6th July saw the launch of the rebranded Community Meals Service in Blaenau Gwent including the unveiling of their new electric vehicles funded in part through Welsh Government grant funding.
The Community Meals service has been managed within the Social Services department of the Council since April 2020 and provides a daily hot meal to over 160 vulnerable adults living in BG. In addition to the hot meals, the service can provide frozen meals for weekends and daily afternoon tea options which include home baked cakes and freshly made sandwiches, salads and pastries. The service has undergone several operational changes since 2020 as part of a move to a more sustainable service. Staff from across the Community Options team are constantly looking at new options to provide support in our communities. More recently it has purchased 4 electric delivery vehicles as part of the Councils strategy to reduce carbon emissions.
The service has used the introduction of the new vehicles to develop an intergenerational cross curriculum project with year 7 and 8 learners from Abertillery Learning Community Secondary campus. The learners have worked alongside the staff in the Community Meals team to design and develop the new branding and logos for the service including designing the artwork on the new vans - ensuring that the vans are noticeable when out and about the streets of Blaenau Gwent.
The learners also came along to visit the Community Meals service so that they could fully understand the operation and the nutritional importance of the meals to the vulnerable adults living in the borough. In addition, they spent time with the Council transport team at the Central Depot in Brynmawr learning about the benefits of the service moving to electric vehicles and the impact on the environment. Staff from the Community Options service attended lessons at the school and met with the leaners to finalise the drawings which have finally been unveiled today.
Attending the unveiling Cllr Hayden Trollop (Cabinet member for Social Services) said, ‘’The Community Meals service is an important part of the preventative support that we offer to the most vulnerable people living in our community, helping them to stay independent at home. For some people, the delivery driver calling in each day is a welcome friendly face. It has been great to hear the intergenerational work that is ongoing between Abertillery Learning Community (ALC) and the Adult Services Social Services Team and I look forward to seeing the new vans in the streets of Blaenau Gwent’’.
Alun Davies MS for Blaenau Gwent added, ‘’There are many people in Blaenau Gwent who rely on meals on wheels and Community Meals offers an invaluable service of providing freshly prepared, hot and nutritious meals to those who need them. It is always encouraging to see the Blaenau Gwent community working together and I applaud the impressive rebranding of Community Meals by learners at Abertillery Learning Community. Along with the introduction of new electric vehicles, Community Meals is a great example of how we can sustainably look after our community’’.
If you or a family member are interested in finding out more of the support that the Community Meals service can provide or details of the support, we can offer to help people live independently at home including for example assistive technology solutions/ lifeline alarms, then please contact our Adult Service Information Advice and Assistance team on 01495 315700.