The service provides warm meals to the elderly and vulnerable
Portlaoise is facing its second Christmas without a Meals on Wheels service for the elderly and vulnerable people in the town.
The service that provided warm meals to those unable to cook for themselves ceased operating in Portlaoise in June of 2023, leaving between 25 and 27 service users without an alternative.
The HSE, Laois County Council, Laois Partnership and members of the National Meals on Wheels Network Development Team have all been working to try and restore the service. They have held meetings and secured the backing of over 30 local volunteers but they still need an organisation to take the lead and draw down funding.
National Meals on Wheels Network Development Officer Tracey Noone is acutely aware of the need for the service in Portlaoise. “It is vitally important that we get up and running,” she told the Leinster Express.
She wants to see the service back up in order to help elderly and vulnerable people in Portlaoise in the same way Meals on Wheels in Mountmellick, Borris-in-Ossory, Durrow and Portarlington is helping people.
“In the New Year we are going to have to revisit this and see if there are any community groups in the town that are willing to manage and co-ordinate the Meals on Wheels,” she said.
She praised the Laois Partnership who have offered some desk space and to help any group with the administration and funding application and she said Laois PPN have also been very helpful in an advisory role.
Social Inclusion Manager at Laois Partnership, Peter Ormond said “we need to get a group on board to facilitate the operation…we need a lead organisation to take it on.”
He said Portlaoise Meals on Wheels has a lot of support and the group doesn’t necessarily need a kitchen or cooking facilities. “In terms of providing the food there is loads of proposals,” he explained.
“There is lots of facilities and offers to provide the food. That’s not the issue. We need a community organisation to draw down the Section 39 funding,” he said.
Both Ms Noone and Mr Ormond are hopeful that they can find a local organisation willing to take on the management and running of the Meals on Wheels for Portlaoise in the New Year.
