‘It’s a joy to provide this service’

(Above)Brid Galligan (assistant secretary), Jim Prendergast (secretary) and Trish Devine (vice president) at Mullingar Meals On Wheels. This photo was taken last year when the Westmeath Examiner visited the Meals on Wheels base.

The country may be on lockdown in everything but name, but the kitchen at Mullingar Meals on Wheels on College Street is busier than ever.

With many of their older clients self-isolating until the coronavirus crisis ends, the Meals on Wheels team are operating at full capacity, cooking and delivering some 600 meals a week for Mullingar and its surrounding towns and villages.

“As we speak, we cannot take on any more, but we think we have picked up the most deserving cases,” a spokesperson told the Westmeath Examiner. “Our kitchen is at maximum output, our kitchen can’t do any more. We are bound by the constraints of health and safety regulations.” A team of four in the kitchen put in a Trojan effort each day to ensure the meals are ready in time and are assisted by a driver, an office administrator, who makes sure that the right name is put on every meal, which is especially important if people have special dietary requirements, and a team of volunteer drivers. The Women’s Community Projects Mullingar and SWEETS in Kilbeggan are also vital cogs in the machine, when it comes to the delivery of meals.

Of course, since the coronavirus crisis began last month, day to day life has changed almost beyond recognition. These changes have extended to how Meals and Wheels goes about its business.

“Our protocols have all changed in accordance with the advice on social distancing and work practices. Special gloves and hand sanitiser have all been provided,” the spokesperson said.

“We have issued a circular to drivers to not engage with recipients. There is a container at the clients’ doors and the food is put in there and the driver then rings the doorbell.

“The drivers have a good rapport with the people they visit and check in with them. For people living in rural areas especially, the visit is as important as the meal, but we have has to suspend that in the interest of safety.”

Since the crisis began, Meals on Wheels has been inundated with offers of help and the spokesperson says there is a full bench of willing and able drivers waiting to do their bit if they are needed.

The spokesperson says that Mullingar Meals on Wheels wouldn’t be able to operate so effectively if it wasn’t for the “tremendous work” and enthusiasm of everyone involved.

“It’s a joy to be able to provide this service and long may it last,” he said.