A WOMAN who runs a Rhyl bistro and bar and her own catering company has taken on overseeing the “Meals on Wheels” service across Denbighshire.

Michelle Mellor, owner of Harrisons Bistro & Bar in Rhyl and Micky's Professional Catering Company, will help provide meals to homes of the elderly, vulnerable and housebound throughout the county.

Having helped out with a similar scheme at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michelle said she feels honoured to now fully take this on from the former providers, Easy Living Meals on Wheels.

She said: “It was through a daughter of one of the clients, who phoned me and made me aware. There was a lot of confusion, and people were upset and unsure where to go.... people have phoned me crying, desperate for that support locally.

“A lot of people have tried the big companies’ frozen meals, but they want a hot meal delivered. Some of them can’t use a microwave. I had that many people phoning me in the last week, begging me to help.

“I’m still based at Harrisons, but this is to help those people in the community, because they said there was no-one to replace that (old service).

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“I did it in the first lockdown – social services approached me, because I was doing afternoon teas, so they asked if could provide hot meals for people shielding, so I went and did it.

“We’ve got two drivers now, so that’s a bonus. One of them said she does 15-20 on a run every day, and was one of about six or seven drivers (for Easy Living), so it’s a lot of meals.

“I used to nurse anyway and work in residential, so I’ve got a good concept of the elderly and what they like, and their healthy, hearty meals.

“It’s definitely something we want to do – its breaking their hearts (not having a mobile food service). It’s the contact for the people, as well; if we’re going in and delivering, they’ve got that regular contact with us.”

Operating under the name “Micky’s Professional Catering Mobile Meals”, Michelle, with the aid of her two drivers, will help provide meals to residents in numerous parts of Denbighshire, with the scope to expand in future.

She added: “We don’t want to be running before we can walk. We’ll do Rhyl, Towyn, Abergele, Prestatyn, Rhuddlan, St Asaph and Dyserth for now, as well as a man in Henllan.

“It’s food tailored more to the elderly. They’ll have home-made meals like minted lamb casserole, cottage pie, beef with red wine; all of the classic favourites.”