Bathurst Meals on Wheels is to receive its first significant upgrades in 20 years after receiving a significant grant from the state government.
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Member for Bathurst Paul Toole made the announcement on Tuesday morning, with $293,414 on funds to go towards upgrading the kitchen and amenities at the Meals on Wheels’ headquarters on Watt Drive.
Mr Toole said the upgrades will allow the Meals on Wheels’ kitchens to produce more meals.
“Once completed, the works will allow for the continued and efficient support of an ever increasing number of highly depend clients,” he said.
“It’ll also enhance the organisation’s ongoing quality assurance program.
“The building’s amenities and some of the aging or overworked equipment in the kitchen and packaging/distribution areas really do need significant upgrades.”
Mr Toole said the improvements will address several operational risks identified in Meals on Wheels’ 2018-2020 strategic plan review.
The current Meals on Wheels building was constructed in 1997-98, using limited funds, volunteer labour and all possible cost-saving measures.
Bathurst Meals on Wheels director Colin Hope said the demand for the service critical and growing.
“That’s what happens with an ageing society,” he said.
“Improvements need to be made and I thank Paul Toole and the state government for there significant contribution.
“We’ll be buying larger ovens for the kitchen, so our capacity can be enhanced quite significantly.
“At the moment, we’re working really hard. The size of the ovens and even the mixers, they’re flat out all of the time.
“With the upgrades, preparation times won’t change. You’ve still got to cook potato at the same amount of time but increased capacity will allow us to cook more meals at the same time.”
Mr Hope said Meals on Wheels produces over 400,000 meals a year to towns all across the Central West, including Bathurst, Blayney, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange and even as far west as Lake Cargelligo.
“We couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers,” he said.
“We have over 200 clients in Bathurst alone.”
The grant to Meals on Wheels takes the state government’s second round of Stronger Country Communities funding to $300 million.
“The stronger Country Communities fund is part of the NSW Government’s $1.6 billion regional growth fund that is employing local tradies, putting local supplies to work and providing the right environment to operate regional businesses,” deputy premier John Barilaro said.