CARE home residents in Poole have got their mixing bowls and wooden spoons at the ready for a Christmas pudding ‘stir-up’.

Former Great British Bake Off finalist Brendan Lynch has created a recipe especially for The Potteries care home on York Road in Broadstone.

On Sunday, the care home’s head chef, Sarah Beaumont, will be using the recipe to bake with residents. All will have a chance to stir as they make the festive dessert by mixing together ingredients such as raisins, mixed peel and glace cherries.

Zita Turner, home manager at The Potteries, said: “Stir-up Sunday provides the Care UK team and residents with a wonderful opportunity to take part in a tradition which also encompasses all the benefits of baking.

“Reminiscence activities such as baking are so important for older people, especially for those living with dementia, as the familiar scents and tastes can evoke happy memories from the past.”

Stir-up Sunday, which takes place on the last Sunday before Advent, is traditionally the day when families and friends gather together to ‘stir-up’ their Christmas pudding and make a wish, leaving plenty of time for the pudding to mature before Christmas Day.

Commenting on his passion for baking and inspiring older people to take up the hobby, Brendan said: “I am a strong believer in the therapeutic benefits of baking for older people and combining this with a traditional occasion such as Stir-up Sunday can create a calm and comforting environment for all involved.”