From The Mayor

HELLO everyone and welcome to this week’s column.

With only roughly two months left until I hand over the mayoral chains to current deputy, Philip Campagna, I’m really trying to pack in as much as I can, and luckily for me there has been so much going on across the town to support and enjoy.

Our unique Kindness Festival took place across a whole week recently and included so many things for everyone to get involved with from creative workshops and discussions to performances and presentations, concluding with the finale of an immersive showing of the sweet French film Amelie. The Merlin Theatre was decorated in a suitably French style, and there were games and snacks and a general atmosphere of appreciation that such a festival exists in our town.

Daily life – especially amid the current crises we are facing – is not always kind, so it’s worth being reminded that even the tiniest of kind acts can have an enormous ripple effect and make not only others feel a bit happier but also give ourselves a warm glow too.

One of the highlights of the year for me is without a doubt Frome Busks, where young musicians from Frome College and this year joined by Selwood Academy, busk around the town including a fully amped and mic’d up stage on the Boyle Cross and at the Cheese and Grain. It always blows me away to see so much talent on display from our young musicians, and the dedication and hard work they put into their song writing and performances makes me think that there is a huge amount of potential there that we will hopefully see coming to fruition both in our thriving local music scene and beyond.

At Frome Town Council we are all celebrating the success of cllr Fiona Barrows and staff plus our partners at Edventure and Frome Medical practice in securing Green and Healthy futures funding for the town. This is a major win and secures us £1.7 million worth of funding to deliver projects across the town that support healthy individuals, communities and ultimately, a healthy planet, the premise being that all of these elements are interconnected. You can find out much more detail on the range of projects and how you can get involved on their website, https://greenhealthyfuturefrome.org/

Also, on the FTC website you can find all the latest news about what we’ve been up to, information and contact details for a range of support organisations and how to access help if you are struggling. Until next time, don’t hesitate to contact me or my colleagues if we can help with anything, www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk

Cllr Sara Butler