Newly appointed Minister for the Elderly, Quentin Forsdyke, today issued a plea to people in remote areas to check on their older neighbours.
As swaths of Britain became blanketed in up to 30cm of snow this morning, and schoolchildren were released to play in the big freeze, Mr Forsdyke drew attention to the plight of thousands of pensioners, particularly in Wales and the West Country.
"We need to take pity on poor old lonely people stuck in their houses in these appalling conditions," stated the Minister. "Think how much they are missing out on the fun of building a snowman or sledging down hillsides.
"Please take the trouble to call on your elderly neighbours if you haven't seen them for a while. Get them out of their houses and involve them in a snowball fight. Put them on a binbag and push them down a hill. It's what the Big Society is all about!"
