Generous response to musical appeal

By Philip Welch

SINGING brought the cash flowing and left the charity smiling.

The song is called Give Us The Money and the cast sang it during Wells Little Theatre’s production of Avenue Q, a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors.

During this appropriate song members of the theatre company went and collected cash from the audience for the Wells Foodbank.

“We were blown away by the generosity of the audience who raised £870.60 for the city’s Foodbank,” said Glynn Webster, who played the internet entrepreneur Trekkie Monster in the show and whose daughter Elisha was the choreographer.

“It was the most fun and challenging show we have done,” said Glynn. “Like The Muppets on steroids. We had to learn how to work a puppet on stage and get the audience to look at it rather than you.”

Avenue Q won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show’s format is a parody of the American educational TV series Sesame

Street but its content involves adult-oriented themes.

“There’s a scene in the show with a homeless man and we wanted to do what we could to help deal with this very serious issue,” said Glynn.

“We are immensely grateful to the theatre for this wonderful support,” said Sue Marland, “and that they see the Foodbank as such a significant part of our community.”

The money will be used to buy stock for Wells Foodbank which is facing increasing demand.

Electrification plan approved

FIRST Bus has been given permission to carry out electrification works at Wells Bus Depot on Priory Road. Approval of the planning application by Somerset Council means that First Bus can install the required electric infrastructure to be able to charge a full fleet of electric buses on the site. The proposal includes the construction of three new GRP substation housings and a number of vehicle chargers of various sizes.

When Wells Voice first reported on the plans in May, a First Bus spokesperson told us: “At this time there are no immediate plans to roll out electric buses in Wells, but by installing the necessary infrastructure it means it will be a seamless transition when we reach that point.”