Guinness World Record boosts profile of Community Meals Service

The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has successfully set the first ever Guinness World Record for ‘the most community meals delivered in three hours.’

By delivering 526 meals within three hours in over 16 locations on Monday 1 October, the NACC gained the title which had never previously been attempted by delivering 226 more meals than required.

Karen Oliver, chair of the NACC, explained: “We decided to go for the World Record to raise the profile of the vital Community Meals Service that serves the vulnerable in society 365 days a year, in all conditions.”

While official figures allowed the NACC to gain the world record, unofficial figures from the event have revealed that over 20,000 elderly, disabled and housebound people in the UK were reached by the service during the three hour period. These significantly higher findings have highlighted the demand for this service.

Strict rules meant that the attempt needed to be evidenced by video and every meal had to be signed off by an independent professional witness. This was the reason only a small amount of the deliveries could be successfully counted towards the official total.

Community Meals Services enables vulnerable people to carry on living independently in the community and can be the only face to face daily contact some receive. The service provides nutritious hot meals but also means the health, wellbeing and safety of each customer can be monitored.

Ms Oliver called the Community Meals Service a national lifeline and said: “We will continue to send the strong and serious message to Government, Local Government and communities that you simply cannot deny the overwhelming importance of the Community Meals Service and the difference it makes to many lives.”