A MEALS-ON-WHEELS type initiative is making its first deliveries in the Wee County this week.

The Meals @ The Gate service is offering three courses for £5, serving people over the age of 65 and delivering to their doorsteps in Clackmannanshire.

The good cause has been looking to introduce the idea for a few years now with the aim of creating an affordable and sustainable service in the area.

Food will be delivered by volunteers from The Gate, who will be keen to have a chat with people in a bid to not just reduce isolation, but to check on their wellness and welfare.

Jilly Guild, chief officer at The Gate, told the Advertiser: "The idea is that eventually we are going to start a lunch club, so the meals-on-wheels type service will continue, but we will introduce a lunch club so we can bring people together, when it is safe.

"It's so they can make friendships, have a nice meal, have some company – just to get the over 65s back together again."

With the price set at £5 for a three-course meal, including soup, a main and dessert, The Gate is not making a profit with the money paid only covering the costs.

Meals are delivered chilled, but not frozen, and can be easily heated up in the microwave.

Each day there is a choice of two soups, three mains and two desserts.

Michael Greer has been recruited as the community chef for the project and he is looking forward to swapping the busy and stressful restaurant environments for a community job with a good cause.

He has been getting organised in the kitchen before officially starting, working on the menu and arranging all the logistics.

The chef has already been looking for feedback on his ideas and will be making sure the choices on the menu reflect the wishes of customers.

Making the change from busy restaurants to The Gate, Michael said: "It's a whole new thing, it doesn't exist at the moment with the wellness checks and everything else.

"The price point as well, I think £5 for a three-course meal is an absolute bargain; we are a charity so we are here, first and foremost, to take care of people."

Jilly added: "Going forward, way-way into the future, we'll maybe have Michael doing a curry night, getting guys together – thinking about mental health and men not talking.

"Food does bring people together and we are hoping that it's going to bring the community back together in some way.

"Michael's got some exciting ideas; it's the start of a really good thing for Clackmannanshire and especially for Alloa, initially, and it's an exciting thing for us."

For more details, email meals@the-gate-charity.org or call 01259 218 766.