It's usually around this time of the year we're updating the website and the local press with all the fun, tastes and excitement of the forthcoming Dudley Winter Ales Fayre. Core members of the team are usually scrambling around with a combination of paperwork, barrels and boxes.

Alas, this year is a very different story for all of us for very obvious reasons. Even if restrictions had been eased, we'd still have to consider the safety and well being of everyone; both you and our volunteers (we get recompensed on biscuits).

Despite the back breaking work by many of the team to make DWAF a success, we love putting the fayre together, as much as you like to come to it. We always feel a tremendous amount of pride in delivering this amazing event. Frankly, we're as disappointed as you are.

In the meantime, we hope you're still able to support our local pubs by buying "take outs" and the like. Many are under critical times and we'd be devastated if they are lost forever.

We very much hope that things get better for us all, very soon. All being well, we're sure that we can bring DWAF 2021 to you, with a bang.

Stay safe and we hope you raise a glass or two in the coming days and weeks. In the meantime, we'd love to see any pictures or thoughts you have of previous events.