Funding for two new vans for Offaly Meals on Wheels

The Meals on Wheels programme in Offaly has been granted funding to purchase two electric vans for meal deliveries.

The funding of €64,000 has been allocated to Offaly Integrated Local Development Company Limited by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, as part of a €1.5 million funding announcement for 34 Social Enterprise projects nationwide.

Welcoming the allocation, Senator Pippa Hackett said: “This is a wonderful funding announcement, not only for Meals on Wheels but for the environment: We all know Meals on Wheels teams do more than deliver meals, they ‘keep an eye’ and have a friendly word with some of the most vulnerable and potentially the loneliest of our communities, these meals will now arrive with a lower carbon footprint.

“Well done to all who contributed to this application for funding and to the wonderful teams behind the meals.

Minister Humphreys said that under the Scaling Up Fund, social enterprises will be supported in carrying out a number of capital projects, including the purchase of vehicles, as well as refurbishment and improvement works at their premises.

The fund will also support a number of Social Enterprises in carrying out

Announcing the funding today, Minister Humphreys said: “This investment will be transformative.”

Minister Humphreys announced the successful projects during her keynote speech at the Fourth Annual Social Enterprise Conference in Dublin.