Bristol Community Meals is a food delivery and wellbeing check service for all residents who can't prepare food or don't have time to cook.
You can arrange meal delivery for you or someone else and you don't need a referral from social services or a doctor.
Bristol Community Meals offers:
- freshly cooked hot or frozen meals
- deliveries between 11.15am and 2pm
- deliveries every day or just on certain days
- deliveries for short periods of time such as holidays or when returning from hospital
- wellbeing checks to make sure you're safe and well
- an all year round service including weekends and bank holidays, except on Christmas Day when food is delivered the day before
Drivers will try their best to deliver your meals in extreme weather conditions, but normal delivery times may not apply.
You can watch the Benefits of Meals on Wheels video (Youtube) for an overview of the Bristol Community Meals service. This also includes interviews with staff and some service users.
Our meals meet all dietary, cultural, religious and medical needs such as:
- traditional English
- low fat
- low salt
- gluten free
- reduced sugar
- pureed
- high-calorie
- allergen free
- vegetarian
- ethnic
- halal
You can choose between three main meal options every day.
Our meals follow a 21 day cycle, meaning you won't get the same meal twice, unless you ask for it. You can ask not to have something or have the same meal every day.
You can also get:
- breakfast, delivered the day before with your main meal
- sandwich packs and snacks
- one-off hospital discharge packs with essentials such as bread, milk, sugar and cereals
Wellbeing checks are free as part of our main meal delivery service.
All drivers have an ID badge. They're fully vetted and will have had an enhanced DBS check Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about#disclosure-checks-dbs-checks (opens new window). They also have first aid, dementia awareness and customer care training.
Types of check they can do:
- a visual check of the outside of the property
- safety checks to remove potential hazards
- making sure central heating is on, if needed
- looking for any change to you and your environment
If the driver finds a problem, they'll get in touch with a family member or emergency services. If you're unwell and our driver is the first person at your home, they'll wait until family or the Emergency Services arrive before leaving.
If no one answers the door they'll call the customer service team who will:
- call your family or contact person
- contact your carer, if you have one
- call local hospitals to see if you've been admitted
- call the police or fire services to enter your home if they know you're in the house and need urgent help
If you don't want the customer service team to contact anyone, you'll need to sign a disclaimer form.
You can start getting set up with Bristol Community Meals by filling in the online form.
Arrange a hot meals delivery service
You can also:
- call 0117 903 1520 or 0117 903 1522, Monday to Sunday, 9am to 3pm
- email: community.meals@bristol.gov.uk
- download our pdf brochure (548 KB)