Meals on Wheels in Russell
Living in our beautiful Russell area and finding it a bit tricky to prepare or get meals? Our local Meals on Wheels service is here to lend a hand! Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ (Te Tai Tokerau/Northern Region) supports this service to help people in our community eat well.
Delivered by Locals, for Locals
Every Monday, Northland Ferries brings pre-selected frozen meals to the Russell wharf. Then, our wonderful team of local volunteer drivers, who live right here between Russell and Okiato, picks up the meals from the Bay Belle ferry skipper. They deliver these meals directly to the homes of everyone in our community who’s signed up. Our dedicated Russell volunteers have been proudly delivering meals for over 20 years!
Could Meals on Wheels Help You?
This service might be right for you if one or more of these situations apply:
- Age: You’re an older adult finding it difficult to cook meals safely by yourself.
- Health: You have a long-term health condition, or you’re temporarily unwell (like recovering from surgery or illness), making meal preparation hard.
- Disability: You have a physical or cognitive disability that makes grocery shopping or cooking challenging.
- Support: You don’t currently have enough help from whānau (family), caregivers, or other community services with your meals.
How to Get Started (Referrals)
Getting Meals on Wheels is straightforward. The most important step is that the person who will receive the meals agrees to the referral first.
Referrals can be made by:
- Yourself!
- Family or whānau
- Your GP (Doctor)
- Health Coaches
- Other Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ services
- Community groups
To make a referral, please contact the BOI Hospital Health Social Work team:
- Email: BOISocialWorkers@northlanddhb.org.nz
- Phone: 0800 674 974 (then press *2)
What Happens After a Referral?
- Once the Social Work team receives the referral, a Health Social Worker will get in touch to arrange a friendly visit to your home.
- During the visit, they’ll chat with you about your needs to see if Meals on Wheels is a good fit (this is the assessment).
- If you meet the criteria, they’ll help you with the next steps to start receiving your meal deliveries.
Is There a Cost?
Yes, there is a small charge for the meals. The service is subsidised to keep the cost down. You pay your contribution easily via direct debit around the 20th of each month. Don’t worry about the paperwork – the Social Worker will help you complete it during the assessment visit.
Ready to Find Out More or Sign Up?
If you think Meals on Wheels could make life easier for you or someone you care about, please contact the Russell Medical Centre at 09 407 0690. They can guide you on the next steps.
