NEW ways of replacing the traditional meals on wheels service for people in their own homes in Pembrokeshire were showcased at County Hall recently.

The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) will no longer provide its meals on wheels service from October but a wide range of groups and organisation are stepping up to fill the gap.

Businesses providing hot, chilled and frozen meal delivery in different areas of the county recently joined community groups and support organisations to explain what they do.

Christine Harrison, head of strategic joint commissioning at Pembrokeshire County Council said the withdrawal of the RVS service was a chance to “look at things differently.”

The council will continue to work with RVS and its volunteers, Mrs Harrison said, while looking into what community services people could “tap into” while still ensuring they receive hot meals.

At the event were long established meal providers such as Andrew Rees from Langton Hall, who has been delivering food in the Fishguard, Goodwick, Scleddau and Letterston area for more than 16 years.

There were also newer ventures including Hayley Williams who left her full-time job to concentrate on her growing business i-Care Meals Pembrokeshire.

As well as hot meal delivery, Hayley also has a team of staff who can help with gardening, cleaning, prescription pick-ups and shopping.

A new venture for Fairfield Caterers was added by Russell and Rhoswen Robertson-Williams following the RVS news and the company now deliver chilled meals in north Pembrokeshire, south Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire borders.

But it’s not just about meal delivery. Other support includes helping people get out to lunches, coffee mornings and other events, assisting in skills improvement such as learning to cook, and just having time to spend longer with people on visits.

Bringing community services together are Community Connectors and PIVOT (Pembrokeshire Integrated Voluntary Organisation Team) with a plan to let residents know what is available to them over the coming weeks.

Mrs Harrison said demand for meals on wheels had dropped and the rurality impacted on delivery times with the initial news perceived as “terrible.”

“What can be creative and different about this? Pembrokeshire is such a vibrant place and has such strong community culture, we’ve got a real opportunity to develop some really lovely options and really support people,” she said.

“It’s about looking at what’s the reason why someone is not able to do for themselves and trying to be creative. That could be building confidence, taking people out and about, local support and a local community that starts to look after people.

“People can chose different options, it’s important that’s down to each individual. We are building a resource of what’s available in the community.”