Northumberland meals on wheels service deliver 3,000 meals

The service provides around 100 meals each week to members who are vulnerable and isolated.

Submitted by Keith Newman

A meals on wheels service which began at the start of the first lockdown in March has passed another milestone.

The service, which is offered by the Northumberland Freemasons, has delivered 3,000 Sunday lunches to vulnerable and isolated members of lodges and their families.

The service began in Ashington, Northumberland and now has now grown to deliver around 100 meals a week. They provide meals for members across South East Northumberland. They have also expanded to cover North Shields and Newcastle, Tyne and Wear.

The scheme has now been extended to cover Hexham, Northumberland too and continues to grow each week.

It isn’t just handing out free meals to those in need though. Members also get the chance to see another person and have a conversation, which could be their only human contact all week. It reminds those receiving a meal that others do care.

Ivy Rodgers in Ashington received the 3,000th meal from Ely Turnball.

Ivy said: “I’m so grateful for my lovely meal every week, it’s great to see the young men who deliver it and I look forward to getting it, they do a great job to help people like me.”