A major milestone has been achieved by Northumberland Freemasons as they delivered their 3000th Sunday lunch as part of the Masonic Meals on Wheels Service community initiative.
The Masonic Meals on Wheels Service began in Ashington in South East Northumberland at the start of lockdown with just a few recipients and now averages 100 meals per week being delivered to vulnerable and isolated members of lodges and their families.
The service has now just extended to Hexham and is growing week by week with meals being delivered from Morpeth in the north to Ashington, Bedlington and North Shields in the south. Each delivery includes soup and a traditional Sunday roast with more than 30 volunteer drivers helping out every Sunday.
Organised by Freemasons Paul Dunning and Jim Grant, the free “Meals on Wheels” service isn’t simply about delivering meals, it’s about connecting people who perhaps don’t see anyone else during the week and letting them know that others care about them.
The 3000th meal was delivered to Ivy Rogers at her home in Ashington by freemason Ely Turnbull. She also received a bunch of flowers to mark the occasion. Ivy said, “I’m so grateful for my lovely meal every week, it’s great to see the young men who deliver it and I look forward to getting it, they do a great job to help people like me.”
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