Leading businessman cooks up three course festive treat for elderly people

A Peterborough businessman cooked up a festive treat for a group of isolated elderly residents. Raj Regmi, who runs the Lakeside Kitchen and Bar, at Ferry Meadows, provided a traditional three course Christmas dinner for members of local charity Contact the Elderly. Mr Regmi, winner of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Peterborough Telegraph Business Awards 2017, said: “For most of us, Christmas is a really social time, but for lots of older people it can be very lonely.

“We love hosting Christmas dinner for the group and hope it helps to spread some festive cheer amongst vulnerable people in our community.” Nyree Ambarchian, a volunteer with the group, said: “Loneliness amongst older people is a problem and this feeling of isolation can intensify over the holiday season. We’re grateful to Raj for hosting Christmas dinner, the staff are so welcoming and the food is absolutely delicious. “It’s becoming an annual fixture for us, and both the older people and volunteers really look forward to it.”

This is the third year that Mr Regmi has hosted Christmas dinner for Contact the Elderly, which is a charity dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation amongst older people. More than two million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. For many, Christmas is the loneliest part of the year.

Christmas celebrations at the Lakeside Kitchen and Bar.