Coronavirus West Berkshire: Newbury Racecourse becomes Meals on Wheels hub to help feed vulnerable
'Newbury Racecourse will enable us to scale up the operation to meet the demand'
A MEALS on wheels hub has been set up at Newbury Racecourse to provide food for the most vulnerable and elderly people in West Berkshire during the Covid-19 crisis.
The racecourse has teamed up with Age Concern Newbury & District and Swift Couriers to create the hub in a contained and dedicated area.
The hub will use available kitchens and chefs at the racecourse to support the escalating number of vulnerable people who require the service.
The racecourse has also donated £1,000 worth of food from its existing supplies.
Newbury Racecourse chief executive Julian Thick said: “There is a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety around current Covid-19 pandemic.
“We want to play our part as much as we possibly can for the most vulnerable groups within our local community and have the resource and extensive space here at the racecourse to allow us to assist with a coordinated and safe response to the unprecedented situation we all find ourselves in.
“Working closely with the team at Age Concern Newbury & District and Swift Couriers, as well as the West Berkshire CCG, hopefully we can ease some of the pressure on the current services across the district and provide much larger quantities of meals to the most vulnerable and have waived all site fees during this period.
“Huge thanks must go to all my own team, many of whom have volunteered to help with the relief efforts.”
Chefs from the Fair Close Centre, run by Age Concern Newbury & District, and the racecourse have joined forces to prepare hot nutritious meals up to seven days a week.
Age Concern Newbury & District has delivered meals on wheels in the district for more than 50 years.
The hub will provide a safe solution, scrutinised by Healthwatch West Berkshire in consultation with West Berkshire Council adult social care and public health, to upscale its operation.
The charity’s volunteer drivers are DBS checked and they will also receive training developed by Healthwatch.
Age Concern Newbury & District chief executive James Wilcox said: “The Fair Close Centre currently provides a very popular meals on wheels service to many vulnerable individuals, but we have seen this number more than double in the last two weeks.
“It is imperative that we provide proper safeguarding for all those entitled to the service as demand increases.
“Wherever possible, we will provide hot nutritious meals.
“We know for many, this will be the only meal they eat in 24 hours.
“We will also support with snack packs for the evening.
“Newbury Racecourse will enable us to scale up the operation with the use of their kitchens, chefs and staff to meet the demand.
“It is amazing to see the response of so many businesses, charities and volunteers in our area.”
Swift Couriers, based in Hambridge Lane, is making technology and support available to optimise delivery routes.
It has also pledged to provide vans to deliver snack packs to outlying areas to help the most district’s vulnerable people.
Efforts will support and be supported by the Coronavirus Emergency Appeal launched by the Greenham Trust.
Swift Couriers group managing director Adrian Smith said: “These are unprecedented times and therefore we must all pull together to look after those most vulnerable.
“At Swift Couriers, we are committed to working with all parties to be able to scale-up this operation and provide the relevant expertise and technologies where possible and draw from our greatest asset, our people and look forward to working alongside the team from Age Concern and Newbury Racecourse over the coming weeks.”
The Meals on Wheels service will continue to be a paid-for service, with orders made over the phone.
Those aged over 65 can call (01635) 40488 to order meals.
The lunchtime service will be extended to seven days a week as soon as possible.
Mr Wilcox thanked Swift Couriers for its support, saying: “Equally important is direct contact over the phone with individuals to also find out their current wellbeing.
“We are so grateful to Swift Couriers for their distribution and logistics expertise and support in processing the increased numbers.
The Greenham Trust has launched a public appeal on its charitable funding platform, The Good Exchange, and pledged to match up to £100,000 of funding for donations received via the platform.
The appeal currently stands at £177,755
For every £1 raised, Greenham Trust will match £1 to support local charities that require additional help during these unprecedented times and will go to help those charities and volunteer organisations supporting those most urgently in need.
To donate money or apply for a grant, visit The Good Exchange link here
For further information on West Berkshire’s response to the coronavirus, click here
A special Primary Care Hub has also been set up at Newbury Racecourse for local people showing symptoms of coronavirus, but not needing immediate hospital treatment.
The specially-adapted and contained area will be at the racecourse’s east entrance, away from the Meals on Wheels operation.
Newbury Racecourse has waived site fees for the Primary Care Hub, NHS Blood sessions and Meals on Wheels hub during this period.
