Help an older neighbour with a ‘Dessert for D-Day’
Published on 03 June 2014 09:00 AM
Great British Menu chef Aktar Islam is calling on the public to spend time with their older neighbours by rustling up a dessert or pudding to share on 6 June - the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.
The award-winning Birmingham chef wowed the judges on BBC 2's Great British Menu with a show-stopping, war-time inspired pudding complete with edible Churchill cigar.
He's now urging everyone to offer a slice of friendship and make a ‘Dessert for D-Day' for an older neighbour they know or donate to Age UK.
A million older people haven't spoken to anyone in a month
Loneliness is a huge issue that affects people all year round with around one million older people regularly going an entire month without speaking to anyone and 600,000 older people only leaving their house once a week or less.
Aktar, Chef Director at the award-winning Lasan restaurant in Birmingham, said: 'Sharing food is a fantastic way to open doors, and it doesn't matter if it's a Battenburg, Bakewell or a Blancmange - by knocking on your neighbour's door and sharing your Desserts for D-Day on Friday 6 June and throughout the weekend that follows you could be bringing a little comfort into someone's life.'
Help end loneliness
To find out more about Age UK's work to tackle loneliness, and to donate, go to our Help end loneliness page.
Share your photos from the day with Age UK on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #lovelaterlife or post them on Age UK's Facebook page.