As we are now well into 2024, we have much to look forward to as a community. This year will bring hope, opportunities but also challenges for us all.
With the joy and fun of Christmas over, these first few months can be extremely difficult for many within our community. As the cold weather takes hold, we need to ensure we make the time to check in on our friends and neighbours, that we help in any way we can – checking on their well being, spending time with them, doing some shopping for them.
On Monday 8th January, we welcomed the charity beneficiaries of November’s drone show to the town hall, to celebrate the funding they received. Deputy Mayor Cllr Andy Jones chatted to local organisations including Frome Carnival Committee, Fair Frome and Frome Rotary.
Frome has a fantastic network of charities, voluntary organisations and individuals working hard to make Frome an even better and kinder place. It’s one of the chief pleasures of being your Mayor to go out into the community to meet them, find out more about what they do and to be able to help them access much-needed funds. Please take time to consider how you can help by offering your time and skills by volunteering in any way that you can. We can all play a part in making our community an even stronger and kinder one. This is Frome.
Strong communities are particularly vital in difficult times, and we’re certainly facing some, as our colleagues at Somerset Council work to close a funding gap of £100m. We don’t yet know what cuts there will be in Somerset, how they will affect us in Frome, and which services Frome Town Council will be in a position to take on. We do know that we will, as always, work extremely hard to promote the interests of our residents and protect the services that matter to them. We invite you to attend a meeting on Wednesday 17th January at 7pm, at Frome Town Hall, where, among other things, the precept you pay to Frome Town Council as part of your council tax will be discussed. It’s also possible to join online or watch on YouTube the following day.
There’s an opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ to someone in need by donating your unwanted computers, consoles, tablets and smartphones at the Donate IT tech amnesty. If you received a new device for Christmas, why not donate your old one and help someone affected by digital exclusion get online? The team will be on hand to collect devices between 10am and 1pm on Sunday 28th January at Frome Town Hall.
I will be continuing my voluntary work into 2024 and do all I can as your Mayor to help promote all those organisations that rely on the amazing volunteers that come forward. Do what you can, give what you can, help in any way that you can. Take care and do not hesitate to contact either myself or any or my colleagues if we can help in any way.
