Meals pledge after supplier folds

Meals-on-wheels services mainly cater for elderly people

Councils across England have reassured thousands of meals-on-wheels customers that deliveries will continue despite the collapse of a major supplier.

Seven councils - Staffordshire, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Gateshead, Salford, St Helens and East Riding of Yorkshire - were hit by the collapse of Flowfood.

Administrator MCR said on Friday a buyer could not be found for the firm.

The local authorities made alternative arrangements over the weekend and many have now found new suppliers.

All 130 staff at Leeds-based Flowfood were made redundant when the company ceased production on Friday.

Staffordshire County Council is among authorities that have made alternative plans for its service which caters for people who are unable to cook for themselves.

'Robust arrangements'

The council, which caters for about 2,500 meal-on-wheels customers, said the firm it uses to deliver the meals had found another supplier.

"Meals-on-wheels customers in Staffordshire will continue to receive them as normal - there has been no disruption to service at all," a spokesman said.

And Milton Keynes Council said its Flowfood contract had supplied meals to 250 homes but a deal with a new firm would come into force on Tuesday.

Lynda Bull, corporate director of community well-being at the council, said staff had worked with administrators over the weekend to ensure deliveries continued.

"We are confident that robust arrangements are in place and people who need a meal delivered to them will continue to receive them," she said.

Flowood's sister companies Economy Kitchens and Laughton Bros, of Ashton-under-Lyme, Greater Manchester, also went into administration on Friday.