Since 2012, the number of people experiencing hunger has risen in Swansea.
This can be a particular problem for older people: Evidence from the National Nutrition Screening Survey suggests that an estimated 1.3 million people aged over 65 in the UK are not getting adequate protein or energy in their diet, with 33% of people in this age group identified as being at risk of under-nutrition on admission to hospital.
To tackle this growing problem and support residents to access nutritious and affordable food, Swansea Council, in partnership with Pobl, has recently launched a new meals service for older people.
The service runs from kitchens at Llys y Werin, our Extra Care scheme in Gorseinon and provides freshly cooked, nutritionally balanced, and tasty meals to Extra Care residents and Day Service users and a ‘pilot’ meals delivery service will follow for residents living in SA4 and SA5 postcode areas.
Linda Craven, Registered Manager at Llys y Werin said
“We are pleased to be working together with the Council’s Food and Growing Team on the new Food Enterprise. The partnership is enabling us to offer an excellent choice of nutritious, healthy food to our tenants and people who visit our Day Centre. And we’re really excited to be involved in the future development of the meals service, delivering food freshly made here at Llys y Werin to those in the local community who may not currently have access to a balanced meal.”
Will Evans, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities said, “The kitchen at Llys Y Werin provides a great opportunity for the development of the new Food Enterprise and we are really pleased to be working with Pobl on this project. A number of older people living independently in Swansea will benefit from the provision of a new meals delivery service, and the Food Enterprise will assist a number of the Council’s priorities including, safeguarding vulnerable people from harm, tackling poverty and supporting the transformation of Council services to ensure sustainability for the future”.
The home meals delivery service will be available to residents living at sheltered accommodation sites in the SA4 & SA5 areas from mid-November.
