Over the course of his 26 years, Peter Ward has been much more than a chef to Frankston's Meals on Wheels service.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
The long term Meals chef has taken out the Outstanding Contribution award in this year's Alison Meighan Awards Program.
Peter first started as a chef for Frankston council in 1987 and is regarded by team members as a proud and committed leader.
Over the years he has supported many staff and volunteers through family and health issues, and has constantly advocated for better equipment and resources for the service to improve efficiency and reduce manual labour.
In 2022 he implemented an allergen management plan, ensuring clients with allergies receive meals that meet their needs and are safely able to use the service.
Peter has also led the service's move towards more sustainable practices, switching to environmentally friendly bags and packaging in 2022.
He has designed 54 seasonal menus, incorporating 13,500 nutritious and tasty food options over the course of his time in the role.
Peter the award is a reflection of the whole team's efforts.
"I have forged lifelong friendships," he said.
"Without everyone's commitment we would not be where we are today."
He also thanked the council for its support of the service and supplying the state-of-the-art facility it operates from.
The awards were introduced in 2022 to honour dedicated and passionate Meals volunteer and advocate Alison Meighan after her passing.
Each winning recipient received $5000 through sponsor Glen 20.
The prize money will be spent on environmentally friendly eskies, a coffee machine for volunteers, and to send Peter to this year's Meals on Wheels national conference in Sydney.
