Episode 1 Hairy Bikers' Meals on Wheels


Episode 1

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Episode 1. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

We're the Hairy Bikers,

0:00:020:00:04

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

0:00:040:00:07

You're nibbling on it already!

0:00:070:00:09

Now, we're riding to the rescue of

0:00:090:00:12

one of our great national culinary treasures, Meals On Wheels.

0:00:120:00:16

Hello!

0:00:160:00:18

Oh, hello!

0:00:180:00:19

Hot, tasty food delivered with a smile and a chat to our older people

0:00:190:00:23

to keep them healthy, happy and independent.

0:00:230:00:27

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

0:00:270:00:30

you've got a feast for a king.

0:00:300:00:32

At its height, this volunteer-backed lifeline delivered

0:00:320:00:35

more than 34 million meals every year.

0:00:350:00:39

We all assume it's going to be there for our grandparents,

0:00:390:00:42

for our parents and us, but will it?

0:00:420:00:46

Over the last eight years, the number of Meals On Wheels delivered nationwide

0:00:460:00:50

has plummeted by over a third.

0:00:500:00:52

I lie in bed at night, wondering what I'll do the next day. No Meals On Wheels in this town.

0:00:520:00:57

In many areas, daily hot deliveries have been abandoned

0:00:570:01:00

in favour of microwaveable frozen meals -

0:01:000:01:03

not all of which, we think, are tasty.

0:01:030:01:06

-Bloody hell. Do you know what that tasted like?

-What?

0:01:060:01:09

-A polystyrene tile.

-It does, doesn't it?

-It does.

0:01:090:01:11

But, unappetising food is just the tip of the iceberg.

0:01:110:01:14

Meals On Wheels is in desperate need of a new generation of volunteers

0:01:170:01:20

to keep it running.

0:01:200:01:21

It's seeing a face, you know.

0:01:210:01:23

The days get very long when you're on your own.

0:01:230:01:26

In this series, we want to revitalise the service

0:01:260:01:28

so it truly delivers what our grans and grandads deserve.

0:01:280:01:33

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

0:01:330:01:36

And we'll stop at nothing to rally support.

0:01:370:01:40

SCREAMING

0:01:400:01:42

From the man on the street to royalty.

0:01:420:01:45

What would everybody do without the volunteers?

0:01:450:01:48

-The more, the merrier.

-The more, the merrier.

0:01:480:01:50

We need to enlist a whole army of new meals-on-wheels recruits.

0:01:500:01:54

Sign up! Feed the elderly!

0:01:540:01:57

And bring back great fresh menus.

0:01:570:01:59

If we can't deliver these Meals On Wheels once a week

0:01:590:02:02

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

0:02:020:02:05

Our aim is to transform Meals On Wheels and its image into a lean, mean catering machine,

0:02:050:02:10

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

0:02:100:02:13

The last thing we want is to be those blokes who've done something for the telly,

0:02:130:02:17

walked away and it falls apart.

0:02:170:02:19

We're going to kick off our nationwide campaign

0:02:260:02:29

to revitalise Meals On Wheels with a trip back in time.

0:02:290:02:33

It was started in 1943 by the WVS, the Women's Voluntary Service,

0:02:340:02:40

to help older victims of the Blitz during World War II.

0:02:400:02:44

It fulfilled the need while the men were away fighting,

0:02:440:02:46

that British spirit kicked in and helped the community at large.

0:02:460:02:51

From these simple beginnings,

0:02:520:02:53

it's grown into a very complex picture today,

0:02:530:02:56

a hotchpotch of unconnected, wildly differing services

0:02:560:03:00

all over the country, run by local authorities,

0:03:000:03:02

charities and private companies,

0:03:020:03:05

or sometimes a combination of all three.

0:03:050:03:07

Good morning, Meals On Wheels!

0:03:070:03:09

How much they cost, how you qualify

0:03:090:03:12

and whether you get Meals On Wheels at all is a postcode lottery.

0:03:120:03:16

It was a lot easier with Meals On Wheels. It really was.

0:03:160:03:21

But at its heart, the traditional service delivers a hot meal

0:03:210:03:24

with a vital visit, ensuring Britain's elderly and infirm are kept safe and well fed.

0:03:240:03:29

Meals On Wheels is more than a plate of food.

0:03:310:03:33

It is social interaction, somebody checking on them.

0:03:330:03:36

It's our chance to make sure everything's OK.

0:03:360:03:39

As part of our mission to revive this ailing institution,

0:03:390:03:42

we're going to start to tackle the three big issues

0:03:420:03:45

facing Meals On Wheels today.

0:03:450:03:47

First, the food.

0:03:470:03:48

Hold on. See that? Can you pour potatoes?

0:03:480:03:52

Then we'll strive to help one beleaguered council

0:03:520:03:56

rally vital volunteers.

0:03:560:03:57

Meals On Wheels, falling apart. We need volunteers!

0:03:570:04:01

But getting through to a new generation of recruits is

0:04:010:04:04

going to require a massive facelift.

0:04:040:04:07

Meals On Wheels? Erm, just, like, fast food?

0:04:070:04:12

We'll attempt to revamp tired old menus.

0:04:120:04:15

And cook delicious, fresh recipes we'd all love to eat.

0:04:150:04:19

If we can make it the best we possibly can,

0:04:190:04:23

then nobody can touch the meals-on-wheels service.

0:04:230:04:26

Bringing hot, delicious food into the homes of our old folk

0:04:300:04:34

is at the core of our meals-on-wheels concept.

0:04:340:04:36

And from our own personal experiences,

0:04:380:04:40

Dave and I know just important and challenging that can be.

0:04:400:04:44

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

0:04:450:04:49

I was an only child in Barrow-in-Furness,

0:04:520:04:54

on the north-west coast.

0:04:540:04:56

My dad worked long shifts in a paper mill,

0:04:560:05:01

whilst my mum manned a crane in the local shipyards.

0:05:010:05:04

Do you know, these roads, this red pavement,

0:05:050:05:08

they laid this the year after I got my first roller-skates.

0:05:080:05:11

Can you imagine what that felt like? I was a solid little lad!

0:05:110:05:16

I had no fear. Just lots of plasters!

0:05:170:05:19

When I was eight, my mum became disabled with MS,

0:05:200:05:23

and it fell to me to provide some of the family meals.

0:05:230:05:27

There is it, number 88. Blooming heck!

0:05:270:05:29

So was this, then, your first place that you cooked anything?

0:05:290:05:33

Yeah, this was the first house

0:05:330:05:35

where I applied fire to food to make a meal.

0:05:350:05:38

My mum took a bad turn. My father was due home from work at 10:00,

0:05:380:05:43

and her multiple sclerosis was starting.

0:05:430:05:45

She couldn't move, so I set about cooking his tea,

0:05:450:05:48

and I've still got that very first cookbook.

0:05:480:05:51

The Radiation Cookbook. You couldn't sell that these days, could you?!

0:05:520:05:57

I looked for something to cook, what I had in the house, and it was a cheese-and-potato pie.

0:05:570:06:01

-Like a souffle.

-You did that when you were eight?

0:06:010:06:04

When I was eight. When I think about it now, I can't believe it.

0:06:040:06:07

I helped my dad cook for my mum for the next 11 years,

0:06:070:06:10

learning as I went.

0:06:100:06:11

We had to care about what we fed her. Food was very, very important.

0:06:130:06:17

It was important to pleasure, to nourishment,

0:06:170:06:20

and I think a lot of old people,

0:06:200:06:22

they've grown up with that value in food.

0:06:220:06:24

On the opposite side of the country,

0:06:260:06:28

my mam was raised on a farm in the north-east.

0:06:280:06:31

She was a fantastic cook.

0:06:310:06:33

-Can you see that hilltop there?

-Yes.

0:06:340:06:36

Directly across, that's where I was born.

0:06:360:06:39

Returning to the kitchen where my passion for food began brings back

0:06:390:06:43

bittersweet memories.

0:06:430:06:44

Oh, wow! This has changed. We had some dinners in here, dear me.

0:06:460:06:51

-She was a was a good cook, wasn't she?

-Oh, yeah.

0:06:510:06:53

The house was always alive with parties and food and people,

0:06:530:06:57

and that was important.

0:06:570:06:58

For my mam, food was one of the greatest pleasures in life,

0:06:580:07:01

and when she fell poorly and became too frail to cook for herself,

0:07:010:07:05

she still looked forward to the food she'd always loved.

0:07:050:07:10

So, my brother dropped on to feed my mum,

0:07:100:07:13

and my sister would stay for protracted periods of time

0:07:130:07:16

and cook for Mum.

0:07:160:07:17

It is so important to feed the people that you love,

0:07:170:07:20

whether they be vulnerable, whether they be on their own.

0:07:200:07:23

What do people do if they haven't got that family to tap into?

0:07:230:07:26

What do people do?

0:07:260:07:28

For over 60 years, Meals On Wheels has aimed to fulfil that need

0:07:300:07:34

by delivering hot, daily lunches with a smile and a natter

0:07:340:07:37

when our old folk can no longer cook for themselves.

0:07:370:07:41

But in recent years,

0:07:410:07:43

this crucial institution has undergone radical change.

0:07:430:07:47

Meals On Wheels, it's iconic, but it's not what people think.

0:07:470:07:51

It's not a unified service.

0:07:510:07:53

It's different in different parts of the country.

0:07:530:07:56

Now, if you need that service,

0:07:560:07:57

it's very much dependent on where you live.

0:07:570:07:59

On the north side of the River Tyne, in North Tyneside,

0:07:590:08:04

people can still get a hot meal delivered to their door every daily.

0:08:040:08:08

Over here in South Tyneside, they can't.

0:08:090:08:12

To find out about the effects of this postcode lottery, we're popping round the corner to meet

0:08:140:08:19

84-year-old retired postmaster Bob,

0:08:190:08:22

who is now a full-time carer for his wife Susan.

0:08:220:08:24

-Hello, lads.

-How are you?

-Charming - I thought you were bringing the tea!

0:08:260:08:30

-So, Bob, we're in South Tyneside, aren't we?

-Aye, South Tyneside.

0:08:340:08:38

-Have you lost your Meals On Wheels?

-Never had any Meals On Wheels.

0:08:380:08:41

-Never had Meals On Wheels, ever.

-Right.

0:08:410:08:43

-You care for your wife as well, don't you?

-She's got dementia.

0:08:430:08:47

-Right.

-I've got to make all her meals.

-Right.

0:08:470:08:49

Would it make a big difference to you

0:08:490:08:51

-if you could get Meals On Wheels?

-Vast difference.

0:08:510:08:54

Vast difference. I lie in bed,

0:08:540:08:55

-thinking what I'm going to bloody cook for the next day.

-Right.

0:08:550:08:58

-So the whole thing is a mission for you, really?

-Aye.

0:08:580:09:01

Do you ever worry, though, Bob, that there's a day going to come

0:09:010:09:04

when you need more help and you can't do this?

0:09:040:09:07

It's coming now here, aye. Yeah, she's...

0:09:070:09:10

She's not so well, no.

0:09:130:09:16

What about you, Bob?

0:09:160:09:17

My legs have gone.

0:09:170:09:20

My legs have gone.

0:09:200:09:22

I can see my dad in Bob. My dad would have walked on hot coals

0:09:220:09:27

to look after my mum, and he did, until it killed him, really.

0:09:270:09:31

Proper salt-of-the-earth people.

0:09:330:09:34

So, when Bob is no longer able to cook for his wife, what's on offer?

0:09:360:09:40

More and more cash-strapped councils are replacing the traditional

0:09:410:09:45

daily hot delivery of Meals On Wheels with a bulk drop

0:09:450:09:48

of frozen microwavable lunches.

0:09:480:09:51

Liver-and-bacon casserole with mashed potato, broccoli and cauliflower.

0:09:540:09:58

Pudding - Bakewell tart. One minute 20, pierce the film.

0:09:580:10:02

To get a taste of what may be in store for us all in the future,

0:10:030:10:07

over the next five days, Si and I are going to road test

0:10:070:10:11

a randomly-selected range of these frozen meals,

0:10:110:10:14

which many meals-on-wheels providers have turned to

0:10:140:10:18

in a bid to continue to supply and deliver food to the elderly

0:10:180:10:21

when budgets are tight.

0:10:210:10:23

Bon appetit, mon frere!

0:10:230:10:25

-Broccoli. It's just gone to mush, hasn't it?

-Look at that, look.

0:10:280:10:33

We've got to start this with an open mind, because, look,

0:10:330:10:36

we've all had ready meals, we've all had frozen meals,

0:10:360:10:38

and they can be good.

0:10:380:10:40

Frozen food may have its fans,

0:10:400:10:43

but we think fresh is always the better option, if possible.

0:10:430:10:46

Right. Got minced-beef pie.

0:10:460:10:49

Jam sponge with custard.

0:10:500:10:52

Mashed potato.

0:10:530:10:56

If you're lucky, you'll get your two-course frozen meal subsidized

0:10:580:11:02

by your local council,

0:11:020:11:04

but you may have to buy them from private companies.

0:11:040:11:07

The cost can range from around £1.50 to up to a fiver.

0:11:070:11:10

There is absolutely no care in this at all, and they just...

0:11:100:11:15

It's like going...

0:11:150:11:17

"There you are, I don't care."

0:11:170:11:20

This one's peculiar, though. Mince-beef hotpot - "contains fish".

0:11:200:11:25

Don't know how they work that one out.

0:11:250:11:28

Sticky-toffee pudding. There's not much sticky about it.

0:11:280:11:32

It's the best of the puddings so far, though. Definitely.

0:11:330:11:37

Either that or I'm just getting used to it.

0:11:370:11:40

Some may appreciate the flexibility and diversity of dishes

0:11:420:11:45

these meals offer.

0:11:450:11:46

Hold on. You see that? Can you pour potatoes?

0:11:460:11:50

You can with that.

0:11:500:11:52

What have we got?

0:11:520:11:53

Spanish omelette with chips and peas!

0:11:550:11:57

-MICROWAVE PINGS BOTH:

-Woo!

0:11:570:12:00

'Recent Government figures claim that

0:12:000:12:02

'almost a fifth of people living in Britain today will live

0:12:020:12:05

'to the ripe old age of 100.'

0:12:050:12:08

-Bloody hell. Do you know what that tastes like?

-What?

0:12:080:12:10

-A polystyrene tile.

-It does, doesn't it?

-It does.

0:12:100:12:13

If this is the future of Meals On Wheels, God help over ten million of us.

0:12:130:12:17

I reckon there's a big industry in this stuff.

0:12:180:12:21

There's got to be.

0:12:210:12:22

Our grans and grandads deserve a lot better.

0:12:270:12:30

And we're on a mission to make sure they get it.

0:12:330:12:37

And we're starting with a trip back in time to get some inspiration.

0:12:370:12:40

-How wonderful are these?!

-There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle!

0:12:440:12:49

Here we are, where it all began,

0:12:490:12:52

the birthplace of Meals On Wheels, Welwyn Garden City.

0:12:520:12:56

The Meals On Wheels started during World War II.

0:12:560:13:00

It came out of the Blitz spirit.

0:13:000:13:02

It was formed by the WVS, the Women's Voluntary Service.

0:13:020:13:05

It was so good that within 20 years it spread like wildfire

0:13:050:13:09

around the country, and soon they were serving millions of meals.

0:13:090:13:13

How fantastic is that?

0:13:130:13:14

Today's Meals On Wheels provision may be under threat

0:13:140:13:18

from council budget cuts, but during the early days,

0:13:180:13:21

the ladies of the WVS had to cope with the constraints of rationing.

0:13:210:13:25

But despite these difficult times, within a year

0:13:280:13:31

they were delivering over 200 freshly-cooked hot meals

0:13:310:13:34

to Welwyn's elderly and infirm every month.

0:13:340:13:39

We're hoping to learn a thing or two from their canny wartime spirit of invention.

0:13:390:13:43

If you don't know where you're from, how do you know where you're going?

0:13:450:13:51

That's the idea.

0:13:510:13:53

We're going to give

0:13:530:13:54

a couple of frugal but nutritious wartime recipes a whirl,

0:13:540:13:58

starting with corned beef and oatmeal savoury pudding.

0:13:580:14:01

Take one ounce... We're back to old measurements, lovely.

0:14:010:14:06

-One ounce of dripping. Beef dripping.

-Lard.

0:14:060:14:08

What Britain was built on, you see!

0:14:080:14:10

Northern Europe, full of lard. Brilliant.

0:14:100:14:12

That's about an ounce, in't it? Roughly.

0:14:120:14:15

To the sizzling fat, we add oatmeal, full of healthy roughage.

0:14:170:14:21

Followed by that old wartime favourite, corned beef.

0:14:230:14:26

A couple of grated carrots.

0:14:260:14:30

This is chicken stock. Half a pint.

0:14:320:14:35

Times were tough, ingredients were few and far between,

0:14:350:14:38

and they had to make tasty food from out of what was available.

0:14:380:14:42

Have a taste of that.

0:14:420:14:43

-That's very nice, isn't it?

-It's really good.

-Yeah.

0:14:450:14:49

It's not the most appetising thing, you could lay bricks with it -

0:14:500:14:55

but that's not the point. There's a war on!

0:14:550:14:57

Finally, we ready our pudding for steaming

0:14:570:15:00

with a good, old-fashioned sheet of brown paper

0:15:000:15:02

and a length of sturdy string.

0:15:020:15:04

A built-in handle so you don't burn your hands in the pan,

0:15:040:15:07

and just steam that for about an hour and a half.

0:15:070:15:10

Now, they want a pudding, so we're going to do an eggless sponge.

0:15:100:15:15

We found this recipe. Remember, it's eggless

0:15:150:15:18

because the rationing in World War II, it was one egg a week.

0:15:180:15:21

First into the bowl, golden syrup, margarine and sugar.

0:15:220:15:26

And, true to this 60-year-old recipe,

0:15:260:15:28

I'm using raw manpower to cream them together.

0:15:280:15:31

"Until soft and light."

0:15:310:15:33

-Is that soft and light?

-No.

0:15:340:15:37

Right, six ounces of self-raising flour.

0:15:390:15:41

It says to add a teaspoonful of baking powder.

0:15:410:15:43

That'll give it more lift. Cos remember, it's eggless.

0:15:430:15:47

Next, we add a quarter pint of milk,

0:15:470:15:50

beat into a smooth batter, and it's ready for the tins.

0:15:500:15:53

"Bake for approximately 20 minutes until firm to the touch,

0:15:530:15:56

"just above the centre of a moderately-hot oven.

0:15:560:15:59

"Turn out and sandwich with jam."

0:15:590:16:00

Our austerity cuisine looks and smells pretty good, which is a huge relief...

0:16:020:16:08

..because we're about to deliver our wartime recipes

0:16:110:16:15

to one of Meals On Wheels' oldest surviving volunteers,

0:16:150:16:18

Gladys Taaffe.

0:16:180:16:20

15 miles due west, here in Hemel Hempstead,

0:16:200:16:23

this grand 100-year-old lady pioneered the service,

0:16:230:16:27

and her daughter Elizabeth lives close by.

0:16:270:16:30

Gladys, are we right in thinking that you volunteered

0:16:320:16:35

up to the age of...97, was it?

0:16:350:16:39

-95.

-95.

-Yes.

-Well, that's quite remarkable, madam, wouldn't you say?

0:16:390:16:44

Well, the poor things wanted feeding!

0:16:450:16:48

Do you have any funny stories about when you were delivering during the war?

0:16:500:16:53

-Some of the people were very difficult.

-Right.

0:16:530:16:57

-Some were lovely.

-What about the woman with the wooden leg?

0:16:570:17:01

Oh, yes! She used to say when I knocked on the door,

0:17:010:17:06

"Come in! Is that Meals On Wheels? Will you pick up my wooden leg?

0:17:060:17:11

"I've had to throw it at the children last night,

0:17:110:17:14

-"they were knocking at the door!"

-Oh, no!

0:17:140:17:16

What we've done is, we've found some recipes from the wartime.

0:17:180:17:21

-The first one was a corned beef and oatmeal pudding.

-Oh, yes.

0:17:240:17:28

Would you do us the honour, Gladys, of seeing what you think?

0:17:280:17:32

-Quite nice.

-Mmm.

-It's lovely.

0:17:380:17:41

-Tasty. Gladys, do we approve?

-We do!

0:17:420:17:44

-Oh, good!

-Hurray, you've got the thumbs-up!

0:17:440:17:47

The corned-beef pudding has definitely hit the spot with Gladys,

0:17:470:17:51

but are we be able to proclaim victory with our eggless jam sponge?

0:17:510:17:55

-Mmm.

-You have plenty of that.

0:17:570:18:00

Very, very nice.

0:18:030:18:04

That's really nice.

0:18:040:18:06

-You've enjoyed that, Gladys!

-I did!

-Yeah, good, good!

0:18:060:18:10

Wonderful.

0:18:100:18:12

We've been inspired by the shrewd ingenuity

0:18:140:18:17

of these fabulous wartime recipes,

0:18:170:18:19

and by Gladys Taaffe's remarkable devotion to the cause.

0:18:190:18:22

Now, Dave and I are heading to one of

0:18:260:18:27

the increasingly-rare local authorities in Britain

0:18:270:18:30

that still provide a traditional Meals On Wheels service.

0:18:300:18:33

Elmbridge, in Surrey.

0:18:330:18:36

Here, hot two-course lunches are delivered daily

0:18:370:18:40

for up to 250 of the borough's old folk

0:18:400:18:42

by a large team of regular volunteers.

0:18:420:18:45

The Meals On Wheels service is an essential part of

0:18:450:18:48

keeping somebody independent in their own home.

0:18:480:18:51

We wouldn't be able to provide meals on wheels or a seven-day service

0:18:510:18:55

without our volunteers.

0:18:550:18:57

But with their volunteer numbers down by a third,

0:18:570:19:00

Elmbridge's long-running service is desperate for help.

0:19:000:19:03

They've called us in to try and save their Meals On Wheels.

0:19:030:19:08

We'll be working at one of six centres that supply these meals.

0:19:080:19:13

Keen to get to grips with the whole operation,

0:19:130:19:16

we're hooking up with some of the volunteers who'll be whisking today's hot lunches

0:19:160:19:20

off to the elderly of Elmbridge.

0:19:200:19:23

Hello, ladies. Hi, how are you?

0:19:230:19:24

Now, you are the cutting edge, aren't you?

0:19:240:19:27

You are the delivery drivers.

0:19:270:19:29

-Wheels of steel!

-Yes!

0:19:290:19:31

You're practically Meals On Wheels, aren't you, on your motorbikes!

0:19:310:19:35

We're really looking forward to it, ladies.

0:19:350:19:37

Really looking forward to it.

0:19:370:19:38

-Do put us to work, Grace.

-Oh, I will!

-Great.

0:19:380:19:42

Retired art teacher Grace picks up today's hot lunches from a dumb waiter

0:19:420:19:47

which ferries them out from the kitchen.

0:19:470:19:49

-98% are very grateful. But you get 2% of anything, don't you?

-Of course.

0:19:490:19:57

I would go pillion with one of you

0:19:570:19:59

but I suppose that wouldn't be allowed.

0:19:590:20:01

At 77, Grace has been delivering Meals On Wheels for the last 25 years.

0:20:010:20:06

She's typical of Elmbridge's dedicated but aging volunteer workforce.

0:20:060:20:12

-What do we need, Grace?

-We need a meal and a pud.

0:20:120:20:15

-'Good morning.'

-Good morning. Meals On Wheels.

0:20:150:20:19

-Where should I put it?

-In the kitchen.

-Yes.

0:20:190:20:23

-Hello.

-Come on in.

-Oh, thank you.

-I'm Dave.

0:20:240:20:28

-You're Dave.

-We do The Hairy Bikers. You know the programme on the telly?

0:20:280:20:32

-Yes.

-Hello. I'm Si. Very nice to meet you.

0:20:320:20:35

Very nice to meet... You've all got beards.

0:20:350:20:38

A volunteer is often the only person

0:20:390:20:41

a Meals On Wheels client will see all day.

0:20:410:20:44

It's more than just a plate of food. It's a chance to chat to somebody.

0:20:460:20:49

'It's a chance to make sure everything's all right.'

0:20:490:20:54

'If they see them so often, they can detect changes in their mannerisms

0:20:540:20:58

'in their health. So, it's really important.'

0:20:580:21:01

You're doing wonderfully well.

0:21:010:21:03

Across town, 88-year-old Gloria

0:21:030:21:06

and 81-year-old Sue are out on the rounds too.

0:21:060:21:09

The Elmbridge volunteers donate over £300,000 worth

0:21:090:21:13

of free manpower every year Without their generosity

0:21:130:21:18

this daily, face-to-face service would simply stop.

0:21:180:21:22

-Looks very nice.

-Yes, you've got prunes there.

0:21:230:21:27

It's a bit cold out.

0:21:270:21:30

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Mr Thompson, I'm Si. Very nice to meet you, sir.

-And you.

0:21:300:21:36

-For 15 years, I was a motorcycling instructor.

-Really?

-Yes.

0:21:360:21:41

-It's nice to meet a fellow motorcyclist. It's great.

-Yes.

0:21:410:21:44

DOORBELL RINGS

0:21:440:21:46

If a door remains unanswered,

0:21:460:21:48

Elmbridge volunteers will never leave a home

0:21:480:21:50

until they know the client is all right.

0:21:500:21:54

KNOCKS ON DOOR

0:21:540:21:57

Mrs Wells. Oh, she's coming. Sorry.

0:21:570:22:00

-It's very cold, isn't it?

-It is. A very cold wind actually.

-Yes.

0:22:000:22:06

You're nice and warm in here, aren't you, though?

0:22:060:22:09

Mr Curtis, I'm Si. Very nice to meet you, sir.

0:22:090:22:12

-I like you a lot.

-Oh, thank you, sir.

0:22:120:22:15

The daily delivery helps people like Mr Curtis stay in their own homes.

0:22:150:22:20

The thing is, Grace, if you weren't going,

0:22:200:22:22

-how's he going to prepare a meal?

-Well, you see, this is the trouble.

0:22:220:22:26

If Mr Curtis still has his independence.

0:22:260:22:28

If it's a year or two, it's worth giving people that dignity.

0:22:280:22:32

-You see, they don't want to give up their homes.

-No, who would?

0:22:320:22:36

If there were homes to go in to... But there aren't.

0:22:360:22:39

But they don't want to give them up. You can understand it.

0:22:390:22:43

It's so important what you do, Grace. So important.

0:22:430:22:47

I think it is and I love it. Hello, Mrs Prunier.

0:22:470:22:50

-'Ello, 'ello, 'ello.

-Hello, I'm Dave.

0:22:500:22:53

Hello, I'm Si. Very nice to meet you.

0:22:530:22:56

-You enjoy your lunch.

-Tuck in.

0:22:560:22:58

-Thank you.

-Thanks, Mrs Prunier.

0:22:580:23:00

It was lovely to see you. All these people here.

0:23:000:23:03

The criteria for who gets Meals On Wheels varies greatly

0:23:030:23:07

among those councils that still offer them

0:23:070:23:10

but, generally, they're getting stricter.

0:23:100:23:13

Here in Elmbridge, hot daily meals are delivered to people in need.

0:23:130:23:16

I look forward to this every day. I never get the same twice.

0:23:190:23:24

-DOORBELL RINGS

-'When the old folk have had time to digest their lunch

0:23:240:23:27

'we head back to find out just how vital this service is to them.'

0:23:270:23:32

What does it mean to you to get Meal On Wheels?

0:23:320:23:34

It's been wonderful. I can't praise it too much

0:23:340:23:38

because when I did this, it really left us without any means of getting about.

0:23:380:23:46

I can't stand very long to try and do any cooking, that's the trouble.

0:23:460:23:50

It's certainly a big help to me, trying to cope with the house

0:23:500:23:55

and the shopping and the washing and everything else. I'm 92.

0:23:550:23:59

Generally, do you enjoy the food

0:23:590:24:02

that's supplied by the Meals On Wheels service?

0:24:020:24:05

-On the whole, yes, I think so.

-Good.

0:24:050:24:09

Rather a lot of things like rhubarb crumble

0:24:090:24:11

-when the rhubarb is as sour as anything.

-I see.

-Terrible!

0:24:110:24:16

I don't think they ought to do hotpots. I don't know what on earth meat they put in a hotpot

0:24:160:24:21

but it's absolutely disgusting.

0:24:210:24:23

-When the girls deliver the food to your door, they stop for a bit of a chat.

-Oh yes.

0:24:230:24:27

Seeing a face. Days get very long when you're on your own.

0:24:270:24:32

Very long sometimes.

0:24:320:24:33

-If you lost the service that clearly you...

-I try not to think about that.

0:24:330:24:40

-What would that mean for you?

-Oh, it would be devastating for me.

0:24:400:24:44

We've got to do everything that we can

0:24:440:24:46

to make sure that the system not only stays, it gets better.

0:24:460:24:50

If you lost the service, what would it mean to you?

0:24:510:24:55

It would mean a lot, I think, really. I do look forward to them coming.

0:24:550:25:00

They're not going to stop it, are they?

0:25:020:25:04

The Elmbridge Meals On Wheels service clearly means a lot to the old folk

0:25:040:25:09

but as cooks, we're eager to learn more about the food.

0:25:090:25:13

So we've come to the kitchen to lend a hand and see how it operates.

0:25:130:25:19

Morning, ladies. How are you, this morning?

0:25:190:25:21

-Fine thank you. Lesley.

-Hello, Lesley, I'm Si, how you doing?

0:25:210:25:24

-Fine, thank you.

-Gladys. Call me Glad...cos I'm glad all over.

-Hiya.

-Hiya, Julie.

0:25:240:25:32

-Are you the boss cook, Julie?

-I am, I'm afraid, yes.

0:25:320:25:35

-How many dinners a day do you do?

-Meals On Wheels, it's about 40 a day.

0:25:350:25:40

The girls begin work at 8:30 sharp,

0:25:420:25:44

both pudding and main course must be cooked, packed

0:25:440:25:47

and ready to go out on the rounds in just three hours.

0:25:470:25:51

-I've got Jane's hat.

-Hope it fits.

0:25:510:25:54

Look at that. If the caps fits, Jane.

0:25:540:25:57

Julie and assistant cook Lesley are two of only three part-time, paid staff in the kitchen.

0:25:570:26:02

both have worked here for over 13 years.

0:26:020:26:05

I've never been one for cooking.

0:26:050:26:07

I just... I don't know,

0:26:070:26:09

I've just never been into it until I got here.

0:26:090:26:12

My husband said, "Why are you working there? You don't cook."

0:26:120:26:15

It's not the most encouraging piece of news

0:26:150:26:19

but our first job is to help veteran volunteer Gladys

0:26:190:26:22

dish up the pud - ground rice and prunes.

0:26:220:26:26

How long have you worked here, Gladys?

0:26:260:26:28

18 years, now, as a volunteer.

0:26:280:26:30

-I'm 86 at the end of the month.

-Are you?

0:26:300:26:35

I hope I look like you when I'm 86, I tell you.

0:26:350:26:37

-You're fit as a lop, aren't you?

-Pardon?

-You're fit.

0:26:370:26:40

-Fit as a lop, you know?

-Well, I feel it.

0:26:400:26:42

-You look gorgeous.

-That's cos I've got four sons.

0:26:420:26:46

-Do they look after you, your boys?

-Oh, you must be joking.

0:26:460:26:50

The first lot of veg are already cooked

0:26:540:26:57

but it's nearly two hours before they're due to go out.

0:26:570:27:00

-That's frozen veg.

-It is, yeah.

0:27:000:27:03

It looks like today's veg

0:27:030:27:06

is coming out of the freezer in great sack-fulls

0:27:060:27:08

and there's clearly not much chopping going on around here.

0:27:080:27:12

That's blunt. That's as much use as a chocolate fire guard.

0:27:120:27:15

That's too short. You got to have the tools of your trade, ladies.

0:27:150:27:19

Working on a budget of just £1.25 a meal,

0:27:190:27:22

today, Julie's serving up a frozen chicken pie

0:27:220:27:24

and she's knocked up a basic sausage plait.

0:27:240:27:28

But we're beginning to suspect that cooking from fresh in this kitchen is a rarity.

0:27:300:27:35

So, this is our fridge - four or five shelves.

0:27:350:27:38

Blimey, that's teeny!

0:27:380:27:40

-Walk-in freezer.

-Right.

0:27:400:27:43

-Wow, that's a big freezer, isn't it?

-What've we got in here?

0:27:430:27:47

We've got boxes of liver and bacon casserole, some meatballs,

0:27:470:27:51

some frozen faggots. All the frozen veg. Yeah.

0:27:510:27:55

Cauli, peas, sprouts.

0:27:550:27:58

And why is it that you'd rather buy 30 frozen backed jacket potatoes

0:27:580:28:02

than buy 30...

0:28:020:28:04

cos that's got to be more expensive.

0:28:040:28:06

Just get a sack of potatoes and stick them in the oven. What's...

0:28:060:28:09

They're all identical size and weight so the portioning is much easier.

0:28:090:28:14

That's interesting. You deal with a lot of frozen food

0:28:140:28:17

-as opposed to fresh food in your fridge.

-Yeah.

-OK.

0:28:170:28:22

Next door is the larder, stacked high with dried foodstuffs

0:28:220:28:26

including some we'd hoped we'd seen the last of

0:28:260:28:28

in the frozen ready meals we road-tested.

0:28:280:28:31

-Milk powder, sponge mix...

-Potato mash mix.

-We do, yes.

-Interesting.

0:28:320:28:39

As mains are dished up,

0:28:400:28:41

we're curious to sample the frozen chicken pie.

0:28:410:28:44

Make sure you get some chicken. It's all slid up the end.

0:28:440:28:48

Do you have to hunt for it?

0:28:480:28:49

-Cos there's a lot of gravy in that pie, isn't there?

-Another well-packed pie.

0:28:490:28:53

'Normally, we're well up for chef's perks,

0:28:550:28:58

'but on this occasion, we're going in with trepidation.

0:28:580:29:01

'How will it compare with the frozen ready meals?'

0:29:010:29:04

That looks like a bit of cardboard.

0:29:040:29:06

Can't get beyond the artificial, chemically taste.

0:29:060:29:09

-It reminds me of when I was a kid and you used to have cheap instant soup.

-Yeah.

0:29:090:29:13

I mean, the cabbage, I don't know why we haven't got a head of cabbage.

0:29:130:29:17

You haven't got any knives to do it.

0:29:170:29:20

'These Meals On Wheels are a step up from the microwaved food,

0:29:210:29:25

'but we're still hugely disappointed.'

0:29:250:29:28

'Surely, the least we can give our grans and granddads are fresh, comforting meals,

0:29:280:29:33

'made with a bit of love and respect?'

0:29:330:29:36

What we've bitten off is pretty colossal.

0:29:370:29:39

Oh, yeah. I think once we've got into it, realised there's an awful lot to it.

0:29:390:29:43

There's a lot to be considered.

0:29:430:29:45

It's not as simple as it first appears.

0:29:450:29:47

I think there's two issues -

0:29:470:29:49

one's the food and the other one is the volunteers.

0:29:490:29:52

There could be a little more zip in their pip, when it comes to the food.

0:29:520:29:56

But the volunteers, I think, are integral to the whole process

0:29:560:29:59

I don't think dropping off packets of frozen food on a fortnightly basis

0:29:590:30:03

is going to work. I think the volunteers, they bring so much to the table.

0:30:030:30:07

They also save lives. It needs an awful lot of volunteers to keep the system working.

0:30:070:30:12

So we're going to have to try and drum up enthusiasm for that.

0:30:120:30:16

The ageing volunteer force that shore up the system in this borough can't go on for ever.

0:30:210:30:26

So we're joining forces with two of the Elmbridge Golden Girls

0:30:260:30:29

to drum up some new recruits, using every weapon in the council's PR armoury.

0:30:290:30:35

Lesley, you take the high street.

0:30:360:30:39

You are going to go to the college with a load of leaflets, pass them around.

0:30:390:30:43

Look charming, flutter your eyelids, all that business.

0:30:430:30:46

Right, here we go.

0:30:460:30:47

See you later, Gloria.

0:30:470:30:49

Go on, get the mojo going! Fire them up with enthusiasm.

0:30:490:30:52

'At the local college, Gloria sets out the council's promotional material,

0:30:540:30:58

'hoping to entice the next generation of dedicated volunteers...'

0:30:580:31:02

'Whilst Dave and I help Lesley set up a strategic position on the High Street.'

0:31:040:31:09

-Do you know how to do this, Dave?

-No.

0:31:090:31:11

HE GROANS WITH EFFORT

0:31:110:31:13

I think this might be why people aren't volunteering!

0:31:150:31:18

Is that it?

0:31:190:31:20

LESLEY LAUGHS

0:31:200:31:21

There's nothing on that side, look. What happens if they come from behind?

0:31:230:31:28

Oh really, we've got to do better than this.

0:31:280:31:30

Can we interest you in any volunteer work?

0:31:330:31:37

This is Meals On Wheels. We need volunteers once a fortnight.

0:31:370:31:41

Would you do it?

0:31:410:31:42

We want volunteers to deliver, but also...

0:31:420:31:44

-Look, see. Don't...

-Do you cook?

0:31:440:31:47

No, I'm a rubbish cook.

0:31:470:31:49

Do you drive?

0:31:490:31:50

Excuse me...

0:31:510:31:52

All the deliveries are all done by volunteers.

0:31:550:31:58

What do you reckon?

0:31:580:32:00

No.

0:32:000:32:01

Vote of confidence from the older generation(!)

0:32:060:32:10

'So far on the High Street, the council's publicity material hasn't hooked a single new recruit.'

0:32:100:32:16

My mum and stuff, they do a lot of volunteering, but obviously us guys,

0:32:160:32:20

as the younger generation, we don't do nothing, so...

0:32:200:32:23

I definitely think that the Meals On Wheels image is, like, kind of old.

0:32:230:32:28

Volunteers, especially, it doesn't seem to be appealing to the young population.

0:32:280:32:33

Meals On Wheels? Just, like, fast... Is it just fast food?

0:32:330:32:39

Eating - I honestly don't know.

0:32:390:32:42

'Si and I have left the High Street in search of richer pickings.'

0:32:420:32:47

Hello, Elmbridge.

0:32:490:32:50

Hello, Elmbridge.

0:32:510:32:52

'At the college, the council's leaflets...

0:32:520:32:55

Well, they're just not cutting the mustard with the students.

0:32:550:32:59

'So 88-year-old Gloria tries a new tactic.'

0:32:590:33:03

MUSIC: "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" by Tchaikovsky

0:33:030:33:09

'Now, if that doesn't attract volunteers, I don't know what will!'

0:33:090:33:14

'At the train station, we're hitting the buffers.

0:33:150:33:18

-Can I have two minutes of your time? Would you mind?

-Sorry, no.

0:33:180:33:21

-No, no? Madam, no?

-No. No.

0:33:210:33:22

You'll need us one day.

0:33:220:33:24

'Time to bring out the big guns. The council's volunteer display board.'

0:33:240:33:29

-It doesn't say "Join me", does it?

-No.

0:33:290:33:32

That is the most depressing thing.

0:33:320:33:34

-That's doing us more damage than good, I think.

-Yeah.

0:33:340:33:37

'An hour-and-a-half later, much to her surprise,

0:33:420:33:45

'our Gloria has finally got a bite at the college.'

0:33:450:33:48

You can take it and...

0:33:480:33:51

No, I can fill it in now, if you want. If you've got a pen, I'll fill it in now.

0:33:510:33:55

That's great.

0:33:560:33:57

A positive response!

0:33:590:34:01

Thank you very much. Yes.

0:34:020:34:03

'One more volunteer is great news, but we need a whole host of them

0:34:030:34:07

'to ensure the future of Meals On Wheels in Elmbridge.'

0:34:070:34:12

People are a bit reluctant to volunteer,

0:34:120:34:15

cos it encroaches on their private life, I suppose.

0:34:150:34:19

Anybody can find a couple of hours if they want to.

0:34:200:34:23

I just don't understand.

0:34:230:34:25

You can get so much pleasure out of doing Meals On Wheels.

0:34:250:34:28

'As the 5:15pm commuter train pulls in,

0:34:320:34:33

'we're forcing our leaflets on a final wave of uninterested travellers.'

0:34:330:34:38

Elmbridge needs you. The council needs you.

0:34:400:34:43

Meals On Wheels. Falling apart.

0:34:430:34:45

-Thank you.

-You're very welcome.

0:34:450:34:47

Meals On Wheels, volunteers to deliver.

0:34:470:34:49

If you can't do it yourself, you may know somebody. We need volunteers!

0:34:490:34:53

'Four people canvassing in three different locations for over two-and-a-half hours

0:34:530:34:57

'has only landed us one volunteer.

0:34:570:35:00

'The magnitude of what we've taken on is starting to hit home.'

0:35:000:35:04

I think we're feeling a lot of pressure and responsibility

0:35:040:35:07

The last thing we want is to be those blokes who did something for the telly,

0:35:070:35:11

walked away and it all falls apart.

0:35:110:35:14

-We can't do that.

-Nah.

-That's not us. That's not the way our mojo works.

0:35:140:35:19

'We've got to get our thinking caps on.

0:35:200:35:22

'Like all good things that fall out of favour, it's clear this 60-year-old institution

0:35:220:35:27

'badly needs rebranding with a 21st-century image.'

0:35:270:35:31

'In the meantime, we're desperate to find a way

0:35:370:35:39

'to make today's Meals On Wheels and its values relevant to the next generation of volunteers.'

0:35:390:35:46

I don't think people realise it's delivered by volunteers,

0:35:470:35:50

and without them, the system will collapse.

0:35:500:35:52

'For our next volunteer drive, we've left the council's pin board behind.

0:35:520:35:58

'Today, we'll be deploying shock tactics.

0:35:580:36:00

'We're gate-crashing lunch at a local company canteen.

0:36:020:36:06

'Here, they're spoilt by fantastic, fresh-cooked food every day.'

0:36:060:36:11

I think the food that they're serving here has yum factor -

0:36:110:36:14

you can smell it, you can look at it.

0:36:140:36:16

'But we're about to give them a taste of what we might all be facing,

0:36:160:36:20

'if traditional Meals On Wheels becomes extinct -

0:36:200:36:23

'the frozen, microwaveable pensioner's ready meals.'

0:36:230:36:26

-Hello.

-Can we interrupt your lunch for a moment?

0:36:270:36:29

Of course, yeah.

0:36:290:36:30

Da-da-da!

0:36:300:36:33

It's a steak and kidney pie, with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables.

0:36:330:36:38

These are frozen meals that are delivered to the elderly people once a fortnight.

0:36:380:36:43

A van turns up and offloads 14 meals, says, "Cheerio, see you in a fortnight's time", end of story.

0:36:430:36:50

-Look at that! What's that?

-Oh, that's fat!

0:36:500:36:54

I think it's pork fat. I'm not 100% sure.

0:36:540:36:57

-You have to bear in mind, this is your main meal. This is as good as it gets.

-Oh, this is awful!

0:36:580:37:03

If those meals were delivered to your mum, OK?

0:37:030:37:07

In a fortnight's supply, she has to pull it out of the freezer.

0:37:070:37:10

Would you be happy if she had to eat those every day?

0:37:100:37:13

Not really. I think this is more what you'd get in prison, to be honest.

0:37:140:37:18

Not that I've been in prison, but I imagine prisoners would get this.

0:37:180:37:22

'Now we've got their attention, it's an ideal opportunity

0:37:220:37:25

'for Grace and her fellow volunteers to canvas for some fresh blood.'

0:37:250:37:30

The difference is, that when we turn up, every day - 365 days a year -

0:37:300:37:35

we turn up with a hot meal

0:37:350:37:37

and they get somebody who comes in and cares about whether they're all right.

0:37:370:37:41

You know, keeps an eye on them.

0:37:410:37:43

So there's a little bit of human contact as well, which is very important for old people.

0:37:430:37:47

And we're lacking in volunteers.

0:37:470:37:50

We can't get people to volunteer to do it.

0:37:500:37:53

If there was something that you could do, to make a difference to that, would you do it?

0:37:530:37:59

Yes.

0:37:590:38:00

You would? You all would do it?

0:38:000:38:02

OK, if we asked you for two hours of your time, every fortnight,

0:38:020:38:06

to make a difference to vulnerable people's lives, would you do it?

0:38:060:38:09

I would.

0:38:090:38:10

-You would? OK.

-Especially after eating that!

0:38:100:38:12

-That's one, two, three, four, five volunteers.

-Yeah.

0:38:120:38:16

'Five potential volunteers isn't bad for a start.

0:38:160:38:19

'While we're here, we're keen to pick the brains of head chef Jason.

0:38:190:38:22

'He produces this great food for just £2 a head.'

0:38:220:38:26

'But what could he do with the super-tight Elmbridge budget?'

0:38:260:38:31

Just out of interest, if you had £1.25,

0:38:310:38:35

could you produce 40 fresh meals out for that money?

0:38:350:38:42

Yeah, easily.

0:38:420:38:43

-Easily?

-Not a problem.

0:38:430:38:44

I've also worked in a school, where I was on 55p budget, per pupil,

0:38:440:38:50

and I still produced decent food for that money.

0:38:500:38:54

So £1.25, that's quite a lot anyway and you could easily do it.

0:38:540:38:58

'Galvanised by eager volunteers and the knowledge that cooking great-tasting, fresh meals

0:39:000:39:05

'can be achieved on a budget, we're raring to kick-start our campaign.'

0:39:050:39:11

'We want to make the Elmbridge service the gold standard,

0:39:110:39:15

'transforming their image, volunteer force and menus

0:39:150:39:18

'into a shining example to inspire others across the UK.

0:39:180:39:23

'And we want to start with what we know best - the food.'

0:39:230:39:29

I think we know what we've got to do.

0:39:300:39:32

-But the question is, are they up for doing it?

-We'll find out.

-Aye.

0:39:320:39:37

Ladies, we want you to have an open mind to what we're going to say.

0:39:370:39:41

The key thing is we want you to go fresh.

0:39:410:39:45

It's going to mean a little bit more work,

0:39:450:39:47

but we want to get you cooking again, we want to get you cooking,

0:39:470:39:51

cos that's dead important.

0:39:510:39:52

We want the passion for what you do and the service you offer into that food.

0:39:520:39:57

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-What I think we both feel in our hearts,

0:39:570:40:00

it's the personal touch with the volunteers and the cooking

0:40:000:40:03

that makes all the difference in the world.

0:40:030:40:06

We reckon that if we can make it the best we possibly can,

0:40:060:40:11

then nobody can touch the Meals On Wheels service.

0:40:110:40:14

-And that's what we want.

-Sisters of Mercy, are you with us?

-Oh, definitely.

0:40:140:40:19

Come on! Right, that's it, fives, all the way round!

0:40:190:40:21

'Lesley and Julie have been cooking from frozen for donkey's years.'

0:40:210:40:25

Now we want to get them cooking fresh, delicious food five days a week.

0:40:270:40:32

From tomorrow, no more instant mash, custard made with dried milk powder,

0:40:320:40:38

no sit down tea breaks, or frozen sprouts.

0:40:380:40:42

But it's a huge ask for our freezer queens.

0:40:420:40:46

Yeah, we're a bit nervous and apprehensive.

0:40:470:40:50

It's going to be more work, prep-wise.

0:40:500:40:53

Cooking should be fine, but getting everything ready on time...

0:40:530:40:56

will be a challenge.

0:40:560:40:58

After today's Meals On Wheels have gone,

0:41:000:41:02

we want to set about transforming their menu.

0:41:020:41:05

Starting with a couple of simple fresh dishes we think the old folk will love.

0:41:050:41:12

You know that horrendous chicken pie that we had a taste of from that frozen thing?

0:41:140:41:20

We've got our own chicken and mushroom pie. So we're going to start on that one.

0:41:200:41:24

It's just full of flavour, and it's going to be packed with chicken.

0:41:240:41:29

'Today's trial recipes will be tasted by a VIP panel,

0:41:290:41:32

'chaired by Julie's boss, so we've had to work hard

0:41:320:41:36

'to keep each meal not just tasty, but strictly within the £1.25 budget.

0:41:360:41:43

'For our chicken pie, we're using cheap but tasty thighs.

0:41:430:41:46

'Each portion will cost just 75 pence.'

0:41:460:41:49

Now that seems a decent amount of chicken, compared to the fragments we had in that frozen pie.

0:41:510:41:56

I think people are going to love this.

0:41:560:41:59

'Lesley's first job is to brown off the floured, seasoned chicken.'

0:41:590:42:03

The natural reaction when you put something into a pan is to move it. Don't.

0:42:040:42:08

Let it seal, so you're not ripping skin off the bottom of the pan, yeah?

0:42:080:42:12

'At a cost of just 19 pence, we'll be serving fresh carrots, leeks and mashed potato.

0:42:120:42:18

'This kitchen hasn't seen this many fresh veg in years.'

0:42:180:42:23

And honestly, our mashed potato, Julie, is like an albino rabbit that's been in a tumble dryer.

0:42:230:42:29

Fluffed. Fluffed! To an inch of its life, it is!

0:42:290:42:31

'It's a whole new way of working for this kitchen.

0:42:310:42:34

'If the girls are going to get 40-plus portions of fresh food

0:42:340:42:38

'out to the old folk, we need to get them cooking confidently, meticulously and fast.'

0:42:380:42:44

Just to take stock, we've got the potatoes done,

0:42:440:42:48

we have the pastry made, we have the pie filling made, we have the veg prepped -

0:42:480:42:52

20 minutes, that's all it's taken.

0:42:520:42:54

'In times hen we're all feeling the pinch, these aren't just good Meals On Wheels recipes,

0:42:540:42:59

'they'd make a great, hearty cheap lunch for anybody.'

0:42:590:43:03

-Look at that.

-Lovely.

-Our first pie! It's a proper pie, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:43:030:43:08

'We've transformed the chicken pie. Next, we're going to revolutionise Lesley's custard.

0:43:090:43:16

'For the last 13 years, she's been making it with powdered milk and water.'

0:43:160:43:21

You know your custard recipe? You're going, "I know me custard recipe!"

0:43:210:43:25

-Yes, I know you do, but I don't care. I want you to use milk.

-Yeah.

0:43:250:43:30

Keep going.

0:43:320:43:34

Stop.

0:43:340:43:35

Right.

0:43:350:43:37

Have a taste. See what the level of sugar's like.

0:43:370:43:40

-Nice, eh?

-Mm.

0:43:420:43:44

Nearly as good as mine(!)

0:43:440:43:47

-No, it is good.

-It's good. Why is it good?

0:43:470:43:50

Cos it's been made with proper milk.

0:43:500:43:52

Yeah. Big, fat F-R-E-S-H - fresh.

0:43:520:43:59

Look at me in the eyes. Tell me that you're never, ever, ever

0:44:000:44:03

going to use milk powder again, when making...

0:44:030:44:06

I'm never, ever going to use milk powder again.

0:44:060:44:08

Give me a look at your hands, cos if you're crossing them...

0:44:080:44:11

Thank you.

0:44:110:44:12

'We're serving our new creamy custard with a traditional syrup and lemon sponge,

0:44:130:44:19

'costing just 22 pence a portion.'

0:44:190:44:22

Oh, it's like a duvet of pudding love!

0:44:220:44:24

'And we're determined to make our proper mash

0:44:280:44:30

'better than their favoured instant variety, by a country mile.'

0:44:300:44:35

Mash in sort of butch sort of fashion.

0:44:350:44:39

Because do you know what? Do you know what, you horrible little man?

0:44:390:44:43

If I find a lump in that mash, you're for it! 15 press-ups.

0:44:430:44:47

-That's bloody good mash.

-Isn't it?

0:44:510:44:53

'Waiting to pass verdict on our new, fresh lunch is our panel of exacting tasters.'

0:44:540:45:00

'Julie's boss, Kim,

0:45:000:45:03

'Meals On Wheels clients Mr and Mrs Phillips,

0:45:030:45:06

'and a lady who's sent out more Meals On Wheels than we've had hot dinners, our Gladys.'

0:45:060:45:12

Four plates. Thank you.

0:45:120:45:15

'The whole meal has come in 9 pence under the £1.25 budget.

0:45:150:45:21

'But have we persuaded the cooks it's been worth the extra effort?'

0:45:210:45:25

The pastry is so buttery. Really short.

0:45:250:45:29

-What do you think of the filling?

-It tastes lovely.

0:45:290:45:33

'The girls are impressed, but our sense of taste often dulls with old age.

0:45:330:45:38

'If we haven't done enough to excite the panel's palates,

0:45:380:45:42

'our plans to deliver the first all-fresh meals to the borough's old folk,

0:45:420:45:45

'will be dead in the water.'

0:45:450:45:47

Now, when we first came here, one thing we were shocked with,

0:45:480:45:52

and we've brought an example, was the frozen chicken pie.

0:45:520:45:56

We thought it was horrid. So we've made our chicken pie to the price.

0:45:560:46:00

-Can we try that now?

-Please do, Gladys.

0:46:000:46:04

-What do you think, Gladys?

-It's beautiful.

-Yes!

0:46:060:46:11

-The potato... Is there something special in the potatoes?

-Just potatoes.

-It's just potatoes.

0:46:110:46:16

How we normally do potatoes? They're just really fresh and really light and fluffy.

0:46:160:46:21

The chicken is really tender, isn't it? Very nice flavour, I must say.

0:46:210:46:26

It's got lovely taste, everything. It's not bland.

0:46:260:46:29

That's what it's about, giving people

0:46:290:46:31

a highlight of the day, that they look forward to eating something.

0:46:310:46:35

-Very nice.

-I'm lost for words. No, it's gorgeous. Thank you.

0:46:350:46:38

-Would you be happy if that was delivered on your Meals On Wheels?

-I certainly would, yes.

0:46:380:46:42

-I should say so!

-Good.

0:46:420:46:46

Oh, crikey!

0:46:460:46:47

Izzy busy, let's get busy!

0:46:470:46:50

'They love the mains, but what will they think of our pud?'

0:46:500:46:53

Yes!

0:46:530:46:55

I shouldn't eat this!

0:46:560:46:57

-The lemon flavouring is particularly nice.

-Absolutely delicious.

0:46:590:47:03

Thank you.

0:47:030:47:04

It just melts.

0:47:040:47:06

So ladies, gentleman, what do we think overall?

0:47:060:47:09

You can come anytime. Bring that along as often as you like.

0:47:090:47:14

-These two lovely ladies.

-They've done very well.

-They have.

-They've done brilliantly.

0:47:140:47:18

They have done brilliantly. And I think they deserve a big round of applause.

0:47:180:47:22

Thank you.

0:47:220:47:23

APPLAUSE

0:47:230:47:25

Fantastic, girls, really.

0:47:250:47:27

Hopefully we can do a hell of a lot of good.

0:47:270:47:30

It's been the first small steps forward. And it's very, very exciting.

0:47:300:47:34

But is the boss really convinced?

0:47:360:47:39

I thought it was fantastic. And if that's what we can produce within budget,

0:47:390:47:43

then we'll definitely look at it. But the girls are under pressure,

0:47:430:47:47

and getting those meals out hot and delivered to people, is one of my biggest concerns.

0:47:470:47:53

BOTH: Absolutely shattered!

0:47:530:47:57

It's hard to be enthusiastic when you're dead on your feet.

0:47:570:48:00

Today we want Julie and Lesley to take the reins and prove to Kim

0:48:030:48:08

that making Elmbridge an all-fresh Meals On Wheels service really is a realistic goal.

0:48:080:48:13

But until they've done a proper run on their own, we just won't know.

0:48:130:48:17

This is the big one. It's out onto the streets today.

0:48:190:48:23

We've had a bit of a disaster though, which has added to the pressure.

0:48:230:48:27

-Dreadful.

-It's...

0:48:270:48:29

-The key cook...

-Julie.

-Our Jules...

0:48:310:48:35

Well, she's been carted off to hospital.

0:48:350:48:37

Lesley is very committed to what she's doing.

0:48:370:48:41

But she is as nervous as hell.

0:48:410:48:43

I woke up at four o'clock thinking,

0:48:430:48:45

"I'm going to be sick, I don't want to go in."

0:48:450:48:47

I just... I hate it. I just really was not up for it this morning.

0:48:470:48:51

It was like that. It was really bad. I come in and said to Kim,

0:48:510:48:54

"I feel sick, I don't want to do this. I want to go home."

0:48:540:48:57

-Hey-hey! Are you all right, Les?

-Hiya.

-Hello.

0:48:570:49:02

-I think it's fair to say that you're focused.

-Just.

0:49:020:49:06

'Julie is recovering, but she needs rest,

0:49:060:49:09

'so Lesley's in charge. She's got just three hours to get over 40 portions

0:49:090:49:13

'of fresh chicken pie and puds prepped, cooked and ready to go.'

0:49:130:49:19

-Les?

-Yeah?

-How many leeks do we want?

0:49:190:49:23

-Erm...

-'There's no way we're going to do this without some help,

0:49:240:49:27

'so Lesley's dragged in Mandy and Andrea in from the office to chop the veg.

0:49:270:49:32

'It's all hands to the pumps.'

0:49:320:49:36

Look at this, man. This is perfect.

0:49:370:49:39

Look at that, look at Glad's browning. Brilliant, that, mate.

0:49:390:49:43

I'm usually in the sink.

0:49:430:49:45

I'm doing some of this now.

0:49:460:49:48

It's quite exciting for me.

0:49:490:49:51

'Gladys is rising to the occasion,

0:49:510:49:54

'but Lesley's got her sums wrong scaling up the lemon sponge mixture.'

0:49:540:49:59

Shit. Shit.

0:49:590:50:02

'We only put half the flour and half the eggs in.

0:50:030:50:06

'The mixture wasn't going as far as it should do.'

0:50:060:50:08

A cock up!

0:50:080:50:10

SHE LAUGHS

0:50:100:50:11

The thing is, we keep the mistakes in the kitchen, not on the plate.

0:50:110:50:15

'We've got just under 45 minutes before we've got to start plating up.'

0:50:150:50:20

There's a lot to remember, doing it this way.

0:50:200:50:23

'We can't keep the elderly of Elmbridge waiting.'

0:50:230:50:27

It's half nine, guys. How are we doing?

0:50:280:50:31

Another quarter of an hour. Got to get the puddings in.

0:50:310:50:36

Slap it in...

0:50:360:50:38

-and it's five minutes. And that's it. That's our pudding.

-Super dupe.

0:50:380:50:42

'The pies are almost ready, but before they go in the oven we need to check the boss is happy.'

0:50:420:50:47

What do you think? I think that's better than before.

0:50:470:50:50

Look at that. Please, God, I've made it big enough.

0:50:500:50:54

-Right, they're in the oven!

-Wahey!

0:50:570:51:00

You know what, Lesley? It's suddenly struck me...

0:51:000:51:03

if we did frozen food, it'd be so much more efficient, wouldn't it?!

0:51:030:51:06

SI LAUGHS

0:51:060:51:08

-It wouldn't taste as nice though, would it?

-It wouldn't be as nice.

0:51:080:51:11

Oh, we'd be drinking tea now!

0:51:110:51:14

-Please don't drop this, please don't drop this. Number one!

-Brilliant.

0:51:140:51:20

These would need to be in the hot box at quarter to 11 for three quarters of an hour.

0:51:200:51:24

-50 minutes to do 40.

-Yeah.

-Blooming heck.

0:51:240:51:27

-Sorry!

-Gang, our first Meals On Wheels. It looks like a proper dinner.

0:51:300:51:35

The place smells of chicken. it doesn't smell of catering.

0:51:370:51:41

-It smells of home cooking in here.

-Glad... don't throw that away.

0:51:410:51:45

-Chef's perks.

-You're nibbling on it already!

0:51:450:51:49

-Right, the first pudding's out.

-Have you got your puddings out again?!

0:51:510:51:55

-Like a well-oiled machine here. Are these done, Kingy?

-Yeah, mate.

0:51:550:52:00

Today's 47 fresh Meals On Wheels, ready to go out, just in time for lunch.

0:52:000:52:07

Beautiful. Beautiful!

0:52:070:52:10

That's it. We were one person down, a very key person.

0:52:100:52:15

-We've managed to do it. Are you proud of yourselves?

-I am very proud. Proud of my team.

0:52:150:52:20

-What a team.

-We've done it, haven't we?

0:52:200:52:22

-Yeah, we have.

-Let's get the food out onto the streets!

0:52:220:52:25

-Come on!

-Yes!

-Come on.

0:52:250:52:27

I think Julie will be very proud of me, yes.

0:52:270:52:30

I'm proud of myself at the minute.

0:52:320:52:34

-Do you want tea or coffee?

-Coffee, please, with two sugars.

0:52:340:52:37

-Two sugars, chef!

-Two sugars. Thank you, chef.

0:52:370:52:41

'The first fresh Meals On Wheels from Elmbridge will be delivered by our old friend, Grace.'

0:52:410:52:48

-Grace, I've got the boxes!

-Oh, good!

0:52:480:52:51

We need the boxes or else we can't deliver the food!

0:52:510:52:54

You came down those stairs like a film star.

0:52:540:52:57

To mark this auspicious occasion, she'll be escorted by a couple of VIPs.

0:52:570:53:03

-Ooh!

-Good morning, Grace.

-Mr Mayor. How nice to see you.

0:53:030:53:07

-How are you this morning?

-I'm very well.

0:53:070:53:09

The mayor and his wife add a welcome bit of bling, but what's most important here is the food.

0:53:090:53:16

If the old folk of Elmbridge aren't impressed,

0:53:160:53:19

big boss Kim sure as hell won't let us take this campaign any further.

0:53:190:53:23

Hello. Lovely to see you.

0:53:230:53:26

I think you're quite honoured. You're getting the very first one of these meals that's come out today.

0:53:260:53:32

-Yeah.

-It's lovely. Thank you.

-Not at all. You're very welcome.

0:53:320:53:36

And we'd love to hear what you think.

0:53:360:53:38

Come on, lads.

0:53:380:53:40

'We're praying our fresh food survives the rounds with integrity.

0:53:410:53:44

'Cold chicken pie and soggy pastry won't get the old folks' seal of approval.'

0:53:440:53:49

Good afternoon, sir.

0:53:490:53:50

Everything is prepared from fresh. I hope you enjoy our chicken pie.

0:53:500:53:54

I was hoping it might be pheasant!

0:53:540:53:56

LAUGHTER

0:53:560:53:58

'Well, clearly we've raised expectations!'

0:53:580:54:01

DOORBELL RINGS

0:54:010:54:02

'But will the new food live up to them?'

0:54:020:54:06

-Hi, Mrs Wells, we've brought your lunch.

-Good morning.

0:54:060:54:09

Now, you've got a special meal today. It was cooked by the Hairy Bikers.

0:54:100:54:14

-Was it? It should be good, then.

-Yes, it should be.

-They've had enough practice on TV.

0:54:140:54:20

That's very nice indeed.

0:54:200:54:23

Chicken pie. Knife and fork all at the ready. Yes.

0:54:240:54:30

We've got a fresh Meals On Wheels lunch from Elmbridge.

0:54:300:54:36

-Oh, good.

-So how do you feel about that?

-I'm hungry.

0:54:360:54:39

Great. Let's see what you think.

0:54:390:54:41

'Once they've had time to digest their thoughts,

0:54:450:54:48

'we head back to get a few early reactions to the new food.'

0:54:480:54:52

-Was it noticeably different?

-I did, yes.

-Very nice.

0:54:520:54:56

-Oh, it was the leeks. That's right.

-Did you like them?

-Yes. I've never had leeks before.

0:54:560:55:01

-Haven't you?!

-No. Not, you know, not in my Meals On Wheels, no.

0:55:010:55:06

The chicken and mushroom pie, the pastry was delicious.

0:55:060:55:09

Thank you for what you've done.

0:55:090:55:11

-I enjoyed it.

-Very nice chicken and mushroom pie,

0:55:110:55:16

with delicious pastry.

0:55:160:55:19

I ate all of it.

0:55:190:55:21

I'll give it 10 out of 10.

0:55:210:55:23

'Whilst we've been out Kim's been conducting a definitive survey of her own,

0:55:230:55:29

'contacting the clients to get their feedback.'

0:55:290:55:32

-And what's the results?

-Come on, Kim.

-Are we on a winner?

0:55:350:55:39

-We're on a winner.

-Are we?

-Yes!

0:55:390:55:41

That's brilliant. That's brilliant. Really?

0:55:410:55:44

They noticed there was fresh veg. And they loved it.

0:55:440:55:49

They were genuinely impressed with that meal today.

0:55:490:55:52

-Get in!

-Excellent!

-You're winning again.

0:55:530:55:56

Well done, Gladys. Oh, that's fantastic.

0:55:560:56:00

-Where's the girls?

-This calls for...

-..a celebratione!

0:56:000:56:04

You get the girls, I'll get the drink.

0:56:040:56:07

-Oh, hell!

-Absent friends. Can't do a toast without Julie.

0:56:070:56:12

Cheers, Julie!

0:56:120:56:14

We've done it, girl, we've done it!

0:56:140:56:17

Lesley cannot say nowt, cos she's crying.

0:56:170:56:20

-You did great, Lesley.

-You did do great.

0:56:200:56:22

Julie would have liked a drop of this!

0:56:220:56:25

LAUGHTER

0:56:250:56:26

-She would actually, yeah.

-I am just so proud of you guys.

0:56:260:56:29

-I am so proud.

-Good.

-It's the future.

0:56:290:56:33

I listened to those people on the end of the phone and I heard what they said.

0:56:330:56:37

-So, yeah.

-Fantastic.

0:56:370:56:40

'Kim has given our first steps towards going fresh her cautious seal of approval.'

0:56:400:56:44

-Cheers!

-Well done.

0:56:440:56:46

'But we've still got a hell of a long way to go.'

0:56:460:56:49

'Next time, we continue our epic quest

0:56:510:56:54

'to revive traditional Meals On Wheels across the country.'

0:56:540:56:59

Feed the world. I feel like Bob Geldof.

0:56:590:57:03

'Can we get one of the UK's top creative agencies

0:57:030:57:06

'to transform Meals On Wheels' moth-eaten image

0:57:060:57:10

'into a successful 21st-century brand?'

0:57:100:57:14

-Can Saatchi do better?

-I can't see any creative agency

0:57:140:57:17

who wouldn't want to work on such an incredible initiative.

0:57:170:57:20

'Will the Elmbridge cooks be able to step up a massive gear and go fresh five days a week?'

0:57:200:57:27

It is a bit of a nightmare. I am having quite a few sleepless nights.

0:57:270:57:30

Got it! We are going to build the biggest Meals On Wheels in the world.

0:57:300:57:36

'We'll put our reputations on the line

0:57:360:57:39

'to entice an eager young army of volunteers to make Meals On Wheels

0:57:390:57:42

'bigger and better than it's ever been.'

0:57:420:57:46

The world's biggest Meals On Wheels!

0:57:460:57:48

Free pie and cake! Take your fingers out of your ears!

0:57:480:57:52

Will the local people support us? I bloody hope so.

0:57:520:57:56

'For the sake of our grandparents, our parents and ourselves,

0:57:560:58:01

'volunteers are desperately needed to revive Meals On Wheels right across the UK.'

0:58:010:58:06

If you've been inspired to help, there's loads of ways,

0:58:060:58:09

up and down the country, you can get involved.

0:58:090:58:11

Just visit our website to find lots of great recipes

0:58:110:58:14

and all the information you need

0:58:140:58:16

if you're interested in volunteering to help older people in your area.

0:58:160:58:21

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:58:460:58:49

Email [email protected]

0:58:490:58:52

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS