Frome’s 2024 edition of Great Big Green Week saw 37 events take place around the town. From pond dipping, forest schools and guided tours of growing schemes to clothes swaps, a foraging walk at Rodden Nature Reserve and many opportunities to get on your bike, the community’s enthusiasm for all things green and its ongoing commitment to combatting the climate crisis was very much in evidence.
Among the events on offer was a Big Textile Reuse session at the town hall with Everyone Needs Pockets. Guests Tamara Cincik, from Fashion Roundtable, the all-party parlimentary lobby group/Bath Spa University and Katherine Symonds-Moore, an independent sustainability consultant, spoke about the need for urgent action and the challenge of ethical fashion and clothes production. Sue Palmer, one of the organisers, said ‘It was a fascinating morning with the national and international picture of the impact of fast fashion brought into the room.’
Katie Marshall of local CIC Science Boost held a Pond Dip and Allotment Explore on 9th June, inviting young people and families to explore life in Welshmill pond and the adjoining allotments. Further sessions are planned during the forthcoming Frome Festival. Feedback from attendees included:
‘Niamh loved finding out about the ‘bum breathers’ and you made her feel very proud of finding a newt.’
‘We are so lucky to have such valuable experiences on offer in Frome, they spark both a love for nature and science.’
Caroline Thornycroft helped to host the only event to run every day of Great Big Green Week, ‘Living Churchyards’ at Christ Church. Caroline said ‘Christ Church was filled with wildflowers during Great Big Green Week, from posies on windowsills to daisies on the gates, gathered in many gardens and allotments. The Wild Bunch display, featuring hedgehogs, was very much enjoyed by visitors from all walks of life throughout the week, and by congregations on both Sundays!
On Saturday 15th June, the Donate IT tech amnesty collected 64 laptops, 81 Phones, 34 tablets and 13 PCs, the equivalent of half a ton of unwanted tech saved from landfill.
Rounding up a busy calendar of events, a screening of My Garden of a Thousand Bees from CIC Meadow in my Garden took place on 16th June. The film follows nature filmmaker Martin Dohrn as he sets out to record all the bee species in his tiny urban garden in Bristol. The film was followed by a discussion and a further session is planned for the autumn to make bee-friendly structures for gardens in Frome.
Next year’s Great Big Green Week will take place in June 2025
