Local Frome charity Fair Frome which provides services like the Food Band, designed to meet the needs of people in financial difficulties and campaigns against inequality, has issued a New Year message to all its supporters in the town:
Bob Ashford, the chair of trustees said, “2017 has been a challenging year for many people in Frome. The introduction of Universal Credit, rising housing costs, frozen benefits for those in and out of work and those with disabilities have created a “perfect storm” which has hit many families and individuals in the town.
“We have seen the impact of this through the rise in take up at the Food Bank which has doubled since the first year we began running, in October 2014. In the year to October 2017, 1,496 people have received food top ups. This is a significant number of people in a town the size of Frome, especially when considered that all of these people (many of whom are in work) were referred following assessment by partner organisations in the town.
“Fair Frome and its supporters though have done what we can to meet this challenge. In the past year, as well as running the Food Bank and moving it to new premises where we can meet service users and offer food and toiletries more designed to meet individual needs, Fair Frome has started a new Furniture Bank, run numerous Community Dining events and started an Access for All campaign, designed to improve access for people with visible or hidden disabilities to town centre shops and businesses. We have also supported other initiatives in the town like the Changing Places campaign and the Big Christmas Get Together.
“We have campaigned against wider inequality by raising awareness in the town of the impacts of Universal Credit, supported the Real Living Wage and run other events to highlight the growing divide.
“None of these initiatives would have been possible without the support of our volunteers and our partners, and the generosity of the people of Frome. Our volunteers are amazing people who give up so much of their time, collecting, sorting and delivering food bags. Throughout the year, including over the Christmas period, they have ensured that the food bank remained open for those in need.
“We keep our overheads as low as we possibly can but apart from a welcome grant from Frome Town Council, we raise all our funds ourselves. During the Christmas period and throughout the year, these have come from generous individuals and organisations in the town, often anonymously. We also couldn’t exist without all those churches and other people who donate food to us directly or through our food boxes in shops and supermarkets throughout the town.
“We don’t intend to keep still and are constantly looking at ways to extend and improve our services including recycling and offering white goods through the furniture bank and fresh food through the food bank.
“On behalf of the trustees and staff at Fair Frome, can we thank all of those people and groups that have helped us over the year to try to make Frome a better, fairer town for everyone.
“If you would like to support Fair Frome you can make a donation through Local Giving on our website.
“If you would like more information on our work visit our website at: www.fairfrome.org.uk Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/FairFrome/ or contact our coordinator, Wendy Miller Williams on 01373 488578.
