Wasn’t Window Wanderland fantastic? It’s such a lovely event and works in so many ways to bring a bit of fun and community spirit out of the dark days of Winter! Thanks to everyone who took part, and particularly Katie, Susie and Tori the organisers. And to Jen and Hilary from our own Frome Wild Bunch for the wonderful window displays at the town hall!
It was also great to see the Frome Independent back on a lovely sunny Sunday. I know the road closures, parking and crowds cause some disruption to residents, but it’s only 10 days a year and has such a positive impact on the town’s economic health. We are so lucky to have lots of small independent shops thriving in our town, and many of them are only viable because of the tourists visiting Frome and spending their cash here.
Talking of cash, by the time you read this we should have a banking hub open in the library. That’s an interim location while plans move ahead for its permanent home in the town centre, but at least it mitigates the raft of bank closures that we’ve seen locally. The banking hub will provide full bank counter services for customers of all the major banks, and a daily rota will be established to provide customers to meet representatives of their specific bank to discuss other needs like savings and loans.
My diary has been quieter than usual recently, which is no bad thing, but I have been along to an event at the Cheese & Grain to look at their plans for the future expansion of their recording and training facilities. There’s a great opportunity to provide local young people with pathways into all sorts of careers relating to the performing arts, not just as performers but also in the backstage stuff like sound engineers, lighting technicians and stage management.
Cllr Anita Collier and I also had the pleasure of visiting Dorothy House Hospice at Winsley. I hadn’t realised the extent of the support they provide, not just to the terminally ill but also to those needing longer term support – and of course to their families. Part of the presentation alluded to Healthy Somerset’s mantra “Starting well, Living Well, Aging Well”. The hospice sector would add a fourth element “Dying Well”, and Dorothy House certainly works effectively in that arena.
Here in Frome though we’re going just a little bit further, and as part of the Kindness Festival we’re looking at ‘Grieving Well’, with the launch of Frome Grief Network on March 15th at Rook Lane and the Grief Disco at The Lucky Chance on March 21st. There are lots of other events during the Kindness festival, which this year has a theme of forgiveness. https://www.thegoodheart.uk/festival
As Spring gets underway, I’ll be at Frome’s Big Spring Clean on Thursday 20th March, 10am to 12pm, meeting at Boyle Cross from 9.45am. If you can join us, bring water to drink, gardening gloves and warm clothes. Critchill School catering van are offering a free hot drink to all willing volunteers!
Saturday 22nd sees the return of the ever-popular Frome Busks to the town centre, as aspiring musicians perform for our enjoyment. So let’s enjoy the start of Spring in our wonderful town, and hope the weather plays along.
An end note, as a little nudge to those who might benefit, I’ve just booked my test for prostate cancer at the Masonic Hall on Saturday 29th March. Entirely free, although donations welcome, thanks to Somerset Prostate Support Association https://spsa.mypsatests.org.uk/
