Camilla was in Ballater on Monday (october 6) to mark the start of Community Meals on Wheels Week. The Duchess hand-delivered a frozen meal to Ballater resident Alexander Irvine, 93, and shared a dram with him while his roast dinner was being cooked.

The Duchess then met representatives of the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) and Aberdeenshire Council to discuss the importance of the meals service for people unable to cook for themselves.

Camilla was shown how the food is stored and asked various questions about where the food was sourced and its nutritional value.

This is the second occasion that the royal family has been involved with Meals on Wheels. In 1997 Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother showed her support by lunching on roast beef followed by apple pie, delivered by Meals on Wheels to Clarence House.

Each year, more than 40 million meals are delivered to more than 20,000 of the UK's elderly population.

Aberdeenshire Council adopted a community meals service in April 2007.
The meals are nutritionally balanced and play a significant 'preventative care' role by helping people to remain healthy and well nourished.

With the risk of malnutrition increasing with age and a rising elderly population, Meals on Wheels can enable people to live healthier and relatively independent lives.

However the NACC estimates that 45% of councils are seeing a decline in the provision of meals to vulnerable older people. With higher food and energy costs, the NACC is predicting the provision could drop further without greater awareness of the value of the service and the adoption of a cost-efficient model.

NACC national chairwoman Sue Ullmann said: "We are delighted that the Duchess of Rothesay has given us her support.

"As winter approaches, it brings into stark focus how important a community meal is, particularly when you consider that the early signs of malnutrition often go unnoticed. It is only when a person needs to be admitted to hospital that the full extent, and indeed subsequent treatment cost, becomes known.

"To stem any further decline we need a greater sharing of best practice to ensure we keep the wheels on our meals."