Great British Bake Orf
Royal puddings bring Christmas cheer
CHRISTMAS puddings mixed last year by four generations of the Royal Family have been distributed to Armed Forces communities at home and abroad.
The Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George each wielded a wooden spoon at Buckingham Palace last December in aid of the Royal British Legion’s Together At Christmas initiative.
Now the festive treats have been given to serving mil i tary personnel , volunteers and people supported by the RBL.
The charity has sent 99 puddings to families in the UK, Spain and Fiji, and to service personnel deployed in Bahrain this Christmas.
The recipients took part in virtual gatherings aimed at combatting loneliness.
Whi le stirring the pudding bowls, the royals added four commemorative sixpences to be found by lucky recipients.
Julian Groves, 59, who served with the Royal Army Medical Corps for 11 years, discovered one of them in his pudding.
Julian, who has received regular calls from the Legion’s Telephone Buddy ser vice during the pandemic, said: “It’s incredibly special to be part of Together At Christmas and I was amazed to discover the sixpence.
“No matter how tough things are, the Legion always ral lies round, making sure everyone is looked after.”
RBL director-general Charles Byrne said: “We want all those within our community who may be feeling the pressures of the season to know that there is extra support available and the Legion is here for them.”