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Episode 1

The Hairy Bikers ride to the rescue of Meals on Wheels. They discover the three biggest problems facing Meals on Wheels - volunteer vacancies, the food and its moth-eaten image.

The Hairy Bikers made their name cooking real food for real people. Now they are riding to the rescue of one of our great national culinary treasures - Meals on Wheels.

At its height this iconic institution delivered more than 34 million meals to the elderly and infirm, but over the last eight years the number of Meals on Wheels delivered nationwide has plummeted by over a third.

For Dave Myers and Si King saving Meals on Wheels is personal: from the age of eight Dave cooked for his poorly mum and Si rallied round to help feed his mother when she fell ill. It taught them the importance of good food in caring for people in need. Spurred on by these early experiences the Bikers' mission takes them on a journey across the country, all the way to royalty.

In the first episode, Dave and Si come face to face with the three biggest problems facing Meals on Wheels today - volunteer vacancies, the food and its out-dated, moth-eaten image. The Bikers soon discover that to have any chance of revitalising Meals on Wheels, providing fresh two-course lunches, it is going to take a shed load of passion, commitment and sheer hard graft.

After a trip back in time to Welwyn Garden City - the birthplace of Meals on Wheels where it was started in 1943 to help older victims of the Blitz - the Bikers saddle up and head off to modern day Surrey to help a beleaguered council's ailing Meals on Wheels service.

Faced with tired menus, a tight budget and a falling number of volunteers prepared to deliver the meals, Dave and Si face the fight of their lives trying to reinvent the service and drag it into the 21st century.

1 hour

Last on

Sat 12 Nov 2011 02:25

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Si King
Presenter Si King
Presenter Dave Myers
Presenter Dave Myers

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