Ceiriog Valley volunteers rally together to deliver roast dinners to those in self isolation

A team of volunteers in the Ceiriog Valley have rallied round to prepare, cook and deliver 100 roast beef dinners to those self isolating.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic there were two lunch clubs operating fortnightly – one at the Oliver Jones Memorial Hall, Dolywern and a second at the Ceiriog Christian Centre, Glyn Ceiriog.

A discussion between the volunteers led to the Christian Centre volunteers applying for and receiving a £1000 grant from AVOW and an offer to prepare and cook the meals came from Ted & Anne Johnston.

Mr & Mrs Johnston cooked the food at the recently refurbished kitchen at the Oliver Jones Memorial Hall and packed them into microwaveable containers with help from Andrew Pearce, Trevor Bates and Sarah Bates.

The first two batches were delivered on Friday, May 22 to Llanarmon DC and Tregeiriog by Jane Claybrook and Anne Lloyd Morris, then Rowena Lewis and Adrian Richards delivered to Glyn Ceiriog and Glyntraian deliveries were handled by Agnes Roberts, Darren Eccleston, Peter Cassidy, Ian Masters, Graham Barrow, and Edith Jones.

Glyntraian Community Agent Davena Davies said: “It was amazing, Ted and Anne spent hours peeling and preparing vegetables, the meals were packed and delivered within an hour.

“I have had so many people phone to say how pleased they were with their dinner.”

County Councillor Trevor Bates added: “I have a list of 50 people offering to help with delivering groceries, prescriptions and meals but there are so many neighbours buddying up to help one another that we have only needed to call on a handful, such is the spirit of our residents.

“It was also great to see the three Community Agents working together as a team on this.”