Portlaoise Meals on Wheels urgently seek volunteers 

A PUBLIC meeting in Portlaoise Parish Centre will discuss the absence of a Meals on Wheels service in the town since June 2023.

The meeting, which is scheduled for Monday 3 March at 7.30pm, will discuss how to address the lack of this vital service in the town. Attendees will include local councillors, TDs and representatives of the National Meals on Wheels Network.

Under the umbrella of Irish Rural Link (IRL), the National Meals on Wheels Network was established in 2015 with the aim of providing assistance to Meals on Wheels organisations and support people who require services to maintain optimum health and independence with strong life-extending possibilities.

Meals on Wheels is an essential frontline community service, with providers around the country delivering meals to the elderly and vulnerable. The underfunded sector is currently experiencing significant service gaps across the country, with Portlaoise being one of these areas. The sector is heavily reliant on volunteers to aid in the delivery of the service.

The organisers of next month’s meeting would greatly appreciate any volunteers who can spare some time to assist this service. Your support would be invaluable in ensuring its success. For more information, please call 087 9355761.

The National Meals on Wheels Network supports 306 providers, which deliver more than 2.7 million meals to over 160,000 people annually. For more information, go to https://mealsonwheelsnetwork.ie/