LOCAL welfare charity Fair Frome has thanked the local community for its support during a hugely successful last 12 months and is looking forward to more improvements in the coming year.
Fair Frome, set up in 2014, works with people in poverty and financial difficulty in the area, as well as raising awareness and campaigning for better services and equality for those in need.
Last year was the charity’s first full year operating and saw the food bank donations double, five community dining events held in the town, over 30 volunteers trained and more than £10,000 raised.
Chair of trustees Bob Ashford said, “Whilst Frome continues to thrive, many people in the town are struggling to find full employment or are working zero or limited hours contracts, as well as experiencing low pay and cuts to welfare benefits.
“As Frome becomes more successful, house prices and local rents rise, forcing many people in the town into unsatisfactory accommodation and further into poverty. We are also hearing from our referral agencies of their concerns regarding the introduction of Universal Credit this year and the additional pressures this will place on those who will need to rely upon it.
“Fair Frome has been trying to provide basic services and campaign against poverty and inequality over the past year with a good deal of success.
“None of this would be possible without the support of the people of Frome.
“I should therefore like to thank all those who have contributed to Fair Frome over the year; the town council for their continuing support, the referral agencies and those organisations and individuals who have contributed financially or in kind, the supermarkets and shops who allow us to collect there, our volunteers and coordinator, and last but not least a huge thanks to the many hundreds of unseen people in Frome who, week in and week out, donate food at our collection points around the town.
“This year we intend to grow our existing services to meet the increasing demand and to create a free furniture bank for the collection, minor repair and delivery of furniture and white goods to those referred and in need.”
Fair Frome offers practical support, such as ensuring that everyone has access to food, kitchen equipment and clothes washing facilities, and also aspires towards greater financial, educational, social and health equality in Frome and runs projects designed to bring people from different backgrounds together.
Find out more about the charity online at www.fairfrome.org
