Meals on Wheels keep turning

Date published: 02 October 2007

National Meals on Wheels Week is being celebrated in Rochdale this week, to recognise the valuable role the service provides locally.  The borough Mayor and Mayoress Peter and Helen Evans visited the Ronald Gorton Centre on Tuesday 2 October, meeting kitchen staff who prepare and deliver the meals to the boroughs senior citizens.  They also got chance to chat with some of the day care residents who look forward to their hot daily lunch!

The visit was timed to highlight the service, subsidised by Rochdale Borough Council that prepares and distributes over 300 freshly cooked nutritionally balanced meals each day.  All are delivered by volunteers, either direct to peoples homes or to the several luncheon clubs across the borough.  Meals are produced at the Ronald Gorton Centre and the Woodclough Day Centre before being delivered in conjunction with Transport Services and the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS.)

This year, National Meals on Wheels Week is celebrating 60 years of what the Mayor described as a vitally important role: "It is a magnificent service, providing a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable members of our community ... here in Rochdale, Meals on Wheels is at the front line in helping the elderly live healthier lives, enabling hundreds of people to continue to live at home in their own communities."

Ethel Chadwick, who enjoys a two course meal twice a week, said the service is wonderful: "I don't know what I'd do without it, it really is an excellent service and everyone is so friendly."

Meals on Wheels, which marks its Diamond Jubilee this year, delivers over 40 million meals a year nationally, to over 200,000 people. 

For information on how to help the service locally contact Wendy Smith at WRVS on 01706 643230.