Wells Independents have had to postpone their next SOUP which was scheduled for this Saturday, October 3.

However this grant-giving lunch which has already raised money and publicity for 64 charities and good causes will relaunch on Saturday, January 9.

"Charities need all the support they can get now as coronavirus has hit their fundraising hard," said Ross Young of Wells Independents.

"We are grateful for SOUP's continuing support from Lodestone estate agents who are switching their sponsorship from October to January's event."

The venue for SOUP is the Connect Centre which needs cash itself as so many of the activities it hosts have not happened since lockdown.

So Wells Independents have given the centre £100 which more than covers the room rental they would have been paid on Saturday.

"We could have held October's lunch but the number of people allowed there would have been reduced dramatically from the usual 100 paying £5 on the door," said Ross.

"This would not have been fair on the charities as the money they receive would have been reduced by the same proportion as the audience."

The charities are: Children's World, St John Ambulance Wells, Mendip Fibromyalgia Support Group, and Wells and District Neighbourhood Watch who will now appear at January's SOUP.

We Hear You will return in January to tell the audience how the £400 they received at January's SOUP has helped the charity.

"The Connect Centre is immensely proud to host such an amazing initiative as Wells SOUP," said Sharon Edmonds, their administrator, "and we look forward to its return."

If your voluntary organisation or project would like to take part in a future SOUP you can find details of how SOUP works and an application form at www.wellsindependents.org/SOUP.