WELLINGTON Solitary Writers club is encouraging people to join in and share their work in a ‘friendly and supportive environment’.

Meeting for the first time in 2018, the club has gone from strength to strength while also suppourting the local food bank.

The organisers put an emphasis on the open and encouraging environment that is offered to all.

Levels of loneliness across Britain have been made worse by the Covid pandemic. Over three million people said they were ‘chronically lonely’ during September-November 2021.

The Solitary Writers Club was a new idea to try to help tackle this issue.

Peter Blaker, with local writer Avril Silk set about doing something to help.

Peter said: “One idea was to offer a venue for people who have traditionally more solitary hobbies to come together and share their interests,and to make friends.”

Writing seemed an obvious choice for the club and with blessing from the Quaker group solitary writers was formed and the first meeting held in March 2018.

Peter said: “Because the Quakers donated use of their meeting house, we did not have to charge any kind of subscription, instead we asked if people coming could bring a small donation of food for the local food bank.

“You did not have to be lonely to come, there was no teaching element, this was about anyone bringing their own work along whenever they wanted.”

The club boasts writers of all ages and is ‘wonderfully diverse’, ranging from a well known published author to poets, novelists and people who dabble with the medium, many of whom are driven to tirelessley draft and redraft their work.

In September of 2020 Josef, a young man with quadriplegia, self-published a children’s book and raised £820 for Taunton Foodbank.

Over the years the group has grown and now has its own monthly radio broadcast on local radio.

When the first lockdown came they quickly moved everything online and continued to meet virtually each month.

The online presence evolved the group further and soon more people started to join even from as far as the Ozarks in Missouri USA.

Peter said: “We have had writers with paraplegia, cancer, MS, Asperger’s, depression, recently bereaved people and carers.

“There is something about the process of sharing your own writing, of encouraging and inspiring each other, that is incredibly supportive. Of course,you don’t have to be facing challenging circumstances yourself to be welcome.

“Over the years since we started,some sad farewells have been said, and many firm friendships have been made.

“We are back in the meeting house now,and are once more offering a friendly welcome to all writers.

“Whatever you write and however you write it,we would love to meet you.”

Solitary Writers meet on the second Saturday of every month from 5 to 7pm at the Wellington Quaker Meeting house. Contact Peter at [email protected] for more information.