Laburnum Centre get their just desserts in time for Christmas

Chef manager Andrew Rowlatt was joined by two members in mixing the giant Christmas pudding which will feed 280 of the centre’s members.

Both young and older members – Carole Garrigan, 50, and Doris Scott, 91 – gave its ingredients a good stir, along with Diane Henderson, the chief executive of centre operator Age UK West Sussex.

The pud, which includes two bottles of brandy, 15lb of mixed fruit, 12 small cooking apples and 4lb of suet, was cooked for eight hours and will be left for three months.

Mr Rowlatt said: “A good pudding needs to mature.

“There’s no point making it two weeks before Christmas.”

Ms Henderson said: “We know it’s important to support older people over Christmas, so we will be open between then and the new year.”