FEARS over the future of Whitchurch and Prees Meals on Wheels service have been expressed.
At last week’s Whitchurch and Prees Local Joint Committee held on Wednesday in Tilstock, volunteers explained their confusion over the state of the service.
Prees resident Peter Owen, whose wife volunteers for the service, says that there have been no new Meals on Wheels customers signed up since January, despite the fact they know there are vulnerable people who are asking to join the service.
Peter said: “Since the beginning of January they have not accepted any new people to go on Meals on Wheels, what is happening to the people that need them?
“They are being left out in the cold.”
Peter said the service was vital to the vulnerable people in the community.
He said: “Its not just a case of delivering the meals and walking away. They have to open the meals and prepare them et cetera.”
Peter believes that the service is being wound down by Shropshire Council to save money.
“These people making decisions, do they really know what effect it has?” Peter asked.
A Shropshire Council spokesperson said that a group has been established to look at the future of the service.
In a statement the council said: “A group has been put in place to look into the way the meals on wheels service is currently delivered throughout Shropshire.
“The group, which is made up of dedicated experts and support teams that work closely with those who receive community meals, are working together to consider the best way to deliver the service in the future.
“As part of this, the group are looking at the current arrangements for meals on wheels, the needs of local people receiving the meals and how these could be met in the best way for those people.”
A public meeting on the issue will take place next Monday, July 26, at the Shirehall in Shrewsbury, starting at 2.30pm.
Chair of the group, Councillor Heather Kidd, said: “We understand and appreciate community meals is an important part of some people’s lives, which is why we are holding these inclusive meetings with our partners to look at the best way of supporting those people.”