Wells WI had another online meeting this month, with 24 members attending via Zoom.

We learned that annual subscriptions, normally payable in January, won't be due until April, in acknowledgement of recent disruption that has prevented normal meetings.

Denman College, which provides training courses for WI members, has been offering a series of online one-hour £5 talks during lockdown on a variety of topics from history to crafts and cook-alongs. Some Wells WI members had enjoyed a virtual guided tour of Bloomsbury.

There was further news on the resolutions front. Following the earlier announcement that the next two major campaigns will be: increasing the number of people registered on the UK stem cell registry, and tackling modern slavery, this autumn's meeting to consider and shortlist the next round of resolutions as will be opened up to more members because it is to be held online.

Members interested in participating in this democratic process are encouraged to apply online before the end of July.

Our speaker was Sue Marland who joined us virtually to tell us about Wells Foodbank, a Vineyard Church community project run for 11 years by volunteers, serving people referred to them by agencies.

Coronavirus has had a dramatic effect on operations. Appeals for help escalated as more people found themselves facing hardship and reduced income due to furlough, redundancy and unemployment.

Donations from supermarket collection points dwindled as fewer people shopped (members were surprised to learn that only Morrisons and Waitrose send directly to Wells Foodbank).

Many volunteers and clients were unable to attend due to shielding so Wells Coronavirus Network volunteers stepped in, delivering food parcels to the most vulnerable.

Some people in receipt of government food parcels passed them on to the food bank. One large donation from an airline caterer with no flights to supply kept people supplied with cheese for weeks.

Some people donated money that enabled Sue to buy items in short supply, and on special offer. Sue told us that in June alone the food bank supplied 2,076 individual meals and, during lockdown, as many meals as they did during the whole of 2019 – just over 8,000.

In June 75 parcels of food (each consisting of three meals a day for four days) were given to 41 single households, six couples and 27 families, the fastest growing group in need.

With no immediate end to the crisis in sight, the food bank needs constant donations to keep up with demand.

It seems that everyone donates pasta, as Sue told us the bank has enough to last months. The most needed items are: canned meals (meat and vegetarian like macaroni cheese); long-life whole milk; small packets of sugar, salt and oil; coffee; and toiletries like deodorants, shower gel and shampoo.

Home-baked goods, preserves and gluts of home-grown fruit and veg, like courgettes and tomatoes, are also welcome.

The opening hours for donations are 12.30pm to 1pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at Wells Vineyard Church, Keward Mill Trading Estate, Jocelyn Drive, BA5 1DA.

To make donations of cash, cheques made out to Wells Vineyard Church, or to make a donation by bank transfer contact details are: Sue Marland 00 263 772 340 762 (WhatsApp) or [email protected] or see http://www.wellsvineyard.com/.

Discussion then turned to ideas for appropriately socially distanced opportunities for socialising and exercising together, as lockdown restrictions ease.

Four members are planning to lead walks for groups of up to six, in wide open spaces, and it is hoped to organise a games evening in a public space, if members can pool enough equipment, probably involving croquet, and boules, since indoor skittles is currently out of the question. The book group are reading Girl, Woman, Other and planning a Zoom discussion.

Our president, Anne, encouraged members to use the WI Zoom account for activities like virtual coffee mornings.

Her daughter then gave us a brilliant online visual quiz which involved her dancing to music only she could hear while we tried to guess the song.

Bethany expertly busted some moves to Agadoo, Gangnam Style, YMCA, Let's Do the Time Warp and the Birdie Song among others, as well as a very impressive impression of Beyonce performing All the Single Ladies. Kimberley was the winner, guessing an impressive nine out of 10 correctly.

While we still cannot meet, members will continue to receive monthly email newsletters, and our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Wellssomersetwi/ will be updated with news and interesting items.

By Veronica Howe