Meals on Wheels has been around for almost 60 years, but it could not operate for one day without the volunteers that deliver about 40,000 meals in this city each year.

The program started in the United Kingdom during the Second World War, and then in South Melbourne in 1952, but it took another year to make its presence felt here in Bendigo.

Each day, a generous and willing army of more than 200 hardworking volunteers deliver Meals on Wheels in the City of Greater Bendigo.

They also provide those who receive the meals with important social interaction and engagement – an especially valuable service in an increasingly antisocial society.

Meals on Wheels also helps residents retain their independence, thereby reducing the strain upon health services and aged-care facilities across our community.

The pressure upon programs such as Meals and Wheels continues to grow each year, not just because of demand, but because it is becoming increasingly difficult for local government to maintain many services due to cost shifting by other levels of government.

This cannot be sustained, nor should we allow it to be. The issues associated with our rapidly ageing population must be funded before they escalate into something too difficult to fix.