A SIZEABLE donation has been made to a mobile food service keeping the most vulnerable people in Wrexham fed during the pandemic.

North Wales Freemasons have donated £9,500 to support Nightingale House Hospice’s Meals Matter program, an innovative food service by the award-winning team at Caffi Cwtch.

The service was launched to support some of the most vulnerable people in the Wrexham area - as well as those that are simply following government guidelines and staying at home - by delivering meals to their homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

Together with the chefs from Caffi Cwtch, the team is supported by a small number of volunteers that are working hard and giving up their time to take the phone orders, help in the kitchen and deliver the food.

The grant from North Wales Freemasons comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales to support Nightingale House with the service and enables them to continue to provide the Meals Matter program for around three months during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Steve Parry, chief executive of Nightingale House, said: “We have already received excellent feedback on the Meals Matter service and the speedy delivery. We have also found the phone calls have been a good chance to speak to those who are self-isolating and may be feeling lonely, we may be the first person they have spoken to all week.

“I would like to offer my sincere thanks to North Wales Freemasons for their generous support at this most difficult time for our community.”

John Hoult, head of North Wales Freemasons, said: “I visited Nightingale House Hospice before the COVID-19 crisis and was impressed by their first-class facilities. The warmth of the welcome from all the staff and volunteers highlighted why this is clearly a special place within the local community. I am delighted to see our significant support for this vital project and wish everyone at the hospice well with their new Meals Matter initiative.”

The donation was coordinated through the Covid-19 Response Group, which was formed by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) as an emergency structure in response to Covid-19. Its purpose is to work together to deliver life-changing initiatives to those in need.