Very much joined-up thinking - helping the homeless, who in turn were helped by working the land, which in turn was a community food supplier, Root Connections in Stratton-on-the-Fosse was fertile ground for a new way of supporting those most at risk.

Helping the homeless and vulnerable, who in turn helped out planting, growing and harvesting in a market garden venture that supplied local restaurants, with fantastic fresh ingredients, which then helped fund the project and hostel.

At least 30 people were re-housed every year and Root Connections, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, was a major and valued contributor to the local food chain.

It was a win-win, helping the rural homeless and rough sleepers around the Mendip Hills and Somerset who were then, in the words of one of them, "re-energised" by the garden.

Then coronavirus happened.

As Sue Cross-Burton explained: "Since Covid-19 we've lost all but one of our income streams, so in order to ensure there's a project for everyone to return to when this has all blown over we've diversified and launched home delivery to reach out to our local community."

So now from their rural base they deliver a large bag of vegetables, approximately enough to keep a family of four going for a week. From the first week of May they'll be introducing delivery of cut flower posies too.

You can order online and the team of volunteers will deliver, for free, within a 12-mile radius

of BA3 4QF.

You can find out more about them, and how to place and pay for an order here: the root connections shop.

Root Connections is also giving away free vegetable bags to those most at need and at risk, using the Outreach Team at the Elim Connect Centre in Wells to distribute.

Meantime the hostel is still functioning well with all beds taken, but the Root Connection's garden is, for now, closed to volunteers, just Alex the gardener is working – with help from the Dairy House residents.

However, Sue said: "We would love to recruit more volunteers when Covid-19 is behind us, people will need community projects like ours all the more after this and we plan to have a bumper harvest."

You can also donate online to support the project throughout this difficult time via www.rootconnections.co.uk/donate.