IN PICTURES: Meals on Wheels Narrogin celebrates 50 years of service, connecting and helping vulnerable groups

Volunteers from Meals on Wheels Narrogin gathered on Monday afternoon to honour 50 years of dedicated service and support for vulnerable community members.

About 40 past and present cooks, runners and receivers celebrated the milestone at Narrogin and District Senior Citizens Centre with afternoon tea and a commemorative cake.

Meals on Wheels is a Statewide community-based service that delivers nutritious meals prepared by commercial chefs and volunteers to the elderly and people with disability five days a week to help them keep their independence.

Beyond the hot meals, the service provides a crucial welfare check and social connection for those involved.

Established in Narrogin in July 1974 by Sister Mary Hancock, Meals on Wheels Narrogin has been running for five decades, with president Fran Alcock giving attendees a glimpse into the service’s history.

She spoke about special donations and committee members, and noted the original price for a meal was only 45¢.

Ms Alcock said it was amazing the community-run service had reached 50 years, and the establishment of the program and the seniors centre that followed from it were crucial developments in the community’s social fabric.

“There’s a lot of organisations that don’t last that long, but we all believe in Mary’s dream of this senior centre,” she said.

“People that do volunteer work, they don’t really rely on money. You do it because you want to help someone.”