Cheshire East to meet elderly residents over meals service closure

The council sent a letter to residents at Oakmere in Handforth and Willowmere in Middlewich at the end of October saying its school catering service, which provides the meals, is closing and it proposes to wind down its operations at the two extra care facilities on January 3.

Many of the residents living in the flats, some with dementia or physical disabilities, rely on the restaurant for their main meal, which costs them £6 a day.

But Cheshire East is making a loss on the school catering service and says it can no longer afford to subsidise it.

Helen Charlesworth- May (Image: Cheshire East Council) Two weeks ago, Helen Charlesworth-May, executive director of adults, health and integration, told councillors: “There is absolutely no reason why the council should subsidise some people's meals simply because they live in an extra care setting rather than living in another form of accommodation.

“However, people are used to having a meal service provided from the buildings, so we are looking at what those options might be.”

On Thursday (December 5) council officers are visiting Willowmere and Oakmere to update residents on a possible alternative provision.

Cllr Julie Smith (Image: Cheshire East Council) But Handforth councillor Julie Smith (Non-grouped), who has been supporting the residents, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “I believe we are letting down some of the most vulnerable members of our community who are now worrying about how they will manage going forward.”

She added: “Many people chose Oakmere because of the facilities offered, which included a subsidised restaurant which was open to both Oakmere residents and the wider community to enjoy.”

The same is true of Willowmere at Middlewich.

Willowmere Extra Care, Middlewich (Image: Google) The council sent a questionnaire to all residents at both extra care facilities about future meal provision.

The survey asked about four potential options for the future, ranging from a service similar to the current provision, to closure.

Eighty eight per cent of respondents from Handforth said they would prefer an option similar to the service provided now.

Seventy five per cent from Middlewich gave the same answer.

The elderly residents at both facilities said the main things that mattered to them was the availability of healthy, nutritious meals.

And they said the restaurant encouraged social interaction, as well as promoting independence and wellbeing.

Oakmere Extra Care at Handforth (Image: Google) Some of the residents are no longer able to cook for themselves and have told the LDRS it would cost more than £100 a week to have carers cook for them every day.

One elderly woman at Oakmere, who recently suffered a stroke and whose hands are crippled with arthritis, cried as she said she could no longer cook her own meals.

And her friend broke down in tears as she told how her husband was on end-of-life care and relied on his restaurant meals, which are delivered to him in the flat by his carer.

Mrs Charlesworth-May said there will be an ‘interim’ service at both facilities until the end of March 2025, when the council hopes to have found a more ‘permanent solution’.

Residents hope to find out more on Thursday.