Express & Star

Wolverhampton service providing the vulnerable with hot meals

A community support network has continued its service helping provide vulnerable households with a hot meal.

Published
Cllr Sandra Samuels and Cllr Zee Russell pose with Pat McFaffen MP, Mecca bingo staff and ASAN volunteers during the meal preparation event

The All Saints Action Network (ASAN) has been working during the coronavirus pandemic to provide support services to residents in Wolverhampton, with a particular focus in the Ettingshall area.

Alongside the support and help the network has provided, it has also continued to provide food donations to families across Ettingshall and the surrounding area.

This has seen members of the network come together to cook and deliver meals, with an event on Saturday, May 23, working to produce more than 200 roast dinners for residents.

ASAN members were joined in their efforts by Councillor Zee Russell, who helped co-ordinate the event with sponsors Mecca Bingo, Councillor Sandra Samuels, and Wolverhampton South-East MP Pat McFadden.

Councillor Russell said the network had been able to put on the meals after a donation of 50 chickens from Malik's butchers in Bilston and spoke about what it meant to be able to provide the meals.

She said: "I just think it's amazing and it's nice to show we do care and are trying to make a difference because that's what we should be doing.

"It warms my heart to see people coming together and wanting to make a difference as this is everybody trying to help our city, to make it a better place and feed those who actually need it as well."

Councillor Russell said the involvement of Pat McFadden had been a real boost to the members and spoke about their reaction to him being there.

Delighted

She said: "They were delighted to see him there as they can sometimes feel overlooked, so I think it really boosted their morale that they're doing something good.

"It's just nice to have that little bit of recognition and Pat was really good as he spoke to all the ladies."

Mr McFadden also spoke about the work ASAN was doing and offered his thanks to the other groups helping during the pandemic.

He said: "I want to pay tribute to the fantastic work that ASAN have been doing supporting vulnerable households in Wolverhampton South East through this crisis.

"I also want to thank Mecca and other local businesses for their generosity towards the community groups that are really making a difference through this difficult time."

To find out more about ASAN and the work in the community, go to asan.org.uk