Yeah, yeah.

And it's a shame they don't like mince cos the shepherd's pie

is fabulous!

We'll be here for ever. Two years, four years, six years.

We'll have our grandchildren delivering, we'll have to get

them trained early.

Getting Meals on Wheels back on the menu in Slaithwaite

was the first step in proving volunteer-led services

have a future in 21st-century Britain.

But we didn't want it to end there.

We wanted to convince other local communities that through

volunteering they could deliver a difference to their old folk too.

So, we brought our Meals on Wheels ambassadors three miles up the

road to the neighbouring village of Marsden where we had a little

job to spring on them.

-BOTH: Hello, girls!

-Hello, come in, come in. Gather round.

Now, girls. What do you do?

What do you businesswomen of the Slaithwaite community do?

-Drink gin.

-Other than drink gin.

-LAUGHTER

-What do you do? You sell. Don't you?

-ALL: Yes.

This...

GROANING

-..is what we want you to do.

-Oh, dear!

We want you

to pitch and sell the idea

-of a new Meals on Wheels service to the populace of Marsden.

-No problem.

Basically, it's your job to convince them that they can,

that they should

and that they will set up their own Meals on Wheels service.

ALL: Yeah. OK.

Do you think you're up for it?

ALL: Yes. Definitely.

If they could inspire other people with the power of volunteering...

If we're passionate about what we're doing - and I think we all are -

then I think that will catch on.

..and explain what they, as volunteers can get back in return

then we'd be on to a winner.

I don't think we'll have a problem convincing the old folk.

I think they'll be up for it, I think it will be trying to get

people to give what we've given.

It's just trying to get them to give up their time.

With the good folk of Marsden taking their places...

There's some seats here...

..it was showtime!

Thanks very much for coming along this afternoon.

We are a group of Slaithwaite businesswomen.

The ladies put on a masterclass in selling.

From the practical reasons to volunteer...

Let's have some facts...who's got some facts?

One million elderly people describe themselves as being very,

very lonely.

..to the emotional benefits they felt too.

And what I've got out of it, and I mean this really sincerely,

I feel like I've got my mum back because I'm actually with people...

that-that give out as much as I give them, I'm sorry.

To round it all off we were roped in for some comic relief.

KNOCKS

Hello, it's Meals on Wheels.

What...?

LAUGHTER

-Today you're having...

-Roast beef and Yorkshire pud.

-And we're having home-cooked scones.

-Scones?

-Yes.

-Fantastic.

-POSH ACCENT:

-Scones.

Aye, aye, aye, aye, hold on. Who's doing washing up?

LAUGHTER

Time for the moment of truth.

Would you put up your hand

if you honestly feel that you could make a difference to Marsden.

ALL: Yes!

People of Marsden, if Slaithwaite can do it, you can do it. Come on! Let's have you.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

Two years on and local resident Lindsay who was at our Marsden

meeting has made good on her pledge to do

something for the village's old folk.

I put my hand up at the end when they asked who was willing to

have a go at setting something up.

She found the older residents of Marsden weren't just crying out for

Meals on Wheels, but wanted a chance to see their friends too.

We call it the Marsden Meet and Eat Lunch Club.

We invite people to come from half past ten in the morning

and we finish about half past one.

Each Wednesday, Lindsay and her team serve up to 25 meals to local

old folk all in the mood for a right good natter.

We cook a fresh meal every week.

Volunteers come and do all the cooking.

There's various different entertainments.

We have quiz sheets.

A lot of the time they just want to come and see their friends

and just sit and have a chat.

It's not really a difficult thing to set up if you've got the volunteers.

It's nice to come to meet people and talk to people,

and, you know, be in some company.

That's what...

-what I come for.

-Yeah, that's what I come for. Yeah.

-Yes.

I just like all the friends and family, you know, really.

Jean saves me a seat. SHE CHUCKLES

And I see all these ladies who I've known for years.

One or two at school when I was. I do look forward to it.

I was so pleased when they said I could come.

I've enjoyed every meal.

There's people that's lonely. It's nice to get out

and get into a bit of company.

And a few fresh faces.

SHE LAUGHS

It's not just the old folk who are getting something out of it.

We all have a nice time. We have a good giggle with them.

We get as much out of it as we put in cos it's...it's very fulfilling.

It's fantastic to hear that Marsden has taken the volunteering

spirit to heart and is now providing both a weekly lunch

and a chat for their old folk.

But the people of Yorkshire were clearly up for a challenge.

Word of our big idea has spread far and wide

and there is even more good news just along the valley.

A mere five miles up the road yet more volunteers have got

Meals on Wheels on the march.

And today we're in Golcar.

Because we've heard that there are two sisters

inspired by the Colander Girls that have started their own service here.

Sharon and Lynne have lived in Golcar all their lives

and were desperate to bring Meals on Wheels to the village.

-What have you two been up to?

-About 18 months ago...?

-Yeah.

-We got involved with Slaithwaite Meals on Wheels which you helped set up.

-Yes.

Erm, and we thought we'd like to have a go in our own village

of Golcar and we just put some posters up

-to see if anybody else was interested in volunteering with us.

-Right.

The sisters were overwhelmed with the response.

There were plenty of willing locals wanting to volunteer

and get involved.

-You go in there and I'll get your dinner. I'll make you a cup of tea.

-All right.

We have about 20 in total and we usually manage around 12 each week.

-Yeah.

-Cos people don't have to come every single week.

If you didn't have volunteers it wouldn't be Meals on Wheels...

There was one big issue the group faced - nobody wanted to take

responsibility for the cooking.

There you go.

Determined to succeed, Sharon and Lynne had a brainwave

and went to talk to the local pub to see

if their kitchen could lend a hand.

We smiled very, very nicely at Darryl at the Golcar Lily

-and asked him if he'd cook for us.

-Good one.

-Very nicely.

-And he gave in very quickly and agreed to do it.

Roping in the local eatery to cook the meals is a genius solution

and head chef and landlord Darryl was only too happy to

volunteer both his time and his kitchen.

Why was it important to you to help with Meals on Wheels?

Basically just helping the community. They came to me and said

"Can you do it?" and I thought, "Yeah, why not?" It's not

a million miles out of our way so it's easy enough to do, so, yeah.

It's so straightforward.

-It's not difficult.

-So, what sort of thing do you cook?

-Sausage and mash.

-Yeah.

-Today it's braised beef and jam roly-poly

so it's fairly...it's not...it's English food...

-The stuff people want to eat.

-Yeah.

Next week they are having roast pork dinner and cheesecake so...

It's comfort food. It's what you want so you can look forward to it

once or twice a week, it's brilliant.

Darryl and his crack team are now turning

out 32 portions of restaurant-quality food every week

provided at cost price and with all the health and safety boxes ticked.

It's the perfect solution if people want to deliver

a difference to their local old folk

but don't fancy taking on the cooking duties themselves.

Delicious food is only half of a Meals on Wheels service.

It's got to reach the old folk hot and in the hands of a friendly

neighbour and that needs volunteer drivers.

-ALL: Hi!

-Oh, there's loads of you!

-LAUGHTER

-Are you all volunteers?

-Yes.

How long have you been delivering meals now?

-Since January last year.

-Really?

-It's over a year.

-Yeah.

-Fantastic.

-Brilliant.

-Are you all friends and regulars at this pub?

-Yes.

-Oh, yes!

The poor landlords got to get something in return

for his generosity!

I think it's important to mention how much this pub is actually doing.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-If it wasn't for the pub we wouldn't be able to...

-to deliver in the way we do.

-It just makes Dave and I very proud

to see that you've all kind of risen to the challenge

of Meals on Wheels and are delivering it to your communities.

You should be very, very proud of yourselves cos we are.

So, a big round of applause for yourselves, I think.

Well done, Golcar.

Isn't that fantastic.

That's people power.

There's a need in the community, they've risen to the challenge and

they're doing it and they are doing it well with commitment. What more, what more

can you ask of a community?

And those two sisters, how wonderful of them

for just having the neck to ask, to get it going.

-And they've made it work.

-Yeah.

And then, hopefully, it will spread and by the time I reach my dotage...

..I'll be having it in Newcastle.

Wouldn't it be great being looked after by your local boozer.

When we started the Slaithwaite Meals on Wheels two years ago

demand was so high the Colander Girls

had to deliver their meals far and wide.

-Come every day.

-No! Do you know what? I think we might!

-Hello?

-But with the Golcar initiative up and running all

folk living nearer the pub can get their meals from there instead

and that includes our dear friend, Hilda Clegg.

Hello, Miss Clegg.

-Oh.

-Hello, I'm Dave.

-Hello, Miss Clegg, I'm Si.

Very nice to meet you.

If you've worked in the mill you're not Miss Clegg no more, you're Hilda.

-OK, OK.

-To everybody.

Arthritis meant Hilda was finding it hard to cook for herself.

So, what do you do, then, for your daily meal?

What happens to you, then?

Well, I've been very fortunate that the lady across the road...

..she keeps bringing me meals in.

When you can't cook at all, it's er...

-really nice.

-Yeah.

-Because I don't know what I should do.

-It would be a matter of...these frozen ones.

-Yes.

You know, if Dave and I manage to resurrect the traditional

Meals on Wheels service...

would you like us to deliver you a hot meal? Maybe once a week?

Well...after the first one I'd tell you better

because it depends whether I like the first one, doesn't it?

Fair enough.

With such fine tastes we were keen to get Hilda's input

on the inaugural Slaithwaite Meals on Wheels menu

so we invited her onto the judging panel that picked it.

When you taste the food just think one to ten.

Ten for very good, one for crap.

LAUGHTER

-One for not very nice.

-You cannae say "crap" to Hilda! That's wrong.

And then we will be able to pick the best dessert and the best mains

to serve on Friday.

And when the first meal arrived...

Lunch is served.

..thankfully, her impeccable standards were met.

Very friendly, the girls. The food's nice.

-Yes.

-So what more could you want?

Now 97 and Hilda is still going strong.

I don't like, myself, being old.

But it does come to you and I've been lucky I've got so old.

The meal every Wednesday is a firm fixture in Hilda's diary.

When it's cold you need a hot meal, don't you?

Especially in winter.

We've had fish, we've had cottage pie and this week it was chicken.

There's some lovely puddings, yeah.

And sometimes there's cold ones like gateaux.

At Christmas the ladies even delivered a hamper filled

with seasonal treats.

It was marvellous at Christmas.

Er, we got a basket with...I think there were five different...

..boxes and that in.

Everything that was in - I've eaten them all.

Nobody's more pleased about the spread of Meals on Wheels

than our Hilda.

I think it's marvellous...

they way they've all grouped together.

It must be good or else it wouldn't grow.

I would congratulate Si and David.

Because I think they've done a really good job.

When we first took on the Meals on Wheels cause

we were determined to succeed not just for the sake of our old folk

but because, for us, it was deeply personal, too.

We both grew up in homes where food and family were inseparable.

I was raised as an only child in Barrow-in-Furness

on the north-west coast.

When I was eight my mam became disabled with MS

and it fell to me to provide the family meals.

On the opposite side of the country me

mam was raised on a farm in the north east.

For her, food was one of the greatest pleasures in life

and when she fell poorly my family and I rallied round to help.

Our time securing a brighter future for Meals on Wheels in Slaithwaite

meant the world to us but we're not the only ones to take it to heart.

My parents have passed away now and my parents-in-law have passed away.

And what I get by going and seeing, you know,

seeing them...is contact with older people who were my parents' age.

That's what I really love about it.

Hello...?

Leader of the pack, Pat,

now even delivers a weekly meal to her mum and dad.

Mum's got Alzheimer's now and dad's nearly blind.

So, I thought...I've been doing this for two years, and I kept saying to them,

"Do you want Meals on Wheels?"

"No, we can manage."

Anyway, I actually persuaded them to start having them

and they love 'em!

It's the virtuous circle of volunteering at work - putting in your

time, effort and a bit of loving can bring many personal rewards.

It's not just the meals, is it?

It's actually somebody coming and chatting.

-Oh, yeah.

-It's the company as well, isn't it?

It's just that satisfaction in knowing you are helping other people.

It's good, a good feeling.

But, for one of the original gang, seeing the difference

the meals could make has turned out to be life-changing.

Local cook, Pam, was always determined to get the meals

off the ground.

Me grandma passed away two years ago and she was just my be all

and end all.

As a professional chef her skills in the kitchen were crucial to getting

the project up and running.

The pressure will be on you, to start with, Pam.

It's a lot of pressure, 15 meals, isn't it.

It's not a pressure.

And from the moment the very first meal was delivered...

..it was clear that, for her, caring was going to be a way of life.

I'm getting a lot more out of it, personally,

than I do from my own job.

Within weeks, Pam's crucial role within Meals on Wheels was

giving her serious food for thought.

I didn't want to feel just like the chef in the kitchen cooking the meal.

I wanted to be...have more of an impact on old folk.

Meals on Wheels was an inspiration to take it further to work

with the elderly.

She decided to give up her job in the local wine bar to

cook in a care home for people with dementia which meant

she was able to spend more time with the old folk.

So, I was doing the same as on Meals on Wheels but being able to

interact, as well, with the elderly on a different level.

I wanted to make a difference to them lives, them

elderly who didn't have family visiting them.

Convinced it was her future, Pam managed to turn her job into a

fully-fledged qualification, studying as she worked.

I've spent the last 12 months working in dementia, elderly care.

And...just completed an NVQ Level 2.

And it's been great.

Cheffing's a thankless job and it's...

your stuck in a kitchen 24/7 and you are only as good as your last meal.

I made a difference working with dementia.

It's a total change of life -

showing how Meals on Wheels doesn't just help our old folk

but has serious impact on the volunteers as well.

Two years ago I could have never imagined sitting here saying to you,

"I've just got my NVQ Level 2, in Care." Yeah.

Working with dementia which has been fantastic.

I feel like I should have done it a long time ago. More rewarded.

It's been two years since we roused the Colander Girls to set up

their very own Meals on Wheels service here in Slaithwaite.

Now, that means that they've delivered over 100 meals

with a smile to the old folk of Slaithwaite.

So, we're throwing a 100 party to help

celebrate their achievements and to give them a monster thank you.

This Yorkshire gang are a right sociable bunch.

And were always up for throwing a swinging Meals on Wheels social.

It's a wonderful opportunity to get out into company.

Serving loads of great food...

-Who's next now?

-Down there.

First class. First class.

All washed down with some very special entertainment.

# I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts

# There they are, all standing in a row... #

Not that everybody appreciated it.

You might be right good cooks but you can't sing!

Hey, I wasn't singing, it was him!

For today's celebration party we've invited everybody we've

met on our Meals on Wheels journey in Slaithwaite.

From the recipients like Enid and Doris, Cyril, Frank and Jack

and not forgetting our dear old Hilda.

To the vital local supporters like Niall and Jackie from the dairy farm

and Lindsay who runs the Marsden Meet and Eat group.

And, of course, the stars of the show,

the volunteers who make it all possible every week.

Feel the pressure now, feel the pressure.

SCREAMING

There's plenty to celebrate...

from the team's continued success...

to the expansion across the valley

and it's all down to them.

Charge your glasses, ladies and gentlemen, for a toast, Dave.

Yeah we'd like to raise a glass to Meals on Wheels.

We'd also like to remember absent friends - Mrs Clay,

to Christine Clay.

And here's to 100 more deliveries, as well.

ALL: CHEERS!

CHEERING

The Colander Girls!

CHEERING

BAND PLAYS: "In The Mood" By Glenn Miller

No Meals on Wheels gathering would be complete without some slap-up

food, so, true to form,

the kitchen volunteers have risen to the challenge.

Pudding maestro Claire has made some tasty cup-cake treats.

And, in tribute to Christine Clay,

we're serving her favourite meal, hake, prepared by new volunteer,

Binny, along with some delicious local bread and butter.

I'll stick that in the middle and job's a good 'un, you can

all have a nibble.

Home-made tartare sauce.

-That's what I came here for.

-What?

-I love tartare sauce.

-Have a dip.

That's very nice.

With everybody tucking in,

it seems you're never too old to dance the afternoon away.

We've loved our time in Slaithwaite and we couldn't have achieved

a thing without the incredible volunteers who've been at our side.

Well, what can we say? It's two years since we were here...

but, it's amazing, not only are things carrying on

but you've proved us wrong, any doubts we had.

And it's blooming great, we're just full of awe and admiration.

-Thank you!

-You're welcome!

We're not worthy!

I just want to say thank you very much for coming here to start

the project off for us and then coming back to check we're OK.

We much appreciate it. Thanks.

I think we should have a group hug, are you ready?

ALL: YEAH!

Come on! All in...

Come on!

I enjoyed every minute of it. Haven't we?

-What?

-We've enjoyed every minute of it.

-We have, yeah.

I think it's extraordinary, you know.

This has been a television programme but it's been so much more,

to us.

We've got to know the elderly folk, we've got to know

all the contributors and it has produced something that's

really magic and it's produced something that's really lasting.

There was a need - they've acted upon the need - they've continued to

do it with continuity, commitment and with time - great food...

..with a laugh and a smile.

When we first came to Slaithwaite traditional Meals on Wheels

had ceased to exist.

But with some initiative and will power,

together with our trusty volunteers...

Hello, Cyril.

..we built something totally new from scratch.

Oh, eck!

Two years on and it's taken on a life of its own.

Spreading to local villages...

How you doing?

There's loads of you!

..and becoming a cornerstone of the community.

Lunch is served.

It isn't so hard and it only takes a little bit of time

but it makes a huge difference.

There's still plenty of places in the UK that don't have any

Meals on Wheels, so, what are you waiting for?

I hope that, you know, more people will do it across the country,

I really do.

It's do-able. You just get your act together and get it done, don't you?

Get off your sofa! Grab your friends and give it a go!

Come on, guys! Yeah!!

For the sake of the grans

and granddads in your very own town, city or village.

Just try and do it. Once you start, there'll be no stopping you.

Who knows? YOU might even get something out of it too.

Oh, that were nice!

Our older people deserve it.

End of...

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