The taste test

7:50am Sunday 20th July 2008

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A GROUP set up to examine the issue of hot meal provision for elderly residents got a flavour of the food on offer.

Worcestershire County Council's meals provision for older and vulnerable adults scrutiny task group joined together for a special taster session at County Hall.

“I thought the tasting session was a very useful exercise to get everyone trying the meals and I am very interested in hearing what people have to say when all their comments are brought together."

Councillor Peter Pinfield, the task group chairman

The meeting gave members the chance to sample a selection of meals currently offered to Worcestershire residents by The Women's Royal Voluntary Service - WRVS.

The group currently delivers around 265,000 hot meals a year to those people eligible for the service around the county as part of a contract with the county council.

Representatives from Herefordshire and Worcestershire Age Concern, Worcestershire Pensioners Action Group and The Droitwich Spa Area Forum for Older People took up the invitation to take part in the session.

Everyone who participated was asked to fill in a questionnaire rating the food on appearance, taste and texture. Those results will now be discussed at the next task group meeting.

The group heard from county councillors Mary Drinkwater and Edward Sheldon, who reported their findings from a visit to a lunch club at Chelmsford Court, a sheltered housing complex in Worcester.

Councillor Jill Fairbrother-Millis also spoke about her visit to a Wyre Forest community housing lunch group at William Bullock Close, in Stourport.

Cllr Peter Pinfield, the task group chairman, said: "I thought the tasting session was a very useful exercise to get everyone trying the meals and I am very interested in hearing what people have to say when all their comments are brought together. We seem to be nearing the end of the research and fact-finding process and we will soon be in a position to begin compiling the final report. I am very much looking forward to handing our final outcomes and recommendations on to the cabinet for consideration." It is planned that a list of conclusions and recommendations for the future of the meals service will be put to the council's cabinet for consideration by September.