Local charity Fair Frome has reported a challenging yet successful year in its mission to provide practical support for individuals facing financial, health and social difficulties.
The charity is the provider of the town’s food bank and Food @ Five, which offers free hot, nutritious meals at three venues around the town as part of a warm space initiative where people can enjoy a cup of tea and a chat.
It is also well known for its Furniture and Baby Basics Bank, its Assistance Scheme and the ‘Grab and Go’ breakfast bags.
Senior co-ordinator at Fair Frome, Lenka Grimes, said, “For many people in Frome, the past year has been an extremely challenging one with rising food and energy bills and inflation hitting individuals and families.
“Over 40% of our food bank users are in work but with high local housing rental prices and low wages, they are unable to make ends meet. As a local charity, as well as providing practical support, we have also provided emotional support to those who come to our doors in crisis.”
Over the past year some of the services has provided have include the following:
Food Bank: Distributed 488 individual food parcels and 753 family food parcels, including fresh items such as eggs, milk, cheese and butter.
Community Garden: Produced fresh fruit and vegetables and provided a space for everyone to enjoy.
Fresh Food Vouchers: Issued over 2,400 vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables from a local shop, over 2,400 vouchers for quality fresh meat from a local butcher, and over 1,100 vouchers for fresh bread from a local baker.
Christmas Support: Delivered over 150 Christmas food parcels and 273 personalised, wrapped presents for children. Participated in The Frome Christmas Get-Together, serving around 150 meals and offering companionship on Christmas Day.
Food @ Five: Provided 5,278 hot meals across three locations, free to anyone on benefits or a low income. This initiative offers a warm space from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm and a welcoming environment.
Holiday Lunches: Served 1,787 lunches during 51 sessions in school holidays, in partnership with Purple Elephant.
Monthly Sunday Lunches: Hosted meals for families, also in collaboration with Purple Elephant.
Furniture Bank: Supported over 140 households by supplying 256 donated items, 65 donated electrical items and 60 white goods (mainly cookers and washing machines). Repairs were made to cookers and washing machines where possible, and 7.4 tonnes of waste were diverted from landfill.
Assistance Scheme: Supported 95 families with school uniforms, refurbished laptops, vouchers for clothes and shoes, heated blankets, carpets, and transport for appointments. Collaborated with Frome Lions, Kevin Corcoran and Rotary to provide funding for carpets.
Baby Basics Bank: Supported 25 families with baby equipment, such as cots and prams.
Homeless Support: Provided weekly shower and clothes washing facilities.
Drop-in Services: Hosted housing advice, homeless and inclusion GP drop-ins, Citizen’s Advice sessions and digital inclusion workshops.
Collaborations: Worked with partners, referrers, and other groups to assess needs and coordinate practical support.
Campaigns: Advocated on issues relating to local poverty, in affiliation with the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), the Living Wage Foundation and The Equality Trust.
Assistant coordinator at Fair Frome, Rebecca Harrison said, “We were delighted to have built on the strength of our Community Pantry, which is now in its second year. It offers a low-cost shop to members for a six-month period to facilitate sustainable access to food and allow individuals and families to budget.
“The scheme has been a real success story and currently has 60 members and is growing. 2024 also saw the start of our Breakfast Club. It was being made clear to us that some children were going to school without breakfast. The government has promised that eventually every schoolchild will be offered the opportunity of a breakfast but until that actually happens, our team of volunteers is at the Cricket Club every Monday during term time, distributing well over 70 breakfasts to local schoolchildren.”
Chair of trustees at Fair Frome, John Killah, said, “Frome is a truly remarkable town. I have never ceased to be astonished by the incredible generosity of the people in this town. On behalf of our trustees I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone in Frome who has supported us over the past year – staff and volunteers, local councils, businesses, the Rotary Clubs, Inner Wheel, Frome Lions, charities, churches, schools, all our referrers, voluntary agencies and the many thousands of individual people and families who have donated their time, food and funds to help us continue our work.
“Without the help of all these amazing people and organisations, Fair Frome would simply not be able to achieve what we already do. As we move into a new year, a huge ‘thank you’ once more to our many supporters who help make sure that as a charity, we really do make a difference.”
