AS the nation commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this weekend, a County Durham woman will cook up a hearty Sunday lunch in memory of her serviceman father.

Iris Hillery from Barnard Castle is one of the first to take part in the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund’s Great British Sunday Lunch campaign.

The RAF welfare charity launched the scheme to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, when ‘The Few’ took to the skies to defend the UK from the Luftwaffe.

It hopes to get family and friends back around the dinner table to reflect on the sacrifices made on their behalf, while enjoying time together and raising vital funds for the charity.

Mrs Hillery was keen to support the campaign and on Sunday, September 13 will share a homemade roast dinner with her family in honour of her late father, Raymond Hillery.

Mr Hillery, who died in 2000, served as ground crew in the No. 151 Repair Unit (Aircraft) during the Second World War and ensured heavy bombers like the Halifax remained in good working order.

Today (Thursday, September 10) is his birthday and the family always gathers to remember him at this time of year.

This weekend’s festivities will be especially poignant, with Mrs Hillery joined by her husband, Allan Jones, and relatives including, her mother, Gladys, a nurse during the Second World War, as well as her aunt and uncle, who also served in the RAF.

The lunch party will tuck into roast pork with all the trimmings, followed by a war time pudding of mock apricot tart, where the fruit is substituted with carrots.

They will also make a donation to the RAF Benevolent Fund and are hoping to inspire others to do the same, either by lunching with family and friends or organising a large community picnic.

“I think it is important to remember the sacrifices people made,” said Ms Hillery, an enthusiastic Second World War re-enactor and supporter of the RAF Benevolent fund.

“Dad was stationed in Belgium towards the end of the war and he got to know quite a lot of people there and stayed friends with them all his life. You realise afterwards that you did not ask all the questions that you should have done.

“He used to say he did all his fighting on Sundays over the local girls! When those that had served came back from the war they got £10 and a thank you letter.

“People really appreciated what they had done. It is heart-breaking then people today say, Battle of Britain? What was that?”

To find out more about the RAF Benevolent Fund visit rafbf.org