FRANKSTON Meals on Wheels team leader Peter Ward can’t speak highly enough of his 156-plus volunteers. “They never let you down,” he said last week.
“They are a wonderful bunch. They are vigilant and dedicated to the welfare of their clients.
“Some have been here 25 years.”
Based at its Beach St headquarters, the meals service cooks 220-250 meals each day for distribution to mainly elderly clients living all over Frankston city.
But it’s not just appetites that are looked after – the volunteers “keep an eye” on their appreciative charges; noting who’s not feeling well, or who could do with some extra care or assistance.
“They are our first line of defence,” Mr Ward said. “They get to know their clients well and, in the event that something happens to one of them, they follow up with someone who can help them, such as notifying their next of kin.”
The day’s activities are well planned and run like clockwork: the shifts run 6-8am, then 9-11.30am and then the “cleaning shift” arrives to sanitise the well-worn carry containers, cleans kitchen benches and empties rubbish and dishwater from 11am-1.30pm.
Clients certainly don’t go hungry. From Monday to Thursday they enjoy four-course meals and, on Fridays, three course meals as well as frozen meals to cover the weekends and public holidays.
Everything is cooked fresh and Mr Ward, who’s been involved for 18 years, takes pride in saying that Frankston’s Meals on Wheels service is one of the few in Melbourne where everything is cooked and prepared right here.
Bon appetit!
