More than just a meal – city celebrates national Meals on Wheels week

A popular service providing 500 elderly people across Leeds with warm nourishing meals is being celebrated this week.

This forms part of National Meals on Wheel Week which taking place from 7-11 November marks the important service being undertaken by councils across the UK including Leeds City Council to support the lives of local elderly and vulnerable people

Delivering 350 meals per day, 365 days of the year including Christmas Day, the Leeds Meals on Wheels service not only provides many elderly people in communities across the city with lovely meals to enjoy, it also helps them stay socially independent.

Two of the many people to benefit from the Leeds Meals on Wheels service are Mr and Mrs Harris, both 78, who have a meal delivered every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday after deciding to sign up for the service.

The average age of a Leeds Meals on Wheels customer is 82 with the oldest currently being 103.

Customers can choose a hot nutritious lunch and have a sandwich for tea if they wish. A frozen meal service, where the customer heats up the meal themselves, is also available along with juice drinks. Available is a choice of over 160 main meals and 70 sweets and puddings. Different styles of cuisines are catered for including Asian, Caribbean, kosher, vegetarian, diabetic and soft meals. During a visit, members of the meals in wheel team will also check on all of their customers to ensure they are comfortable.

To find out more about the Leeds Meals on Wheels service and to join, please see: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/Preparing-meals.aspx

Councillor James Lewis, deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member for resources and strategy said:

“Leeds Meals on Wheels is a fantastic service. Not only does it make sure that people are supplied with tasty healthy meals that they’ve chosen every day in their own home but the staff also make a quick wellbeing check to make sure the customers are warm and secure.

“The service helps keep the vulnerable and elderly within our communities nourished, socially independent, and most importantly stay in their homes for longer.“

For more information, please contact:

Debra Kerr,

Leeds City Council Communications Officer

Tel: 0113 2243700