To highlight the social, economic, psychological and preventative benefits of Meals on Wheels and Community Meals services in the UK, whether delivered to homes or via day centres and luncheon clubs.
To encourage public support for local Meals on Wheels and Community Meals services.
To address and increase awareness of loneliness, social isolation and the wellbeing of older and vulnerable people living in the community.
WHAT IS MEALS ON WHEELS WEEK?
Meals on Wheels Week is an initiative that brings together Health and Social Care sectors, caterers, service providers, food suppliers, volunteers, carers, older people, policy makers and the public to raise awareness about the importance of meals delivered in the community – whether via Meals on Wheels services, day centres or lunch clubs for older and vulnerable people.
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has been organising Meals on Wheels Week for more than 30 years, supporting providers in raising the profile of this valuable service.
Meals on Wheels and Community Meals services afford older and vulnerable people nutritious food, friendly human interaction and wellbeing checks – all vital ingredients which allow people to live independently in their own homes.
It keeps people nourished and hydrated with a nutritious daily meal (in many cases the only one they will eat each day) and provides an essential preventative service that reduces costly malnutrition-related admissions to hospital which are adding to the terrible strain on the NHS.
For the majority of service users, Meals on Wheels is so much more than just a meal. It’s a lifeline that eases the devastating effects of isolation and loneliness. The delivery of a meal brings regular social interaction, which for many may be the only human contact they enjoy. It also provides a much-needed wellbeing and safety check, again, crucial for those who may not see anyone else each day.
As an Association, we recognise the challenging times we are living in with the cost-of-living crisis, rising food costs, volunteer and staff recruitment challenges and the shortfall in social care funding. Because Meals on Wheels is not a statutory requirement, many Local Authorities are no longer financially supporting these services and closing them permanently.
With further austerity measures on the horizon, we believe this year's Meals on Wheels week is important than ever. We need to stand strong and together, to raise the banner for this vital service that affords access to nutritious meals and well-being checks delivered to the door of those living independently in our communities. We urge everyone to join us, in any way you can, to support us in delivering our message.
NACC MEALS ON WHEELS RESEARCH 2023 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH APSE
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) have commissioned The Association of Public Sector Excellence (APSE) to conduct research into the provision of Local Authority Community Meals on Wheels services, still in service across the UK in 2023. The research is to understand the scope of the provision, the cost of providing the service, menu, foods and wider provisions.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH MEALS ON WHEELS WEEK 2023... This year we have planned a theme for each day of the week, to support the industry in focal points.
MONDAY 30 OCTOBER 2023 | LAUNCH DAY
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) have commissioned The Association of Public Sector Excellence (APSE) to conduct research into the provision of Local Authority Community Meals on Wheels services, still in service across the UK in 2023. The research is to understand the scope of the provision, the cost of providing the service, menu, foods and wider provisions.
To launch Meals on Wheels Week, we will be joined by the Association of Public Sector Excellence (APSE) who will share with all the findings of the research paper and by Mo Baines, CEO of APSE, who will speak to us about Local Government funding and its future for Social Care.
TUESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2023 | THANK YOU TUESDAY This day is dedicated to showing appreciation for our teams. For everyone that contributes, whether that’s making the meals, volunteers, drivers, carers or those that work behind the scenes, today is the day to show our gratitude.
If you're not a provider of Meals on Wheels but would like to show your gratitude, please download the poster below, snap a picture & share on your socials using the hashtag #ThankYouMealsonWheelsHeroes
WEDNESDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2023 | VIP ON WHEELS This popular activity returns! There’s no better way to convey the value of our services, than seeing it in action and the impact it has on service users. VIP on Wheels is a fantastic opportunity to invite local MPs, VIPs and dignitaries to experience service delivery and celebrate your service and the immense value it adds to the lives of those receiving it.
MEALS ON WHEELS: RAISING AWARENESS OF THE SERVICES & ITS BENEFITS WEBINAR This webinar will look at the benefits of Meals on Wheels, particularly the ones beyond nutrition, and will highlight why there is a need to raise awareness of Meals on Wheels services, from the perspectives of: researchers from the USA, a service provider in South West England (Bristol City Council and Bristol Community Meals), and researchers from the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol.
THURSDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2023 | CROSSING BORDERS - MEALS ON WHEELS IN IRELAND As part of Meals on Wheels week, the NACC is hosting a Free webinar, to share meals on wheels models operating in other countries. This year we will be visiting 2 services in Ireland who are part of the Meals on Wheels Network, Ireland. The webinar is an hour long and will give you the opportunity to learn what they are doing, how they are funded and services they offer, and more.
FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2023 | FRIDAY FRIENDS A special day to highlight the importance of social eating and how it helps reduce loneliness and social isolation. Friday Friends will bring people in our communities together to share the joy of food and time. This could be at a lunch club, day centre, or a care home could invite the local community in for afternoon tea. And where this may not be possible, why not simply invite a neighbour for lunch? This small gesture is sure to have an immense impact.
The NACC will be hosting Lunch Clubs on this day in partnership with local communities across the country including:
HC-One
Founded in 2011, HC-One’s vision is to be the kindest care home provider and the first choice for people in each of the communities that we serve. With 267 care homes, we are the largest provider of dementia, residential, dementia and nursing care in the UK. We work closely with health and social care professionals across over 100 Local Authorities and NHS Trusts to ensure we are delivering the kindest possible care to older people on both a permanent and short-term basis.
London Borough Elmbridge
Molesey Centre for The Community has been providing hot meals, social activities and more for over 50 years to the residents of Elmbridge.
Our lunches are cooked Monday to Friday every week of the year and our meals on wheels are 7 days a week. We run exercise classes, have hairdressing, chiropody, special themed events, fundraising and outings. All for our residents. The centre is buzzing with friendship, respect and care.
London Borough Hackney
We are a network of 12 very unique and independent lunch clubs. Our clubs reflect the vibrant and culturally diverse borough that Hackney is. Our lunch club chefs serve nutritious meals to Hackney residents aged 55 and over. The majority of our clubs started as community initiatives in the 1980s, offering support to marginalised communities that were more vulnerable to financial hardship and social isolation. Included in our network are the North London Muslim Community Centre and the Vietnam Laos and Cambodian community group as well as many others. VLC now hosts a very popular twice-weekly Vietnamese Pho Club. Other clubs were set up by local residents including Nightingale and Holly Street Luncheon Clubs. Both those clubs date back to the early 1970s. The clubs provide good food and social connection and so much more! We are currently managed by a part-time coordinator at Hackney CVS and grateful to London Borough of Hackney and for their continued funding and support.
Fife Council, Scotland
Fife Council is Scotland's 3rd largest local authority (from 32) with around 15,000 employees.
Along with the many frontline/essential services we deliver is Lunch Clubs, which typically takes place across our Care Homes and Sheltered Housing/Supported Accommodation complexes. This brings some of the most vulnerable and elderly in our communities together to eat healthy nutritious food, and to interact with each other, which helps reduce isolation and all supports health & wellbeing.
Monmouthshire County Council, Wales Mardy Park is a community hub in Monmouthshire, it is an Integrated Service comprising of social care and health staff. It has a variety of lunch clubs that operate 7 days per week, benefiting people who type to stay at Mardy Park, volunteers, and the third sector. Offering nutritious and tasty home cooked food, with a varied menu that can adapt to dietary needs.
Health & Independent Living Support, West Sussex Health & Independent Living Support (HILS) delivers meals to lunch clubs across Hertfordshire and West Sussex, as well as running several of our own clubs in Hertfordshire. Attendees choose from our extensive menu with options suitable for a range of dietary needs and preferences. Shared meals bring people together and reduce isolation, as well as providing affordable nutrition, access to informal advice, and a gateway to other services.
If you're hosting a lunch club or day centre to celebrate Meals on wheels week, please do let us know and share what you are doing on social media, using the hashtags below and don't forget to tag us!
SPREAD THE WORD THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA The use of social media is a powerful way for us to raise awareness and reach vital decision makers. We encourage all to share what you are doing on these channels or send to the NACC, and we will share on your behalf. The NACC will also be posting a lot on the week itself, and we urge all on social media to please 'like' and 'share' those messages, so together we can make a difference.
When posting your activities over this week, don't forget to tag us using the below channels & hashtags:
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