A WOMAN who runs a Rhyl bistro and bar and her own catering company is now providing special lunches and dinners delivered to the homes of people who have suffered strokes.

Michelle Mellor, owner of The Lounge Bar, took on the Denbighshire-wide “meals on wheels” service, which provides meals to homes of the elderly, vulnerable and housebound throughout the county, in 2022.

As part of this service, she has launched a range of “Super Smooth” meals, which are cooked before being “blended down” to make them easier to eat for those who are recovering from strokes.

Options include pasta dishes with vegetables, fish and parsley sauce, chicken dishes, minced beef hot pots, and minted lamb casserole.

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Rhyl bistro and bar owner takes on Denbighshire’s 'mobile meals' service

Michelle said: “We started getting requests for people who’ve had strokes – we’ve been working with speech therapists, who asked if we can do this for them.

“It’s just so that they can still enjoy a tasty meal, and still get their nutrients. Only one person has tried it so far, but she’s got a lot out of it.

“She’s absolutely loving the meals and is finding them really tasty, so it’s encouraging her to really love food again.”

Michelle opened The Lounge Bar in November 2022, having previously been based at Harrisons Bistro & Bar, on Wellington Road, from June 2021.

Having helped out with a similar scheme at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michelle said she feels honoured to fully take on the “meals on wheels” service.

It now serves lunchtime and dinner meals, and has been extended to cover parts of Conwy and Flintshire, too.

She added: “We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from people’s doctors, saying that their mental health and illnesses have improved, so people are coming on leaps and bounds.

“We also drop off leaflets about the service at community centres and doctor’s surgeries, in case elderly people who don’t use the internet can find out about us.

“It’s not just for elderly people – we have quite a few people who live on their own, or who may have lost their partners who did all of their cooking, and it’s no problem for us to take them on.

“It helps saves money and food waste, and there’s also the social aspect of the drivers going in and having a chat with them, so they’re meeting people every day.”

You can find out more about Michelle’s “meals on wheels” service by emailing mickyspccmobilemeals@gmail.com, or by visiting The Lounge Bar, 84 West Parade, Rhyl.