Frome Birth Talk has taken over the running of the Tiny Hearts Project, based at the town’s community space, The Good Heart.
Tiny Hearts hosts well-established free drop-in groups for ages 0 to five and their carers on Mondays and Thursdays. It also runs Tiny Rainbow Hearts, a group for LGBTQIA+ families to socialise with other parents and their children.
The announcement was made during a visit from the High Sherif of Somerset, Janet Montgomery, and Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset, Lucy Nelson, who joined a Tiny Hearts session on Thursday 14th August, to see the impact both The Good Heart and Frome Birth Talk are having in the area.
Thanks to a National Lottery grant of £20,000, Frome Birth Talk has been able to take on the administrative and financial needs for this well-loved group and enable its continuation for the community for at least the next two years. It is facilitated by Vicki Ross, who has joined Frome Birth Talk as Volunteer and Groups Coordinator and will provide much-needed continuity for the group and its regular attendees.
“Tiny Hearts provides a free, supportive space for parents and carers to socialise and play, as well as free hot drinks and snacks. For many parents, the group is a lifeline and offers connection to other people in an isolating time,” said Vicki Ross, who has run the Tiny Hearts groups since their inception.
“I’m so pleased Frome Birth Talk has been awarded funding to help continue this group and that I’m able to continue along with them. For our attendees, nothing is going to change other than the knowledge that the group is now secure for longer.”
Frome Birth Talk already runs two popular weekly drop-in groups: a Monday pregnancy and newborn group and a Friday pre-school play group, as well as a monthly baby loss support group. The addition of Tiny Hearts will mean the charity now runs drop-in groups four days a week for local families.
“It’s fantastic news for the community and particularly young families, that we have been awarded this money to keep Tiny Hearts going,” said Suzy Cristinacce, director of Frome Birth Talk.
“Frome Birth Talk and Tiny Hearts have been working together and mutually providing support to parents for a long time, so it has been a very natural development for us. We’re also extremely pleased to have Vicki working with us. She is a huge asset to the Tiny Hearts team and to Frome Birth Talk.”
Tiny Hearts runs on Monday and Thursday from 9am to 11am at The Good Heart Cafe on Palmer Street. Bump to Baby group runs on Wednesday from 10am to 11.30am at Frome Community Hospital. Frome Toddler Group runs on Friday morning from 9.30am to 11.30 at Trinity Church Hall.
Tiny Rainbow Hearts runs on the second Sunday of each month, from 2pm to 4pm at the Good Heart Cafe. Frome Birth Talk Baby Loss Support Group runs on the first Wednesday of each month, from 7pm to 9pm also at The Good Heart Cafe.
