Seventeen WCT members created group poems to keep in touch with each other, and as a way of recording and sharing feelings and thoughts.

Each acrostic poem was written by five people, each line beginning with the letters of the word ‘Covid’.  The focus of the piece was ‘in the time of Covid’.  After writing a line each person emailed it to the next person, and so on.  Finally, each piece was recorded by the person who wrote the first line.

Then the poem recordings were made into a soundscape, created by sound artist, Adrian Newton, using recordings made in his garden including the dawn chorus, Thursday clapping, etc.

The writers were: Tuppy Hill, Lynn Davy, Adrian Newton, Stewart Bullen, Sue Bullen, Charlie Williams, Dave Arkell, Barbara Brann, Barbara Hart, Hannah/Eva Small, Tam Gilbert, Jeff Hart, Viv Miller, Marion Leatherdale, Tony Horitz, Clare Small and Gill Horitz

To listen to the soundscape and read the poems, log onto http://www.wimbornecommunitytheatre.co.uk/writing-time-covid/.

In addition, over 20 WCT members, past and present, took part in a VE Day commemorative play reading, via Zoom, of the original production Mrs J Puts out Her Bunting, 

The play was researched and devised by Wimborne Community Theatre in 1995 as part of the town’s VE commemorations, performed in the Cornmarket.

A total of 10 people who were in the original production (some who were then children), joined more recent members for the online reading which was dedicated to WCT member, Chris Dowdle, who died recently after a long illness. Chris had been a supportive member of the group for many years, and performed in the original Mrs J Puts out Her Bunting.

Set in 1945, it tells of the stoical heroism of an ordinary woman, Mrs J, who represents the quiet spirit of British resolve and determination during that time. The show was developed by Wimborne Community Theatre members from research using poems, speeches, songs and local stories woven together with a Daily Sketch story from May 1945.