No breaks on meals on wheels for Tower Hamlets contract caterers over Christmas

Staff are gearing up for their busiest time of the year at Tower Hamlets Council’s meals on wheels contract services team—the big Christmas break.

They are set to dish out festive hot lunches to pensioners, the disabled, housebound and those recently discharged from hospital.

Dennis Plunkett, 78, is a service user who has had meals arriving at his home for 16 years, since suffering a stroke in 2001.

He is one of 190 people in the borough who get hot meals every day from the service that caters for all dietary requirements including vegetarian, halal, kosher and anything specific.

Cllr Denise Jones, cabinet member for adults services, said: “Answering the door to receive their meal is often the only chance some people have to chat and interact with someone during the day.”

The team of cooks and kitchen assistants is delivering a meal and a gift voucher on Christmas Day and throughout the festive holidays.

Another 820 meals are sent out every month to day centres like Riverside on the Isle of Dogs, Russia Lane in Bethnal Green, Appian Court in Bow and Day Opportunities in Stepney.

An additional 130 meals a day are freshly prepared in the kitchens of the Stepney centre for people in neighbouring Shoreditch and Hackney.