After months of operating on a wing and a prayer, Bega Valley Meals on Wheels has moved over to a new food storage system. The existing cool room at the Meals on Wheels base in Bega is at least 15 years old and has failed twice in the last 12 months costing the not-for-profit organisation thousands of dollars.

Bega Valley Meals on Wheels Manager, David Atkins says four new 1,500 litre freezers brings piece of mind to the important community work the organisation does. “In one instance we lost $10,000 worth of food over a weekend, that was just devastating,” Mr Atkins says. “With the support of IMB and Bega Cheese that is unlikely to happen again.”

The project to replace the old cool room is estimated to have cost over $25,000. Grants totaling $15,000 from Bega Cheese and $10,000 from IMB Bank have been key in getting the job done before any other significant losses occurred. “Our existing infrastructure is past its best and had become temperamental and unpredictable, the generosity of IBM and Bega Cheese puts that in the past,” Mr Atkins says.

Meals on Wheels delivers 24,000 meals across the Bega Valley each year, good deeds that extend from Bermagui to the Victorian Border. From the new bank of freezers in Bega, meals are distributed to smaller freezers around the shire for collection and distribution by volunteer delivery drivers to people who are frail, unwell, isolated, or living with disabilities.

“This new system also increases our capacity and allows us to be more flexible and offer more to the community, especially NDIS clients.” Mr Atkins says.

The community and media are invited to attend the grand opening of the new freezers on

Wednesday 28th of February at 12.00 Midday
Bega Valley Meals on Wheels – The Toussaints Centre
101 – 103 Bega Street

Please RSVP to David Atkins on 6492 4146 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.