Dorothy Dinsdale of Seaham publishes ‘Gran’s Mince Pot’ recipe

Dorothy Dinsdale, who lives at Cedar Court Residential and Nursing Home, in Seaham, is one of the contributors featured in Sanctuary Care’s cookbook, A Lifetime of Flavours: Celebrating Food, Family and the Lives Behind Beloved Recipes.

The cookbook includes 42 recipes from care home residents across the UK, all aged between 70 and 105.

Miss Dinsdale’s dish, Gran’s Mince Pot, is a layered meal of mince, onion, red Leicester cheese, chopped tomatoes, and thinly sliced potato.

She said: “At the age of 93, I didn’t expect anything like this to happen to me.

“I’m so glad this has happened, it has been such a good experience.”

She fondly remembers making it for her late husband Stanley, as well as for her daughter Anne and son-in-law Gordon when they returned home from hospital with their newborn, Sophie.

Louise Palmer, director of operations at Sanctuary Care, said: “Moving into a care home isn’t about leaving your old life behind, but continuing the things that bring you joy.

“Whether it’s recreating a childhood recipe or baking with friends, our chefs work closely with residents to make every mealtime meaningful, and A Lifetime of Flavours is a celebration of that love of food, family, and the lives behind it.”

The cookbook is part of Sanctuary Care’s Enriching Lives Framework, which focuses on maintaining identity, purpose, and joy in later life.

To order with a donation to Mental Health UK click here.

The book celebrates ‘continuity,’ one of the six senses of the framework, by showing how residents can carry on lifelong passions and traditions, such as cooking, even after moving into a care home.

Sanctuary Care is a not-for-profit care provider with 109 homes across the UK.

The cookbook raises funds for Mental Health UK and has already generated more than £4,700.

It is available to download for free or can be ordered in print for a donation, with all proceeds supporting the charity.

The book also features a foreword by 2023 Great British Bake Off winner Matty Edgell, who shares how food shaped his own family memories.