TV chef backs elderly Christmas meal campaign

Gordon Ramsay has today backed a charity campaign to bring festive cheer to elderly people who will be spending Christmas alone this year.

The celebrity chef has praised the efforts of Leeds-based vehicle tracking company Masternaut which has teamed up with Help the Aged to provide 1,000 Christmas meals for older people across the UK.

Mr Ramsay said: "I am fully behind the Help the Aged campaign. During the season of goodwill it is sad to think that many older people spend it in isolation."

Help the Aged's "1 is the Saddest Number" campaign highlights the plight of the one million older Britons who will spend Christmas Day alone.

The star of TV shows Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and The F-Word added: "By donating what you can to the cause we can hopefully brighten up some people's lives by giving them a Christmas dinner to remember."

Mr Ramsay heard about Help the Aged's Christmas lunches after a chance conversation with Masternaut managing director Martin Port at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Port said: "When I spotted Gordon it seemed like fate had stepped in to help our campaign. He's a family man who has cooked for the rich and famous, but he was so touched by the facts that he was only too willing to support the Help the Aged campaign.

"We've been working with Help the Aged to cut its transport costs so as much money as possible can go to where it's needed most. But we really wanted to do more and put a smile on the faces of the many older people who are spending Christmas alone."

For more information about the campaign or to donate visit www.saddestnumber.org.uk