MP joins meals on wheels team for morning delivery

24.08.07

Kingston's "meals on wheels" service was given a pat on the back from Kingston's MP, Edward Davey, after he spent a morning helping to deliver lunches to local pensioners.

Last Wednesday, Lib Dem MP, Edward Davey, spoke to the staff involved with organising and delivering "meals on wheels" to Kingston pensioners, and spent the morning on one of the 10 delivery vans that take meals to around 250 vulnerable pensioners every day. Over 100 pensioners depend on these meals every day of the year, as an essential lifeline service, and Edward Davey wanted to talk to the elderly people about the service, know in Kingston as "Mobile Meals".

Edward Davey's visits comes during the 60th anniversary year for "meals on wheels" service, which started in Welwyn Garden City in 1947. The service soon spread across the UK, so that today over 40 million meals are delivered every year nationwide. 

After enjoying his morning delivery across Kingston Edward Davey MP said:

"I was impressed by how well organised the service is, and by the dedication and care of the drivers. Many of the elderly people I was privileged to meet were extremely frail and housebound, and were totally dependent on this service.

"It's also clear this is not just a "meals on wheels" service, but a care service that ensures some of our most needy pensioners get a daily call, to check everything is alright. For some, it's clear that the Mobile Meals driver is the only person they see that day, so it's a social lifeline too.

"While every meal delivered costs the council taxpayer around £5, I believe Kingston Council must continue to invest in this vital lifeline service."