Work is underway to get the Meals on Wheels' commercial kitchen in Otho Street back operational and producing nutritious meals for vulnerable members of the community.

Since 2015 Inverell Meals on Wheels has outsourced the production of its daily dinners for more than 90 local clients but with demand for the service increasing dramatically in recent years the viability of operating their own commercial kitchen is once again back on the cards.

To make the kitchen sustainable long-term the board has looked at ways to reduce overheads, one of which is offsetting its power bill which will be significant once the ovens fire back up.

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On a visit to the site this week, Northern Tablelands MP, Adam Marshall announced a $20,000 State Government grant to install a 20 kilowatt solar power system to off-set expensive energy costs.

"A 20 kilowatt grid, connected three-phase solar system, will give the service the financial buffer it needs. Being able to cook on site will offer Meals on Wheels greater quality control, flexibility with delivery, and ensure the individual dietary needs of customers are managed," Mr Marshall said.

"Meals on Wheels is an important social service and I hope the return of the kitchen gives the Inverell arm the flexibility it needs to expand its reach into the future."

Inverell Meals on Wheels president, Aileen Roberts, said it was fantastic to be able to return to their own premises and provide essential meals and support in the community.

"It is our vision to provide a meal service that assists the aged and disabled members of our town to access ready-to-eat nutritious meals and to support them to live the life they want to live," Mrs Roberts said.

"We know from research that nutrition in the elderly plays a significant part in overall health status and malnutrition leads to increased risks of falls, greater likelihood of illness and hospitalisation.

"Not to mention the visits from our volunteers give us the opportunity to check a client's wellbeing on a regular basis.

"The installation of the solar system will enable us to expand our services and offer cooking classes and meal preparation advice to the community.

"Annually we provide 28,000 meals, and in order to maintain that output from Otho Street we will have to hire a part-time qualified chef and kitchen hand.

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"Local contractors are supplying and installing the solar system and we anticipate the project to be completed in late January 2022, with the hope of bringing the kitchen back online mid-2022.

"On behalf of our board, volunteers and clients I thank Adam and the State Government for their support."

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