Volunteers keep Meals on Wheels rolling

Janet Lewis fetches a meal for delivery. Photo / Paul Brooks

Co-ordinated by Age Concern's Janet Lewis, volunteer drivers for Meals on Wheels go out every day to deliver hot, nourishing meals to people all over Whanganui.
To get a taste of what happens, Midweek's Paul Brooks went along for the ride.

With Janet driving the Age Concern car, the first stop was the Whanganui Hospital kitchen to pick up the meals and a clipboard with addresses and instructions. Janet's the one who takes a new driver out on their first run. Age Concern has 120 volunteer drivers.
"You've got to enjoy doing it," she says. "A lot are friends doing it, so they do the run then go for coffee or lunch afterwards."

We parked at a loading bay and other vehicles joined us. The runs, instructions and meals are organised by Larissa, who works in the huge hospital kitchen complex. Janet rattled off a list of people who regularly do a run, including Te Oranganui, both funeral directors, a real estate agent and others who give their time freely. Larissa says they prepare between 50 and 65 meals a day, at the moment. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are the busiest, with Friday including frozen meals for the weekend.

The food is packed in polystyrene containers – one for main meals, one for desserts – with some being named for those with special dietary requirements and others being standard hot meals with dessert. The hot food is delivered in foil containers with a cardboard top.
The menu changes frequently.

Meal recipients are referred by the hospital, a doctor or social worker. The cost is minimal, being subsidised by the DHB. Janet says there are those, perhaps recently discharged from hospital, who receive the meals for a short while, but there are others who are long term.

We did the Aramoho run with nine main meals and eight desserts. We left the hospital and began near the bottom of Guyton St, following the clipboard's instructions.
For some of the people on the list, the meals on wheels person is their only social contact. It is more than a meal: it's a chance to make sure people are all right, to say "hello", to see if they need any help. And, of course, to ensure they are eating at least one healthy meal a day.

At the first address we double check the instructions to make sure the client is getting the correct meal, put on our masks, collect the meals from the polystyrene containers and take them to the house. The first delivery is a standard meal and dessert delivered to the front door. The client answers, we have a brief chat, hand over the food and depart.
Janet says some people have meals delivered two or three times a week, while some receive them every day.

We wind through Whanganui streets, front houses, back sections, flat numbers, knocking, not leaving until they answer and take the meal personally. But not always: some people just want the meal placed somewhere convenient for them to collect when they are ready. There is a fear of catching Covid in the aged community.

Volunteering as a Meals on Wheels driver would be rewarding in many ways.
It's always a good feeling to help out. Being a point of social contact for some is important and being able to help is worth the time. Making a difference is what a volunteer does; doing a job that is its own reward.
With two in the car it can be a social occasion, a bit of a chat, a nice drive and a chance to explore Whanganui.

Janet says the volunteers form themselves into a small community and many form friendships.

Of course, volunteers come and go, and Janet says while most of them are in the older age bracket – one is in her 90s! – she does see younger ones step up from time to time.
To be part of the Age Concern volunteer network, call Age Concern – 345 1799.