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A venerable institution helping the vulnerable


Meals on Wheels South Australia, 1962. [Image: State Library of SA].

The last Wednesday in August marks National Meals on Wheels Day!


It's 66 years since the service first commenced in Australia.


It originated in the UK soon after the Blitz (WWII), when many people lost their homes and the facilities to cook their own food.


In its earliest guise, even prams were used to transport the meals, while everything from straw bales to old felt hats made sure it all arrived hot.


A decade later, in 1953, Doris Taylor MBE, founded MoW Australia in SA, the first meals delivered the following year.

MoW SA, kitchen opening, guests inc. Don Dunstan [Image: State Library of SA].

In NSW, the service commenced in 1957, instigated by the Sydney City Council. In the first week, 150 meals were served for inner city dwellers, cooked in the Town Hall kitchen.


MoW Queanbeyan will celebrate its semi-centenary in 2020. 




Country-wide, it's one of 740 branches, with almost 80,000 volunteers, caring for more than 100,000 older Australians and people with disabilities.

Locally, it deliver meals and provides social interaction throughout the Queanbeyan-Palerang region, as well as holding a weekly lunch for senior citizens.


And anyone who can lend a hand is warmly welcomed.


"Research shows that home-delivered meal programs significantly improve diet quality, increase nutrient intakes, reduce food insecurity and improve quality-of-life among the recipients."



MoW delivery case, c1956. https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/58294297d0cdd12a1cad5520

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