At the time of writing we are carrying on our lives under the new measures. I am pleased to see how quickly Frome has been able to respond to the new Government guidelines and how people are taking the “Stay at home, save lives” seriously.
I am also not surprised to see how the town has been able to adapt to this new “normal” and it’s great to see businesses and groups around the town amend their offering and delivery to fit with current times.
Frome Town Council has assisted in this by updating our directory on Discover Frome website with a dedicated COVID-19 shopping page and will be continuing to update this over the coming weeks. There you can find details of businesses that are still open, delivering food and drink locally, those offering takeaways for collection and delivery as well as which local retailers are operating online. www.shopfrome.co.uk is another website which also highlights the ways that residents can continue to support local shops through shopping online.
At the moment, all our planned events have been cancelled or postponed but we’re a creative bunch in Frome, and again, we have seen how community groups, clubs and even pub quizzes have moved their events online. It’s great to see communities still connected, even if it is through a laptop or phone. To see what’s going on, Discover Frome has also updated been updated with a “What’s On(line)” page, which details some of the events which, even though we’re at home, we can still take part in.
We have established an excellent source of information on our council website www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk but realise not all our residents can access the internet. We have a phone line available 01373 465757 where you will find a member of staff eager to help point you in the right direction.
When I was out for my daily exercise one day last week, I found a resident of the Packsaddle estate who has set up a notice board outside her house and prints out the latest information for those who do not have internet access. Mrs Penman says many of her neighbours are elderly and have thanked her for providing information to which they would not normally have access. Thank you, Mrs Penman, an excellent example of neighbours helping each other.
I hope you all stay well.
