Imagine being able to make someone smile by simply providing a delicious, hot lunch! BDCA is on a mission to deliver joy, friendship and nourishment to our older neighbours who need a little extra support.

That’s why we’re inviting you to support our Meals with Joy Appeal and help us gift the joy of a hot meal with friends to our older neighbours!

It’s a basic need of life: sharing a warm meal with friends and family. Yet many of our older neighbours are missing out on this joy. Many live alone, making mealtimes solitary and sometimes skipped. Some face health issues that make cooking in their own home a struggle, such as arthritis and mobility. Others cannot afford to buy fresh ingredients for a healthy meal.

It is estimated that around 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 are either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, which in turn makes them more likely to be sick and extend hospital stays (BAPEN, 2015). Eating well alongside physical exercise and reducing loneliness can help delay dementia (NHS).

That’s why we want to provide a weekly Lunch Club to bring our older neighbours together to enjoy a nutritious meal alongside fun activities that nurture beautiful friendships. But we need your support to make it happen!

Please donate now to help provide heart-warming mealtimes so that our older neighbours are less hungry, less lonely and instead better connected, healthier and more joyful!

Michelle, our Over 65s Project Manager, says, “Our over 65’s have been missing being able to enjoy warm comforting meals with their friends. This will be an amazing way to make sure some of the most vulnerable in our society are looked after whilst still giving them their independence and a healthy nutritious meal.”

Your generosity will:

• Boost health: through a nutritious meal that helps towards being healthy
• Spread smiles: through social activities that lift spirits and brighten days
• Provide support: by connecting older people to our wider support services

What our Over 65 members say:

A said: “Some people don’t see anyone. This group allows people to meet new people within their community and build up a friendship.”

B said: “It’ll bring people together. When you’re on your own, you may not feel like cooking. It’s good to have company especially if you’re on your own, and even better if you’re being provided with a hot meal.”

How Your Donation Could Help

• £5: Provides a hot lunch for one senior for one day
• £25: provides 5 seniors with a hot lunch for one day
• £50: provides 1 hour of hall space for people to eat lunch together
• £100: provides 1 hour of hall space and meals for 10 seniors

How you can help

There are a few ways that you can get involved, including:

• Donate to our appeal
• Share our campaign on social media and with your network
• Organise or participate in a fundraising activity/event
• Businesses can partner with us to make a bigger impact and gain community recognition

Your support will provide more than just a meal; it will offer much-needed joy, support and friendship.

Meet Some of Our Over 65s members

Valerie, 85: A regular attendee with arthritis that limits her mobility. Our meals will give her a regular nutritious meal

Irene, 81: A social butterfly who feels that Meals with Joy will provide her and others with companionship.

Let’s bring joy, warmth, and delicious meals to our older neighbours! Your support will do more than fill a plate; it will fill hearts with happiness and a sense of community.

Donate Now and Make a Difference!

We are so grateful for your support. We also know that times are tough for many so if you are not in a position to give, we completely understand. Please help us by sharing our appeal link instead! This can be through your emails, social media or whatsapp to your friends and family.

Further information

Please note that due to logistics we are unable to accept physical donations of food. In the event we raise more money than we need, we will allocate it to our wider work supporting our community. Our people stories are inspired by real examples from our work, however names and personal details may be changed to protect privacy. The photos used on this page are from our work and do not represent the people described in the stories.