Co-ordinated by Age Concern's Janet Lewis, volunteer drivers for Meals on Wheels go out every day to deliver hot, nourishing meals to people all over Whanganui.
To get a taste of what happens, Midweek's Paul Brooks went along for the ride.
With Janet driving the Age Concern car, the first stop was the Whanganui Hospital kitchen to pick up the meals and a clipboard with addresses and instructions. Janet's the one who takes a new driver out on their first run. Age Concern has 120 volunteer drivers.
"You've got to enjoy doing it," she says. "A lot are friends doing it, so they do the run then go for coffee or lunch afterwards."
We parked at a loading bay and other vehicles joined us. The runs, instructions and meals are organised by Larissa, who works in the huge hospital kitchen complex. Janet rattled off a list of people who regularly do a run, including Te Oranganui, both funeral directors, a real estate agent and others who give their time freely. Larissa says they prepare between 50 and 65 meals a day, at the moment. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are the busiest, with Friday including frozen meals for the weekend.
The food is packed in polystyrene containers – one for main meals, one for desserts – with some being named for those with special dietary requirements and others being standard hot meals with dessert. The hot food is delivered in foil containers with a cardboard top.
The menu changes frequently.
Meal recipients are referred by the hospital, a doctor or social worker. The cost is minimal, being subsidised by the DHB. Janet says there are those, perhaps recently discharged from hospital, who receive the meals for a short while, but there are others who are long term.