National Lottery helps secure WCN's future

Wells Community Network (WCN) is delighted to announce that it has received development funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to help ensure its work continues into the future.  

WCN was launched as the Wells Coronavirus Network in March 2020 by a group of volunteers who wanted to ensure people in the city and nearby villages could find support through the pandemic, particularly the isolated and vulnerable.

A huge number of people stepped forward to help, and a committed team of volunteers organised shopping and prescriptions for residents, companionship calls and even walked their dogs. 

They set up a telephone helpline, website and social media. Teams of marshals helped run the Covid vaccination centres at West Mendip Hospital and Wells’ St Thomas Church Hall.

When the pandemic subsided WCN transformed into Wells Community Network and, while keeping all its existing services going, it took on new initiatives like Trishaw rides and a Welcome Hub for refugees based at the Portway Annexe.

Many of the same volunteers have now been running WCN since March 2020 which raises questions of sustainability. But in October, WCN was granted funding from Somerset Community Foundation for administrative support to run the helpline for six months. This new funding from the National Lottery will extend this support for up to a year.   

The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will enable WCN to:

• Develop plans to make WCN stronger and more sustainable.

• Pay the administrator of the helpline for a further six months.

• Define a role for a Coordinator that can potentially take the pressure off volunteers.

• Help WCN become a charity, making it easier to attract funding and allow people to Gift Aid their donations.

Philip Welch, chair of WCN, said: “We are thrilled that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to strengthen and expand our work in Wells and the surrounding area and put the organisation on a firmer footing for the future.
“If you would like to get involved with this community project at a time of exciting change please email wcnnewvolunteers@gmail.com.”

Working together with three visiting VIPs

Three VIPs visited the Portway Annexe to meet representatives of WCN and commit to working together to support refugees from Ukraine.

The visitors were Annie Maw, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, and two former High Sheriffs of our county – Thomas Sheppard and Lucy Nelson.

They came to tell a new charity called Somerset Supports Ukraine, of which Annie is the patron, set up to help and coordinate support for refugees from the war-torn country.

The VIPs then heard what WCN is doing to support the Ukrainian refugees in the Wells area and Suzanne Addicott from the Connect Centre explained to the visitors what work their charity is doing with the refugees.

WCN are using the Portway Annexe to provide English as a second language classes, advice on finding doctors, dentists, jobs and getting children into school for the refugees, as well as creating social opportunities to meet other Ukrainians.

Lucy Nelson said Somerset Supports Ukraine wants to join up efforts across the county, provide a fount of knowledge, seek solutions and raise money.

“It is deeply correct and appropriate for us, in the Lieutenancy, to offer a hand of friendship to our neighbours in eastern Europe at this terrible time,” said Annie. “We are a hospitable community in Somerset, and I mean to represent that intrinsic goodness and the innate humanitarian generosity of the people of our county to the full. It is my duty.”

The Lord Lieutenant also distributed posters of an illustrated alphabet to help Ukrainians learn English which her son designed. One will be laminated and put on the wall of the Portway Annexe.

Hopes rise for Wells vaccination clinic

§  WCN marshals at the West Mendip Hospital vaccination clinic in January 2021 

Plans to open a vaccination clinic in Wells are close to fruition and only awaiting approval from the NHS nationally.

The venue would be St Thomas Church Hall on Bath Road. Volunteer marshals would be needed and WCN is ready to provide them.

In January I wrote as Mayor of Wells and spokesperson for WCN to NHS England & Improvement, which commissions such vaccination centres, saying: “There is a strong desire of Wells residents to have a vaccination clinic in the city. We frequently hear residents asking why we don’t have one here. It is of particular concern as we have a much older population than most places in Somerset. 

“Many of them, and the poorer people in the city which is not as affluent as many think, do not have their own transport and public transport is limited.

“Please can you tell me if there are plans for a vaccination centre in Wells? And, if not, why is that the case?”

They have replied saying: “We have identified a provider willing to provide the service in Wells and have been working with the provider to ensure we have the appropriate assurance that they can provide the service safely and the venue is also appropriate.

“The majority of this work has now been completed and the relevant national approval is now being sought. We hope to be able to confirm the outcome of this in the next week or so.” 

The NHS doctors’ practices in Wells don’t have the staff to run a vaccination centre in the city as they are doing 20 per cent more work now than before the pandemic.

West Mendip Hospital was used as a vaccination centre, with the marshalling done by WCN volunteers, but it had to be returned to its role as a hospital. 

60-strong team blitzes Wells litter

§  Deborah Woolven-Orrett with some of the collected litter

No one likes litter but not everyone is happy to pick it up.

So we can be grateful to Deborah Woolven-Orrett who organised a team of 60 volunteers to collect discarded rubbish from all the residential streets in Wells and most of the approach roads to the city. One group cleared Waitrose’s car park in return for tea and cakes.

“Overall we probably collected about 60 bags of rubbish which are the orange sacks you may have seen around the place,” said Deborah.

“Very kindly Idverde, Mendip District Council’s contractors, came and picked those up after the collection.

“We are grateful to Wells City Council for funding the litter picking equipment and very many thanks must go out to the generous individuals who don the high viz jackets and gloves and go out with a pick-up sticks to cleanse our environment. 

“Some are even brave enough to tackle the A roads into Wells with a particular shoutout to go to Phil Spring and David Gibbon who managed to pick up 14 sacks worth on the stretch from Morrisons to the Dulcote turn. 

“At the moment we don’t need any more pickers but are always grateful for people to pick up rubbish as and when they see it. 

“We hope to do our next litter picking weekend in May.”

§ Deborah Woolven-Orrett with some of the Wells litter picking team

Antique restorer and a former Mayor

§  Colin Price in his Macebearer uniform outside Wells Town Hall

WCN volunteer Colin Price tells his story:

“Joining the Coronavirus helpline has introduced me to a great number of fellow volunteers that, under normal circumstances, I would never have met. My first contact was through the Neighourhood Watch when the call came for volunteers to man the helpline and nearly two years on I am still there every Monday morning. That then led on to the vaccination marshalling at West Mendip Hospital.

“I am married to Ann, we have two children and two grandsons.

“I started work in 1966 as an apprentice Antique Restorer in Shepton Mallet, the redbrick building at the bottom of Town Street. It started life as the Liberal and Mechanic Hall, a name still to be seen as you drive down the bypass on the right. After many changes in the antique trade, we were made redundant and I bought the business in 2002. Although retired I still keep my hand in to stay in touch with the trade.

“In 1999 I was elected to Wells City Council, becoming Deputy Mayor twice and Mayor in 2003. After 20 years I decided not to stand again but did get the role of Macebearer to the council attending council meetings and civic functions. 

“Two of my interests are railways and cycling so, in 2005, decided to combine them in a four-day touring camping holiday. This led, in 2009, to a Lands End to John-O-Groats solo camping cycle tour. A great experience and a great way to see Britain, although I have to say I could hardly walk for a week afterwards.”

Wanted: Kind sponsor to fill the planters

§  Sharon Edmonds in one of the empty planters. The third wouldn’t fit in the photo

Three green planters need a green-fingered sponsor at the Connect Centre charity in Wells.

“Three years ago we commissioned them from the Shepton Mallet Men’s Shed to make the outside of the building look more welcoming,” explained the community centre’s administrator Sharon Edmonds,” but we had to wait for the walkways around the building to be resurfaced which took a lot more than planned.

“But now the walkways are done and Covid hopefully seems in decline I would really like to see them fully planted up and outside looking gorgeous with something tall, perhaps bamboo, that needs little maintenance. 

“We would love someone to donate suitable plants and install them.”

If you are interested in helping, please email sharon@connect-centre.org.uk or phone 01749 677097.

Sharon said the charity, which supports people from across mid-Somerset, would be happy to put a plaque on the planters recording any sponsors.