With the Royal Wedding nearly upon us, National Association of Care Catering (NACC) members across the country have a wide variety of activities and great food planned.
To ensure residents enjoy a Royal Wedding experience to remember, national occasions of celebration can positively affect the wellbeing of the elderly and vulnerable in care settings.
Neel Radia, national chair, National Association of Care Catering (NACC), says: “The nation is gripped with Royal Wedding fever, as we prepare to celebrate the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The NACC’s members are certainly no exception. We’ve heard from care caterers and chefs up and down the country who are putting in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure that their residents enjoy a Royal Wedding experience to remember.
“As with most celebrations, food is playing a leading role. Our members are using their expertise in creating delicious, nutritious meals, suitable for a care setting, to give the elderly and vulnerable they care for a real treat.
“Indoor and outdoor festivities include, for example, coverage of the wedding on televisions and large screens, street parties, wedding buffets, wedding breakfasts, Afternoon teas and barbeques, all featuring carefully planned, mouth watering menus, plus beautiful lemon and elderflower cakes to match the famous couple’s wedding cake of choice.
“Residents will be involved in the preparations, helping decorate venues and cupcakes, making their own fascinators and being invited to dress in their finest attire for the big day. They will also enjoy music, entertainment, quizzes, dancing, and one care home has even reported that their wedding breakfast will include life-size cardboard cut-outs of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle themselves!
“As well as enjoying delicious food, residents will benefit emotionally and socially. The Royal Wedding provides a fantastic opportunity for them to socialise with fellow residents, staff and visiting relatives and community members. I’m sure the parties will be an enthusiastic subject of conversation in the build-up to the main event and for some time after. The celebrations could also, importantly, help evoke fond memories and reminiscence of their own weddings and family occasions, as well as Royal Weddings of the past. I’m sure some residents will have seen many a Royal Wedding over their lifetimes, including that of Her Majesty The Queen herself!
“The NACC sends the Royal couple many congratulations on their wedding day and we wish our members and their residents a wonderful weekend of festivities.”