Episode 3 Hairy Bikers' Meals on Wheels

We're the Hairy Bikers and we're riding to the rescue

of one of our great national culinary treasures...

meals on wheels.

-Hello.

-Hello!

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

Since it began in World War II, this great British institution

has never been a unified service,

but at its height it delivered more than 34 million meals every year.

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

our parents and us.

But will it?

Over recent years, deliveries have plummeted by over a third.

I lie in bed at night wondering what I'm going to do the next day.

Reviving it is very close to our hearts.

From the age of eight, I cooked for my poorly mam.

And me and my family rallied round

to help when my mam was too ill to feed herself.

That little bit of kindness through food means such a massive amount.

In this series, our aim is to rally support...

What would everyone do without the volunteers?

The more the merrier!

..Bring back great fresh food...

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

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

..And transform meals on wheels and its image into a lean, mean

catering machine fit to roll out across the country.

The last thing we want is to be those two blokes who did something

for the telly, walked away and it all falls apart.

Last time, we hit the streets of Elmbridge in Surrey,

-'trying to help keep their meals on wheels service afloat.'

-Sign up! Feed the elderly.

And discovered if you're big, bold and inventive enough,

volunteers will rally to the cause.

-I'll definitely volunteer.

-To volunteer at a meals and wheels kitchen would be brilliant.

We'll start delivering as soon as we can.

In the kitchen, we pulled out all the stops, signing up new eager recruits...

I'd love to go and cook for the meals on wheels. It'd be amazing.

..To keep our delicious fresh meals on the menu...

Melts in the mouth. That is gorgeous.

'..And drag meals on wheels' moth-eaten image...'

Really? We've got to do better than this...

'..Into the modern world.'

Come on.

Love the logo on the shirt. I just think it's great.

Meals on wheels was originally started

by the Women's Voluntary Service to help older victims of the Blitz

during World War II, delivering hot, tasty food to those in need.

From those small beginnings it grew, delivering meals all over the country,

but it's always been a bit of a hotchpotch service.

Who provides the meals, what they cost, whether you qualify

and whether you get meals on wheels at all, it's a postcode lottery.

In tonight's programme we're heading to Slaithwaite in West Yorkshire.

Isn't Yorkshire great?

Starting a brand spanking new meals on wheels service from scratch.

But can our naked ambition...

THEY SCREAM

..Inspire feisty Yorkshire ladies...

They might be wearing the trousers but they won't be saying the orders.

..To work together to deliver a difference?

Pork should be in the oven. Pork should be in the oven.

I can't get them to work.

Don't cook that any more, it needs some texture.

She's very unhappy about that. Very unhappy.

For the past six weeks, we've been on a personal mission

to save meals on wheels.

Now, we're facing our biggest challenge so far.

We're in Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire,

a bustling village of 6,000.

It just feels like a proper community, doesn't it?

With the shops, the butcher, baker, the candlestick makers.

That's the old mill. It hasn't been shut down long.

It's very imposing, isn't it?

-Can you imagine when that was working, what this was like?

-Yeah.

It's got a great community spirit,

but two years ago its meals on wheels was cut by the council.

The greengrocer!

There is now an option to purchase frozen meals,

but the traditional, hot meals on wheels service no longer exists.

There aren't any meals on wheels.

They stopped them.

And that's a year or two back.

Our plan is to help Slaithwaite start a new one,

run entirely by volunteers.

It was something to look forward to on a Tuesday and Thursday morning.

But to do it, we'll have to inspire the whole community,

reviving the Blitz spirit that first created the service...

We don't do meals on wheels round here any more.

'..Showing that delivering good, honest grub to our old folk is something we can and should do.'

They were nice.

You got pork, your stuffing, your apple sauce and baked potato

and mashed potato. Quite enough.

'First off, we're finding out what the old folk of Slaithwaite want

'and what a difference meals on wheels would make.'

Well, I'm just an old-fashioned eater - meat, potato pies, stews,

liver and onions, like my mother used to make when we were young.

Roast beef and stuff like that, food you can enjoy.

I like sea bass, plaice, hake, you name it.

Beef potato pie and stew and dumplings.

-Hello, Mrs Clay.

-Hello.

-Hello, Fran.

'At 90, Mrs Clay is as feisty as she's always been.

What's your favourite thing to eat? What would you like?

-I like a nice bit of meat.

-Yeah.

I don't like Yorkshire pudding.

Beef, I like it well-cooked and in some nice, thick gravy with 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 for you, then.

I can't abide peas.

-Do you not like mushy peas?

-No, I don't care for them.

-Right.

I'm not Yorkshire enough for them.

-This is all good information...

-I do like a nice bit of fish.

-Yes?

-My favourite fish is hake.

A nice bit of hake and some nice new bread and butter, you've got a feast for a king.

'Mrs Clay used to have hot meals on wheels delivered twice a week

'but since they stopped, she relies 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.

-Yes.

It was a lot easier with meals on wheels, it really was.

-Would frozen meals be any good to you?

-No, it wouldn't.

She doesn't like microwaves. 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 somebody to look after her.

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

-Oh no, you're not.

-Definitely don't want to go into a home.

-No, why should you?

Sitting there, like nowt on earth. I've seen them up at the home.

Just sitting...

-Like this here. That won't do!

-No.

-No.

-No.

LAUGHTER

Great.

-She can talk the hind leg off a donkey, she's brilliant.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely brilliant.

-You know, meals on wheels would help.

The old-fashioned service, somebody delivering,

would help so much.

How long Fran can sustain a kind of seven-day week, organising, it's all pretty nebulous, really.

If that would keep her out of a home she doesn't want to go,

Fran doesn't want her to, it's got to be worth it.

'Since the service stopped, many of Slaithwaite's old folk

'have been relying on family, friends and neighbours.

'It's a huge commitment.

'We've got to get this right for all of their sakes.'

-Hello, Miss Clegg.

-Hello.

-I'm Dave.

Hello, Miss Clegg, I'm Si, very nice to meet you.

If you've worked in the mill, then you're not Miss Clegg,

-you're Hilda.

-OK.

To everybody.

'Hilda is a spirited 95-year-old

'but arthritis means she can't cook for herself anymore.'

So, what do you do then, for your daily meal? What happens to you?

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 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 managed to resurrect the traditional meals on wheels service,

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

After the first one, I'll tell you better,

because it depends on whether I like the first one.

Fair enough!

'To get traditional meals on wheels back,

'we're not going to lobby the council in these cash-strapped times,

'but get the community to pull together.'

Oh, my God!

Oh, crumbs.

'We put out the call for local volunteers

'who were prepared to take on this immense challenge...'

God, they're going to be a handful.

'..and got more than we bargained for!' Cor!

This band of spunky Yorkshire business ladies

are certainly not the shy, retiring types.

Hello, I'm Sallyanne Green

and I was Miss January in the Slaithwaite naked calendar.

I'm Trisha Boden and I'm Miss August on the Slaithwaite calendar.

'But they're perfect for us, they've got volunteering form.'

I organise charity events, big ones.

'Last year, they got their kits off for a good cause,

'raising over £1,000 for a local hospice.'

People were coming through the door saying, I don't think I'm going to do this, I think I'll go.

And then we just did it.

Wasn't hard work, really. Because we were all up for a glass of wine and looking good naked.

A guy came up to me and he says, I've seen your calendar. I said, have you?

He says, yeah, fantastic legs! Legs?!

LAUGHTER

Biggest boobs in Slaithwaite, and I got legs?!

They've got bags of passion and more oomph

than you can shake a stick at - just what we need.

We talked about the passion, and it is about the community,

it is about, you know, our belief in where we live.

We're going to be surrounded by a cornucopia of love and loveliness!

-Hello, girls!

-Hello!

-Good to see you!

Well, if you lot can't start meals on wheels in Slaithwaite,

-nobody can, can they?

-Exactly!

Are you October?

'We need to inspire our new volunteers to fundraise,

'cook and deliver hot meals once a week for years to come.'

What we have to concentrate on, in our view,

you've got to cook fresh.

You've got to cook it on a budget and we can help you achieve that.

'It can't just be a flash in the pan, because we want to prove

'meals on wheels has a real, viable future in 21st-century Britain.'

The original meals on wheels service was delivered by volunteers,

so the elderly person had contact with the outside world.

You are the link to people that are very vulnerable and very isolated.

Let's just keep focused on what we actually need to do.

We need to get a fresh meal once a week delivered hot.

Based on volunteers.

Based on volunteers. Let's just concentrate on that.

-Then let it grow.

-Exactly.

Let it grow and grow into its own skin.

-So, sisters, are you up for it?

-ALL: Yes!

-Come on!

'Our new volunteers have definitely got the enthusiasm,

'but to ensure they understand what they're taking on,

'we're leaving one of them behind, alone, in a flat.'

You've got her phone, haven't you?

Yeah, I have. And the thing is,

she's a mega-busy lady, which is why we picked her.

'We're going to isolate Julie, Miss February, for 48 hours,

'so she can experience what it's like for many of our older folk,

'without the vital contact that meals on wheels provides.'

She's got to keep her gob shut and not talk to anybody in 48 hours.

There's her phone, her businesses are running themselves.

She owns a salon, she's a hairdresser,

so you can imagine being deprived of that human contact is like hell for her.

Which is why we think meals on wheels is so important,

because it's not just food, it's about human contact.

So, we'll see how Julie is after this 48 hours.

So, here we go. Half-past nine, heaven help me.

'Julie has a supply of food to last the experiment,

'but she's not allowed to leave her apartment,

'use the phone, the internet, or have any contact whatsoever.'

I don't want it to sound doom and gloom but...

it is weird.

Julie is a people person. She likes people during the day and the night.

I don't think there's ever a night she stops in.

She struggles to sit quietly. I've never seen her sit quietly.

It's making me feel empty, to be honest.

And deflated.

A recent survey estimates that around 300,000 older people in the UK

go up to a month without speaking to family or neighbours.

With a rapidly aging population,

this dire situation is only getting worse.

They do forget old people. They think when they get old, that's it.

They're old. Why worry?

Julie has spent her first night in isolation and it's not going well.

I heard a car door shut,

the train went past,

saw two people walking their dogs and those sounds were nice.

I've got to face the rest of the day and night to keep my mind active.

I just can't wait to get out of here.

I just can't wait.

I can't wait to see people and give them a big hug and kiss.

48 hours in and we're riding to the rescue of our human guinea pig.

I bet she's going off her head.

She will be. Without a phone?

-That mobile phone's been going like a good one, hasn't it?

-I'll say!

She's got 72 missed calls!

'Time to find out if our experiment has brought home to Julie

'how vital the personal touch meals on wheels delivers is.'

-Aaah!

-Hello, darling!

-Come in! It's people!

THEY LAUGH

Oh, it's people!

It's killed me!

We've got something for you.

Have you got something for me? What?

-I brought your phone.

-Yes! Yes!

I'm really busy in my life, and now I'm thinking so differently

because I'd feel so rejected and hurt and lonely to think that nobody bothered about me.

-Come here, quick!

-You been OK?

-I'm shocked!

-She's alive.

THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER

'I think we made our point to Julie and the rest of the team.'

Now I am so passionate about it.

Come hell or high water we will do this. We will do it. Definitely.

Using the isolation experiment

to show our irrepressible Yorkshire lasses

how important the delivery aspect of meals and wheels is worked a treat.

Thank you, darling.

Now, we need to start training them

to take on the immense challenge of organising and cooking the meals.

Using shock tactics is clearly the way forward,

so we're getting them to do a dummy run.

Today, you'll be cooking lunch for 12 monks in a monastery.

Woooo!

Oh, no!

They're used to fantastic, freshly cooked food.

'Consistently serving up delicious hot meals week in, week out is no mean feat.'

At 1:00pm, Father George leads the monks in to eat.

1:00, that's your cut off.

You'd better crack on.

Our ladies, who're used to running their own businesses and getting their own way,

are going to have to learn to work together as an efficient team.

I don't want crappy mashing potatoes. There you go.

To successfully start a new service, they must be super organised.

Two kilos of the best mashing potatoes.

But they're determined to make a difference in their community,

so they're throwing themselves into our training exercise with gusto.

-We don't need a whole fillet for one person.

-No, no, no.

We're getting them to cook pork for mains and brandy snaps for pud,

and they've got just three hours.

It's meals on wheels at full throttle.

Quarter past ten. No pressure.

12 sage leaves.

There's nothing as fractious as a hungry monk!

Been on his knees since 6:30am.

Experienced chef Pam, who co-owns the local wine bar,

is driving the team forward.

We need to crack on! We haven't got much time! Come on!

Mirfield Monastery, home to an order of Anglican monks,

is a 30-minute drive away.

We're headed for the front door to meet head honcho, Father George.

The ladies are on schedule and going through the tradesman's entrance

to get cracking in the kitchen.

-Hello, George. Pleased to meet you.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Thank you very much for having us here.

-Nice to meet you.

-What a wonderful place.

-We've been here for over 100 years, part of the Church of England.

You have quite a reputation for good food as well, don't you?

We aim to live simply but Ben, our cook, is so good that we do better than we deserve.

Today's going to be a crucial test for the ladies...

We have a rule. We have to eat cheerfully what is set before us. That's how it is.

..because when it comes to delivering real meals next week,

there'll be no room for mistakes.

Let's just shut it down, split our ingredients, and we'll know what we're doing.

They're already playing to their strengths.

Pam takes charge of the main course, and Janice,

who owns the local cafe and is an expert with all things sweet, is organising the pud.

I'm so confident. Not only are we going to do it,

it's going to taste wonderful, look wonderful,

and be presented in a really nice way.

But not all the ladies are dab hands in the kitchen.

-Janice... does that?

-Oh!

-Don't say that!

Don't over-whip. That's perfect.

It's going to be for brandy snaps, I think. I don't know!

Just doing as I'm told!

Is there any technique involved?

Load it all in. Don't break your cream down. You know how to fold.

-What's folding mean?

-I'll show you.

Oh, dear! It's already got too many inexperienced bodies in the kitchen.

But the next problem to crack is logistics -

transporting the meals to the monks' dining room which is at the other end of the campus.

That's all right, isn't it?

Stick an engine on that. Vroom!

And they haven't accounted for this wheels bit

in their plan for serving up the monks' meal at 1:00pm.

It's a schoolgirl error.

Janice, we've just been and done the route, so we know where we're going.

We have to leave with the trolley at 12:30 so we're half an hour off.

We're not happy about that.

Can somebody find me the clingfilm, please?

Pam knows it's now 12:30. She's very unhappy about that.

-Very unhappy that it all has to be ready for 12:30.

-OK.

It's crucial meals on wheels are delivered hot and on time,

and with half an hour less than they thought, the pressure's on.

I hope these turn out.

Pork should be in the oven, pork should be in the oven.

'The brandy snaps are on a wing and a prayer...

'..and the stuffed pork fillet wrapped in bacon should be browned before it's roasted,

'but, with time ticking, the ladies are cutting corners.'

Spread them out so you get some heat down the side of them. That's it.

They're nowhere near. They've got to change colour.

Just think what a brandy snap looks like. You want that colour.

It doesn't look like brandy snap to me. It looks like plop.

'Our challenge is proving a real wake up call for the ladies.

'They're realising enthusiasm alone won't deliver a difference to Slaithwaite's old folk.'

Don't do that. Put those in the bottom of the oven,

and if you get caught short, we can sprinkle it and call it crackling.

'Janice's first batch of brandy snaps are beyond divine intervention.'

Can I have somebody to help me in here, please?

'Finally, Pam is starting to dish up the mains, ready for transport.'

Butter! Pat!

Don't cook that any more. It needs some texture.

'At last the main course is ready to go into the hot box.

'But there's a snag.'

I can't get these in.

-It won't go in that way.

-Do it longways.

I'll get rid of these.

Five minutes to half past!

I can't get these in.

I can't them to work. There's two big tins to go in yet.

With moments to spare, Sallyanne and Jean make the 1:00 deadline.

It's judgement time for our business ladies' first meals on wheels.

Luckily for them, the monks are duty-bound to eat what they're served with a smile.

-This looks interesting, doesn't it?

-Yes.

Trying to discover what is in the different things. I don't know.

-More elaborate than we would normally have.

-Yes, very posh for us.

-It's been well mashed.

-There are a lot of them. How many?

-12.

Watch them brandy snaps!

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

-Tell me when.

-Right.

-That's it. A bit more, I think.

13 girls. It's not working.

A bit more chocolate.

We can't all do it every week cos it's crazy.

Oh, yes. Not too tough.

Janice was struggling with the brandy snaps, so we had to keep re-doing them.

Some were a bit chewy, so... we'll see. I'm not happy, really.

Trying to stay out of each other's way. A bit of panic, I'll admit.

It's been a rude awakening for the ladies and us.

-Mmm.

-They should be called brandy shrapnel.

It was the apple. I couldn't believe that big pot of apples and cider.

-It looked like vomit.

-It was like the back of a Somerset pub.

It was very dodgy at one moment to say the least.

-Well?

-I think it might have knocked the cockiness out of them.

-I think it has, which is a good thing.

-Yep.

-It's a good thing.

Don't want to knock their enthusiasm and I don't think you could do that.

Our challenge has focused the ladies' minds.

If the Slaithwaite meals on wheels dream is to become a reality,

they've got to get organised, and for some of the group,

there are personal reasons they don't want to fail.

My grandma passed away two years ago and she was my be all and end all.

Taught me to cook. I miss her a great deal and she'd love this.

I'd always turn up with something for her to eat.

For Slaithwaite's old folk,

a hot meal with a smile would mean the world.

I like something tasty and I don't care what I eat.

There comes a day you can't do these things but sometimes we get some help out of it.

Some people never see anybody week in and week out, do they?

The older, they never see anybody.

It's like my grandad. I feel really bad now.

But he loved the meals on wheels.

I feel like I've missed part of my grandad.

Janice and the rest of the women know that good food

and great company is the perfect way

to show their old folks that they're not forgotten.

You go and think you're on a slag heap sort of thing.

Our ladies are a group of normal women

who really want to make a difference in their community,

so we need to get them back on track.

In just three days, we're aiming to deliver our first meals on wheels.

We've got no shortage of volunteers and enthusiasm,

but there are some vital practicalities that need sorting.

We need a kitchen and the finances for the food.

It's crunch time now. To move this on, we need to hit the specifics.

They need to have thought about it, organised it,

cos the project must move on. We've got less than a week.

The mayhem in the monastery shows the importance of set roles.

Pam and Janice are the most experienced chefs, so they're in charge of cooking.

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

-There's no other people that can do it.

-It's not pressure.

'Next, we need our best talkers to deliver the meals and have a good natter with the old folk.

'And there's no shortage here.'

My role is sitting down and talking to the old people.

Like Pat, chatting to the old folk.

-That's delivering?

-Yes.

You've taken responsibility of getting those meals out as quickly as you can and as hot

-without neglecting the social side of what you're doing.

-Absolutely.

'It's a huge challenge to ensure the new service will run and run,

'and finance is crucial, so Julie's our woman.'

It's got to be viable. It's got to work. It's got to be going on.

Is money going to come from fresh air?

But we do some fundraising, get X amount of pounds in the kitty,

let's say a grand, we've got a mini-bank.

'And we need a great organiser.'

Somebody needs to get a street map with little flags.

CHEERING

-There's nothing on it yet.

-So you are head of logistics.

'The other crucial component is image.'

This is the logo. Meals on wheels - deliver a difference.

The strap line, "Deliver a difference", is a strong one.

The "meals on wheels" looks like a cooking pot but also like a van.

This is it. This is the logo because we need a national identity.

It could be fragmented around the country. That's been a problem.

'Our dream is that groups all over the country will take on the new logo and personalise it.'

We're hoping that the identity can go national.

If you or you and a group of friends think you can make a difference in your community

and want to help older people, go to the BBC website to find out more.

The first step in setting up a new meals on wheels service

is getting somewhere to cook,

and we think we know the perfect place. But because we're providing meals to the public,

Kim, one of the local council's environmental health officers,

has to make sure it's up to scratch.

The worry is that if she goes "No",

then the big problem that we've got

is that we don't have a meals-on-wheels service.

-So we don't know whether she'll be for us or against us.

-Exactly.

It's quite a big meeting, really.

Hello, Kim.

Hiya. Hello. Nice to meet you.

-Hello, I'm Si. Nice to meet you.

-Hi, Si.

-Hello, I'm Dave.

Hi, Dave. Hiya. Nice to meet you.

Have you heard about what we want to do, working with the ladies here.

I have it, yes, and I just think it's a fantastic idea.

-A lovely, lovely project.

-You're up for the project from the start?

I think it's great that you just contacted us.

You know, we are enforcement officers,

but, you know, we're here to help.

'Wow, it looks like

'we've started to get the whole community fired up.'

'Sallyanne, who owns a centre

'for young adults with learning difficulties

'has volunteered their kitchen.

'But will it pass muster?'

So this is the kitchen that we use to serve breakfast in the morning.

-Right.

-And to serve lunch.

How many lunches do you do?

15 a day.

And could you mesh in the meals-on-wheels service

with the food and the business you're doing as well?

Would the two be able to work together?

I wouldn't see that as a problem

and we've got another kitchen at the side.

We don't know if it would be suitable, that's why you're here.

Well, that's exactly it, Sally,

-and that's why Kim's here to advise us as well.

-Yeah.

This looks great. You've got a separate wash-hand basin

which you have to have, by law, in any kitchen.

-So that's for your-hand wash.

-Yeah, hand-wash only.

Great, you've got a sink - in fact, a double sink, even better.

Two fridges, two cookers

and the space for the flow as well - from raw to cooked,

to service to packing, to...

You can make it as a flow around the kitchen

and then get the food out hot as soon as you can.

It's tiled, it's easily cleanable and washable, it's great.

It's perfect.

-Back of the net!

-THEY LAUGH

'Kim from the council,

'and Pam, who's going to be one of our lead cooks,

'are both happy.

'We've found our kitchen!'

It's no good starting a meals-on-wheels service

if you haven't got anybody to deliver them to.

Our Slaithwaite ladies' plan is to start by delivering meals to 12 people,

and once they've found their feet,

and if the demand is there,

they'll expand.

So, they're hitting the phones...

Hiya, it's Janice from Vanilla Bee.

..spreading word around town

and knocking on doors to finalise their first 12 recipients.

What about Tony?

He's a very poorly man now.

Hello, darling, are you OK?

Yes, thank you.

Oh, good.

It's a long time since meals on wheels operated.

Yes. Yes, it is.

What's your share in it?

My share is the enjoyment I get out of coming here

and having a good chat with you.

THEY LAUGH

Right, so there's a couple of gents that you've got in mind for me?

Oh, that's fantastic.

And it's not long before overwhelming demand

forces the girls to up their first delivery round

from 12 to 15.

Aha!

Two!

It just goes to show how ready Slaithwaite's elderly residents are

for the return of delicious hot meals

delivered with a smile and a natter.

Next problem to crack -

how to transport the meals to the old folk.

Our meals-on-wheels dry run at the monastery

highlighted two key food elements for the ladies -

presentation and heat.

-How are you? Are you all right?

-Very well, thank you.

'Heather, who owns a local boutique, and Sallyanne,

'are determined to make their new service the best it can be,

'so we're road-testing four different containers.'

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

'To make it a real challenge,

'we've deliberately chosen dishes that are difficult to transport.'

We've got some mince with dumplings, so we've got gravy,

dumplings, some mashed potato and peas.

-The peas roll about, you see.

-Yeah, they do!

And for pudding, we want a fragile pudding,

so we've got lemon meringue pie.

-Oh, gosh!

-So these are the four options that we've got.

'First, a specialised food tray,

'followed by the classic takeaway container we all know and love.'

Cheap, disposable.

This one, this is really interesting.

This is a tiffin box,

this is what they use in India.

The beauty of it is, it's insulated.

It will transport,

but we are going to have to take it to pieces for the client.

'The Tiffin tins aren't disposable, so there'll be extra washing up.'

So the last one is the plate service.

Now, it's a cover and a plate.

Quite a deep plate,

so it stops it sloshing about.

'The plate option, at around £5 per meal

'and the Tiffin tin at £20, represent a big upfront cost,

'but they're reusable.'

Right.

'It's not totally scientific,

'but to find out how good the different containers are

'at retaining heat,

'we're taking the temperature before packing them up.'

68... No, 75.80!

That's one hot dumpling.

'Then our two budding delivery drivers are hitting the road.'

-Good luck!

-Thanks.

Go on!

Sallyanne!

-Beep 'em!

-HORN BEEPS

'To test the containers to the max, we've devised a 40-minute round-trip

'up and down the Yorkshire hills and over cobbles.'

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

so it actually looks nice,

because that's part of it.

I dread to think what's happened to all the peas.

They've probably rolled all over the bottom of the box.

Once the service is up and running, the ladies delivering meals

will have to volunteer

between one and two hours every fortnight,

with the cooks devoting a morning.

I'm going to be very, very anxious when these things come out of here.

And I've got to reverse up...

Heather says.

She's joking, isn't she?

Oh, my God!

Well, I can't reverse up!

But to deliver the food hot,

they have to learn to follow simple routes.

I've no idea. I'm so sorry, but I was told I could turn round here.

-Go back up the hill.

-Yes.

And there's a lane goes off to your left, behind the cottages.

I'm dreadful about directions

and when I ask people for directions

I only remember the first thing, I forget everything else.

I haven't got a satnav.

Very worried now.

Here they come.

-With their cartons of fragments.

-Oh, no!

You can smile(!)

'Time to find out how our four containers have fared.

'The food tray has kept the dish looking pretty good.'

I'm going to probe the dumpling on the carton one.

It's scratching away at around 48 degrees.

'It's not done badly, but they started out at 80 degrees, so they've lost quite a bit of heat.'

'Next, the takeaway.'

I couldn't serve that potato - look at it.

And where's the peas gone?

Did you put peas in?

SHE CHUCKLES

That dumpling's 46.

'So far, on looks and temperature,

'the food tray has performed the best.

'Our third contender is the covered plate.'

I just want to show you the state of this one.

That is horrible.

You're never going to possibly serve that to anybody.

Yes, that's a car-crash lemon meringue.

'Enough said. Lastly, the tiffin tin.'

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

'The food looks good, but has it retained the heat?'

'These dumplings are the hottest by far.'

So in terms of heat, which is mega-important,

the tiffin box wins.

'All this probing's making me hungry.'

Although it looks like it's been dropped from a very large height,

-that lemon meringue pie's mega.

-THEY LAUGH

-Brilliant, man.

-Have you eaten that?

-He has!

The tiffin tins have it.

But at £20 a pop and with ingredients to buy,

we need to start turning our minds to fund-raising.

'The ladies are planning to spend around £3 per meal on ingredients,

'so to deliver a massive difference to 15 old folk in the village,

'it's only going to cost a paltry £45 a week.'

'But the ladies need a fighting fund

'to get the new service up and running.'

'And We've come up with a plan to help.'

I tell you, it's going to work.

It is. We've come up with a genius idea.

We've got to raise some money quickly

for the ladies of Slaithwaite.

They had a great idea with a calendar. We think we can top it.

'Anything our game Slaithwaite lasses can do, we can do too.'

MUSIC: "Sexy Boy" by Air

How do you want us, Gaz?

'We're hoping our scheme will raise about £1,000.'

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

Do you want to take your hand off your helmet? That's it, good.

'That'll be enough to buy the tiffin tins,

'cover basic start-up costs,

'and help buy ingredients for the first two and a half months.'

Good. Lovely.

'The ladies can then put into practice their own fund-raising ideas,

'making sure their service carries on delivering for years to come.'

She didn't bat an eyelid!

That's what I like about Yorkshire - it's an accepting community.

Now, girls. We need some money, don't we?

-ALL: Yes!

-Well, we've been inspired by you, haven't we, Dave?

THE WOMEN CHEER

THEY SCREAM

Ladies, two styles are available.

One with our helmets

and the one without.

We're going to flog them, 15 quid each, and see what happens.

THEY CHEER

That's a medium, no helmet.

Darling?

-What size do you want?

-You've mixed them up.

I can't find a small.

I tell you what, give us two if you're struggling.

Keep the change.

Extra-large. With helmet or without?

-With helmet, I think.

-Here you are, my love.

The meals-on-wheels appeal.

They got naked!

You get your money out.

A small with the helmet. You get the skull and crossbones and everything.

-A large signed on, please.

-Yes, certainly.

-Large with helmet?

-Yes, please.

-Can I have mine signed, please?

-Aye.

THEY LAUGH

Right, where?

One there and one there, please.

Oh, happy days.

-Thank you!

-Thank YOU, Amber.

One medium T-shirt left!

One left!

80, 90...

900.

'With just a couple of hours' work and a bit of ingenuity,

'we've hit our target and raised nearly a grand.

'Plus, we've got the whole village talking,

'creating just the kind of buzz and support we need.

'The only thing that's taken a hit

'is our dignity.'

With only a couple of days to go before the first delivery,

the ladies have got most of the red tape in hand,

setting up a bank account

and dealing with the Criminal Records Bureau checks, or CRBs.

Now we desperately need to pin down what's going on the first menu.

Our whole philosophy is about getting all the community involved,

so to choose the main course and pud

we've hit on an idea of holding a recipe competition.

'People are digging out favourite family recipes,

'going to great lengths foraging for sweet dock leaves and young nettle tips,

'to make traditional Yorkshire specialities.

'And the chef from the monastery is getting in on the act too,

'with his famous faggots, beloved by the monks.'

Oh, look at those little gorgeous bundles of love!

'And we can't resist the competition either.'

Our hope is that if we do a parkin

that will remind the old folks

of what good parkin used to be like,

they're going to love it.

'So we're putting in a pud we know will knock their socks off.'

You may be thinking that looks rather thin sitting in that tin,

but it's going to rise and puff up with genuine Yorkshire pride.

'Our first meals-on-wheels delivery is fast approaching

'and we're holding our recipe competition

'in the brass band hall.'

'Slaithwaite's finest cooks have brought along their dishes,

'here to do their bit and all hoping

'to win the honour of having them served on the first delivery.

'The car park's heaving.' There's loads here. Magic.

Come on! Let's have them!

'We've pulled together a discerning panel of judges.

'Janice and Sallyanne, representing the business ladies,

'and pensioners Hilda and Stewart.'

-When you taste the food...

-Yeah.

..just think one to ten.

Ten for very good, one for crap.

THEY LAUGH

One for not very nice.

You can't say "crap" to Hilda!

That's wrong.

Then we'll be able to pick

the best dessert and the best mains

to serve on Friday.

I think we've got some reet Yorkshire treats coming up.

Let the fun commence.

Hello.

'What's great about having independent, bespoke, meals-on-wheels services like this,

'is they can make the most of local produce

'and local specialities.'

My name's Chris, Chris Parker.

Hello, Chris Parker.

And I've brought meat and potato pie,

a good Yorkshire recipe.

It fills them up,

keeps the old ticker going.

'And if the competitors think our panel are soft touches,

'then they've got another think coming.'

I'm afraid I'm not really keen on the crust.

It could have been a suet crust.

I'm Sharon. I've brought my grandma's boiled fruit loaf

and a bit of cheese to go on the side which she always made.

Why have you done it?

I've done it because it lasts for ages.

I usually make it in October

and it lasts till Christmas.

Sallyanne, what did you think?

It was lovely, absolutely lovely.

I've never had fruit cake and cheese before.

-Haven't you?

-No.

-Never? I can't believe that.

-This is dock pudding.

-Right.

Dock, D-O-C-K.

I want to show you how delicious weeds can be.

I've chose this dish, it's salmon special.

It's very high in protein

and it's very easy to make as well.

Susan Fell, sticky toffee pudding.

It's a plum and almond tart. It's quick and easy to make, it doesn't fall apart.

I've brought some apple and rhubarb muffins.

'One thing's for sure,

'there's some fab cooks in Slaithwaite.'

I think the ginger, apricot...

That was really inventive.

'They've ball got their own take on what makes a great meals-on-wheels dish.'

I've made shepherd's pie.

I always found this was something that elderly people seemed to enjoy

because it didn't take a right lot of chewing.

'The standard's super-high and competition's fierce,

'but there's one last entry.'

Next! Come on.

There's always a trick up their sleeve.

My name's David Myers.

And my name's Simon King.

And together we're called the Hairy Bikers

and we have made a traditional sticky parkin.

Hilda, I know you're partial to parkin.

Have a try, Hilda!

LAUGHTER

Possible.

It was all right.

THEY LAUGHS

Thank you very much.

-You can take it away now.

-Thank you.

'Well, Hilda and the panel have put the kibosh on our dish.'

'So, smarting from our defeat, it's time to announce the winners.'

The winning main course...

by one point...

is Joan and her shepherd's pie.

Thank you.

On the desserts,

there were two winners.

You couldn't decide between them.

They were both absolutely superb, so we decided to serve both of them.

The first one being Polly, the plum and almond tart as a dessert.

APPLAUSE

But then it's Sharon's, the fruit loaf and cheese.

Fantastic.

-Very, very, very tough competition.

-A big round of applause for you. Well done.

It was my grandma's recipe.

She's been dead four years now and...

it's just wonderful.

She'd be so pleased.

Absolutely delighted.

I think they're northern dishes

and I think they're good dishes and they're wholesome dishes,

and that's what people ought to be eating today.

We've got our recipes sorted, but we're cutting it fine.

Fingers crossed we can pull off our first delivery.

It's crunch time.

For the past two weeks,

we've been training our feisty Yorkshire lasses, but will they deliver?

The ladies are in early,

but instead of cracking on with the cooking,

they're fussing about their outfits.

Heather was responsible for the outfits.

She said, "There's no way I'm wearing a T-shirt.

"So you can either wear clothes like I want to wear,

"or you can wear T-shirts, girls, and I will wear a smock."

-I like that.

-Better than this?

-Yes.

We've got green or red.

'There's a lot riding on today.

'The organisation, the food and the timings

'all have to be spot-on.'

'The old folk of Slaithwaite are relying on us.'

The big day's arrived, Kingy.

Meals on wheels is reborn.

Well, hopefully. What time is it?

25 to 9. At 11 o'clock the food's got to be done.

'To add to the pressure,

'in just over two hours, we've invited the whole village

'to come out and celebrate

'the inaugural delivery.

'So we've got to get it right.'

Oh, look, the smell of fear!

But despite the early start,

the ladies haven't got very far.

What are you wearing?! What's that?!

On the road...ahead.

-It's our uniform.

-Is it?!

-Yeah!

How have we got a uniform? We ain't got no meals on wheels yet!

'Pam from the wine bar is in charge of cooking the competition-winning main course, shepherd's pie.'

And I'm pitching in to help.

Come on, I've done all this. You've only done some spuds.

I know, but it's not a speed peeler. I'm hurrying.

They're not bad, these bikers, they just need to hurry up a bit.

'Janice, owner of the local cafe,

'is doing the plum flan,

'but we haven't had time to practise the winning recipe

'and we're having a problem.'

-It's not easy pastry.

-It's very short.

I mean, that - it's shorter than a dwarf with its clogs off.

SHE CHUCKLES

Dave and our Janice are up against it a bit.

So there's laughing and joviality going on at the minute.

By half past ten, I bet it's not so jovial.

'We think we've spotted another mistake too.'

The lady's recipe doesn't blind-bake.

Janice and I would have blind-baked it first.

'The pastry's not the only problem.'

We haven't got a loose-bottomed tin to put the flans in.

We've got a big one, but it's only shallow.

It's not a deep one.

'With time ticking, Heather and Carole swing into action,

'seeing if Polly, whose recipe it is, can come to the rescue.'

-Can we borrow your tins, please, Polly?

-Course you can.

-Thank you very much.

-Is that all right?

And top local baker Polly has got one final word of advice.

Do not blind-bake.

Just roll your pastry thin enough.

Where have you been for them?

'We should have had faith.'

-It's what I love about this - it's a good bit of proper home-baking, isn't it?

-It is.

-It's fresh fruit.

-This is my sort of pudding.

I think it's a lot of people's sort of pudding.

'Pam's cooking up a storm, finishing off the shepherd's pies

'with tomato and an egg wash.'

That gives the top a bit of colour and it goes slightly crisp

so it will be nice when you see it.

Don't forget, the eyes eat first, you see.

-It's...

-Nearly ten to.

-Yep.

'With the cooking on track,

'it's time to start organising the delivery teams.'

Have you got your routes? Do you know where you're going?

Who's taking what, when, where and how?

-That has got to be as slick as possible.

-Sallyanne?

Right, I've got your lists and there's a menu.

'We think it's crucial to get all branded up

'and begin spreading our new logo.

'And it's great to see the ladies have added their own twist,

'"Slaithwaite's Colander Girls."

'First Elmbridge in Surrey, now Slaithwaite in Yorkshire,

'and hopefully, that's just the start.'

Suzanne and Steph... Right, OK. That's the menu.

Can you make sure you know where that is?

We know, we checked it out.

'Sharon, the other recipe competition winner,

'is doing her bit too,

'delivering Grandma's delicious fruit cake with cheese.'

-Smell that, smell that.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

My sort of pudding. I like fruit cake.

Look at them!

'The food's looking and smelling fantastic.'

Look at that.

Beautiful.

True to tradition, they're good generous helpings.

'But will the village turn out

'to support the new meals-on-wheels service?'

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

Get in!

THEY CHEER

-Come on!

-Dinner Day!

'Our plan for rallying support in the village

'is to turn this inaugural delivery

'into an unforgettable event.

'Before delivering the rest of the food,

'we're going to parade the first meal down the main street.'

-Morning, ladies!

-Good morning.

-Good morning!

I think it's safe to say,

that Slaithwaite's meals-on-wheels is back.

'It looks like we're hitting a chord with the good folk of Slaithwaite.'

Come on, guys. Yes!

CHEERING AND WHOOPING

Well done!

'A Yorkshire celebration like this wouldn't be complete without a brass band.

'So Slaithwaite's finest

'are supplying the music.'

THEY CHEER

Hello, girls!

'It's taken a lot of dedication, drive and sheer hard work,

'but this is what it's all about.'

'Volunteers delivering hot, tasty, fresh food

'with a smile and a good natter.'

'Hopefully, this is the start of a new tradition of fantastic,

'fresh meals-on-wheels,

'delivering a real difference to the old folk of Slaithwaite.'

Yes! First delivery.

Mrs Clare.

-Hello, sweetheart.

-Hello, Mrs Clare!

-You've got a nice day, haven't you?

-Yes!

-Who's that?

-Meals on wheels.

-Very good.

-May we come in?

-Very good.

We've brought you a fantastic meal.

-Have you, dear?

-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.

We got you a nice shepherd's pie.

Oh, very good.

Some buttered carrots, some broccoli

and a lovely plum and almond tart.

Then we've got a nice piece of boiled fruit cake and Cheshire cheese for afterwards.

I could eat all day again.

The idea is the fruit cake and cheese, you can keep for your tea.

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

THEY CHEER

-Is it nice and warm, still?

-Do you want a taste?

It's lovely is this. Excellent.

It's an early birthday cake.

And many more to come, beautiful. Many more to come.

My auntie were 103 when she popped her clogs.

THEY LAUGH

That were very good. The company as well, you know.

Aw, brilliant. Thank you. That's what you want, isn't it?

Thank you very much.

'Slaithwaite's first meals-on-wheels delivery is done.'

Thank you very much. Goodbye, love.

'But there's no rest for the wicked.

'There's more hungry pensioners awaiting their lunch.'

She's rushing me!

HORN BLARES

Hello!

Hello, Cyril. I'm Heather, this is Pam.

We're from meals on wheels.

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

I'm Dave. Pleased to meet you.

Lunch is served.

Are you all excited?

Oh, heck!

-There's your pudding, my darling.

-You can come every day if you want.

Do you know, I think we might!

-You're very sprightly.

-What's your secret?

Whisky.

He's chattering away.

This is what they want, in't it?

I mean, he's sat on his own all day.

Give us a kiss, love. See you later.

I haven't had a kiss for donkey's years.

You can have another. There you go. See you, darling.

I just went in there and he said he hadn't had a kiss for years.

It's just totally broken my heart.

What an achievement! Fantastic, fresh meals delivering a difference.

'Slaithwaite's meals on wheels is back.'

CHEERING

APPLAUSE AND LAUGHTER

We'd like to congratulate the Slaithwaite meals-on-wheels girls

for making it all work.

It's just been fantastic.

We feel really, really proud.

Overwhelming, actually. And I don't do tears.

You've been fantastic, truly.

We're very, very proud of you and very proud to be involved in it.

Cheers.

ALL: Cheers!

Slaithwaite girls!

THEY CHEER

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

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

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

'We've got a very special bunch of ladies here.

'It should be an inspiration to people'

to show what can be done in a short period of time

with a bit of will and a bit of drive.

I'm always glad to see somebody pop in,

but to bring a meal as well, that's lovely.

The great thing about it is it's a needed service.

That's lovely.

Just say there were 10 groups starting 20 meals a week,

10,000 meals a year.

That's 10,000 smiles, 10,000 meals.

You know, it's got to happen.

We've proved that where no traditional meals on wheels exists,

it's possible for a community to rally round and start a new one.

If Slaithwaite can do it,

everywhere in the country can too.

'Next time, can the Slaithwaite ladies keep it up?'

All right. Do it yourself.

No, that's really insulting.

'As we don drag to try and convert the neighbouring village to the cause.'

-Can we do this?

-Yes!

'In Elmbridge, Surrey,

'where we kicked off our mission to serve meals-on-wheels,

'we pull off a right royal coup.'

Hello, Si. How are you?

They cooked it to my recipe.

'Then we hit the capital in a final publicity flourish...'

What's your face cream?

'..signing up high-level support...'

It helps so many people

and you can go away with your head held high.

'..and spreading the word that we can and should save meals on wheels.'

-Where's the pen?

-'If you've been inspired to help,'

there's loads of ways up and down the country you can get involved.

Just visit our website to find lots of great recipes

and the information you need if you're interested

in volunteering to help older people in your area.

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