The October meeting of the Monumental Women of Wellington was very informative with talks on flooding and foodbanks.
Here is their full report …
Our first speaker, Dr Bel Deering, works for the Somerset Rivers Authority, which was set up in response to the 2013-14 floods to reduce the likelihood of future flooding.
Households pay £15 annually to it, via Council Tax. Global warming has a key impact on the likelihood of flooding, creating more intense rainfall and frequent storms.
Bel encouraged us to choose plants wisely, to cope with the increased likelihood of rainfall and help to manage the water when it arrives. Good soil health will cause it to absorb more water, and the right plants will survive and thrive.
Native plants, deep rooted perennials and woody shrubs and trees were recommended. Dense planting will protect plants and soil – and will mean less weeding. Rain gardens, water butts, and permeable surfaces will all help.
Water butts are useful even if outdoor space is a yard, as the water can be used for washing cars, and muddy humans and dogs before they bring the mud in with them.
Porous paving is available, as are water butts in the form of fences. Ponds can be full of water all the time, or they can be dry and only fill up with rain. Drain chains are an interesting suggestion. They are lengths of chain used instead of downpipes, making the removal of water from gutters ornamental.
Snowmen also have a key role to play in water management as their slow melt rate reduces the amount of water being released at any one time. However, it would take 41 million of them to stop the Tone from flooding.
After the break and updates on the various subgroups and planned activities, we welcomed Mike and Maureen, who told us about their work with the Taunton (Mike) and Wellington (Maureen) foodbanks, which are our charity of the year. The Taunton one was started in 2012, Wellington in 2013.
Last year the two banks provided 70 000 food ‘parcels’ to people referred by a range of local agencies.
Mike praised the generosity of local people – the foodbanks had received three tons of donations in the previous week, mostly from school and church harvest festivals, although donations are expected to reduce from now until after Christmas.
There were 600 clients in 2025, including 2,000 children. A total of 55 tons of food were donated, and eight tons of fresh food were bought.
Foodbanks rely on volunteers – van drivers, packers, the warehouse team, and front of house staff.
The foodbank pays four Citizens Advice Bureau advisors to come to sessions, as they are able to offer clients advice and referrals to support agencies. The aim is to reduce the number of times clients need to come to the foodbanks – about 80% only come once or twice.
Donations received in Taunton are packed as required for the Wellington branch, which holds sessions in the United Reformed Church hall, where there is a small café area so people can have a hot drink and biscuits and chat with the volunteers, as many clients are lonely.
The Taunton branch is hoping to introduce a similar arrangement, although clients there can visit a ’shop’ to choose fresh food.
Our members had been asked by the WOW Organising Group to bring donations of food and toiletries – deodorants, toothpaste and toothbrushes were particularly welcomed – and we were very pleased to be able to provide a sizeable collection for Mike and Maureen to take away.
Our November meeting will be the annual Christmas craft making session. Before then, members will be putting poppies round the War Memorial in the park, and in the town centre, in readiness for Remembrance Day.
We are pleased to have been able to invite some people on the waiting list to join us, and hope we can invite more going forward, so please keep checking the website at monumentalwomenofwellington.org for further details and up-to-date information.