Hi everyone and welcome to this week’s news. There’s no doubt that we are having a particularly lovely autumn this year; the glorious colours and sunny days definitely help ease the chillier weather, and I’m particularly enjoying our beautiful trees in their shades of reds and golds. On the subject of trees, I’ve just announced the Mayor’s Christmas card design competition and the theme for our schools this year is trees! We all know what a precious resource they are, and sometimes it feels like we are fighting on all sides to stop the relentless destruction of mature, habitat rich trees, so I’m looking forward to hearing from our younger residents how important it is to look after them, and their reflections on how much value they bring to our lives.
I’ve had some particularly rewarding events over the last week or so, and two especially made me very happy. I saw the re-opening of the Good Heart Cafe on Palmer street – the whole ethos of this Tibetan Cafe is centred around kindness, so it’s very apt that the renovation was done by a team of volunteers, and the new fixtures and furnishings were mainly donated or reclaimed. It’s now a beautiful bright space where people can come together, food can be paid forward to the next person, and people who are struggling can get a wholesome hot free or very cheap meal – and Namdi’s food is delicious! It’s also a great space for gatherings or meetings, so do check it out if you’re passing or need a lovely welcoming venue for any groups or sessions.
We also saw the return of the Multicultural Frome event at the Cheese and Grain, definitely one of the Autumn highlights. We have over 60 nationalities now living in Frome, and it was a delight to see people from all around the world sharing their food, culture and arts. Unsurprisingly for Frome it was an eclectic mix, ranging from Bagpipes to Kendo through origami and Polish dancing, and a real celebration of how we are all connected. We’re very lucky to have such a celebratory event and the organisers and contributors did a fabulous job.
Finally, it was great to see the Somerset Farmers market move back with their brilliant local produce to the Boyle Cross. For the most part traders are really happy to be back out in the open and visible to shoppers, and Stewart the flower man (who I’m reliably assured is making a speedy recovery!) will definitely welcome the company!
As we move into winter and times get harder for many people, it’s important to remember that help is at hand if you’re struggling. Like anywhere, Frome will face challenges, but I do believe that we are in a good position to weather the storm. As always, please do contact me or my colleagues at the council if there’s anything we can help with and look after yourselves and each other.
