Celebrating Frome’s fantastic Christmas spirit

Frome experienced another successful Big Christmas Get-Together, organised and run by volunteers, where a free lunch and good old-fashioned knees-up at Frome Town Football Club is held on Christmas Day.

“Volunteers came together for the seventh year running, to organize everything from food, transport, gifts, entertainment and most importantly, company for guests,” said volunteer organiser Emma. “Over 210 three-course lunches were prepared, cooked and served, followed by a festive raffle, entertainment and carol singing and then watching the Queen’s Speech together on a big screen. Over 100 car journeys were made by volunteers transporting guests to and from the Football Club and lot of wonderful volunteers helped tidy up to ensure the whole day was such a success.

“Without the support of these amazing local businesses and organisations (and many more individual personal donations), Frome’s Big Christmas Get-Together would not be able to happen; Active and In Touch, Asda, Assembly Rooms, Berkley Christmas Trees, Black Ink Design, Black Swan Arts, Bramble & Wild, Cayfords Butchers, Centre Parcs, Choc on Choc, Citizens Advice, Co-Operative Funeral Care, Corcoran Carpets, Creative Caterpillers, David Chedgy Photography, Dining Divas, Doodlebugs, Dorothy House, Ellenbray Press, Events Horizon, FACT & HOPE Frome (churches), Fair Frome, Forward Space, Frome & District Day Centre Group, Frome Town Football Club, Frome Library, Frome Standard, Frome Times, Frome Town Council, Frome Wholefoods, Hannah Carding Artist, Health Connections Mendip, La Strada Café, Little Victory Ball, Maybrook Properties, Mayor of Frome, Mendip Credit Union, Penleigh Farm Butchers, PPS Commercial Print, Radstock Co-op, Raves from the Grave, Rye Bakery, Sagebury Cheese, Sainsburys, Selwood Academy, Serve On, Somerset Deli, Somerset You Can Do, Southern Co-op, Stallbridge Linen, Studio Prints, Tender Loving Kitchen, The Frome Independent market, The Garden Café, The Old Bakehouse, The River House, The Three Swans, Trinity First School, Vallis Veg, Walled Garden at Mells, Wash’d Up Crocks, We Hear You, Westway centre, White Row Farm Shop, Williams Butchers and the YMCA Frome Flyer.”

One guest said, “I’ve had a really difficult and sad year and was dreading Christmas, so to get such a warm welcome by strangers made me feel very special. I can’t believe that lots of local shops were so generous too. I was so happy to see that people still care.”

Over 250 people of all ages gave up their time during December to help organise the event. A group of lead volunteers spent most of autumn planning the day, working with social services, local groups and charities to target those most in need. Anyone who is on their own or can’t afford a good Christmas is welcomed on Christmas Day; there are no criteria, judgements or complicated forms.

Lucia Chadwick, project coordinator for Active and In Touch said, “When we extend the hand of friendship to those in need we can really change lives. We support people who have become isolated and lonely through the circumstances that life has thrown at them. It’s absolutely fantastic that volunteers go that extra mile to create this very unique day together for the local community. Congratulations for organising such an amazing event and a massive thank you to everyone involved!

“Many volunteers helped at bucket collections at The Frome Independent festive market, where an incredible £3,626.98 was raised. This money was shared with Fair Frome, a charity that supports local people bounce back from the difficulties of living with poverty. Poverty levels in some areas of Frome are the highest across Mendip and Somerset. Fair Frome champions greater financial, educational, social and health equality working closely with partner agencies to offer practical support and events through the year to make a real difference to the quality of people’s lives.

“The money raised through generous donations helps cover the event costs and ensures organisers can provide an exceptionally special day. As the event has grown from feeding just 50 to now over 200 people, a local crockery hire company is used to help the logistics of serving so many guests (and saves time on washing up!) Organisers also re-invest money locally, through buying special gifts for guests and volunteers from independent shops and small businesses. In the past, these have included tasty home-made preserves and chutneys from the Frome Country Market, Frome mugs and bespoke tea towels from OWL and SEED, and delicious hand-made chocolate treats from Events Horizon and Choc on Choc.

“We would like to thank everyone involved for their incredible generosity. We hope that readers will extend the goodwill into the New Year by volunteering or giving regular monthly donations to local charities, which allows them to continue their great work throughout the whole year. Everyone deserves a good Christmas – contact fromechristmas@gmail.com if you feel you can offer time from September 2018 onwards or leave your details at the Fair Frome offices at the Town Hall.”