New Meals on Wheels van helps SWEETS expand vital service

Shane King

Serving the people of Kilbeggan and surrounding areas for almost 25 years, South Westmeath Employment, Education and Training Services (SWEETS) CLG is a cornerstone of community support.

Based beside the post office in Kilbeggan, the organisation has built a reputation for quietly but consistently providing essential services to those who need them most. One of the most valued services is Meals on Wheels, which ensures that individuals receive regular, nutritious hot meals.

Deliveries are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and meals are provided to cover Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, ensuring clients are never left without support.

Currently, around 40 people are availing of the Meals on Wheels service, and demand is growing.

The SWEETS team are keen to expand their reach further across south Westmeath, responding to the increasing needs of an ageing population and those living alone in rural communities.

Beyond the obvious benefit of healthy meals, the service offers something just as important: human connection. For many clients, particularly in isolated areas, the friendly visit from staff is a welcome highlight of the day. These brief interactions provide reassurance, help to reduce loneliness and offer peace of mind to clients and to their families.

In 2025, SWEETS was awarded CLÁR funding enabling the purchase of a dedicated Meals on Wheels van. The investment has enhanced their ability to deliver meals efficiently and safely, and has laid the groundwork for future expansion of the service.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, co-manager of SWEETS Liam Daly explained how the service came about and how it continues to evolve.

“Our Meals on Wheels is a delivery service, and we saw that there was a gap here locally. We looked and enquired and saw that there was a need for the delivery of meals in Tyrrellspass, Rahugh, Kilbeggan, Ballinagore, Castletown and the Dysart area. So we focused on that, and now we have up to 40 clients on a weekly basis.”

Mr Daly highlighted the importance of funding support in keeping the service affordable. “We have successfully applied for HSE funding, and we use that to help with the cost of running the delivery service. We charge all our clients a reduced rate using those funds. It’s really about giving our clients a good delivery service right to their doors, with warm, nutritious meals three days a week.”

Co-manager Lizzy McDonald said the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. “It has been brilliant, and the service is well-needed. We try to accommodate everybody, and if we can’t, we liaise with the Meals on Wheels network, which is based in Irish Rural Link in Moate,” she said.

“What I always say to people is to contact us. We can definitely help and guide people to where support is needed.”

Local councillor and chairperson of the SWEETS executive board, Liam McDaniel, paid tribute to the work of the organisation and its volunteers. “The committee here have done great work in establishing the Meals on Wheels service, not just in Kilbeggan but in the locality and further afield,” he said.

“It’s great that not only do they provide a meal service, but there’s also contact with people living in rural areas. That’s hugely important. We got good sponsorship from the CLÁR Fund last year to get the van, and it’s great that we now have our own transport.”

Cllr McDaniel added that he hopes the service will continue to grow. “Hopefully, now the service can expand, and more people will be interested in taking it up, because it’s something that is very good for those out in rural areas in particular.”