Rachel Riley is showing no signs of slowing down as her December due date approaches. The Countdown host, who is expecting her first child with former Strictly Come Dancing professional Pasha Kovalev, has starred in a new film to inspire more people to volunteer. The emotional film shows Rachel on a visit to a Royal Voluntary Service lunch club in Rickmansworth where she meets volunteers and diners and helps make and serve up lunch.
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"Older people are often by themselves and it can be difficult to motivate yourself to make a nice hot meal," the expectant mum explained. "Loneliness is one of the worst things in terms of mental health and general wellbeing, so getting people together and having somewhere you can look forward to going to each week is fantastic. The volunteers themselves get a lot out of it too because they get to know the people who come in every week."
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The film is part of a new campaign from national volunteering charity, Royal Voluntary Service, and Yakult to highlight the difference volunteers make and the importance of the charity's lunch and social clubs.
Rachel Riley on a visit to a Royal Voluntary Service lunch club
It's been a very exciting time for Rachel, who wed her long-term partner, professional dancer Pasha in June. The couple's first child is due in December. Speaking about their upcoming parenthood journey in new TV show My Famous Babysitter, Rachel admitted that although they are "really excited" they are also scared about becoming parents. "It's scary and exciting all at the same time," she confessed.
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Surprisingly, before the couple found out they were due their own little one, Rachel had already signed up to star on the TV show. Talking about the coincidental timing, Rachel revealed that the couple only discovered they were expecting their baby the week before filming began. "I had no idea when I signed up for the show that I'd be pregnant when I filmed it... It's crazy how the universe has plans for you," she said.
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