Three Frome organisations have been nominated as finalists in the BBC Radio Somerset Make a Difference Awards, with the winners being announced in September.
Two Frome organisations have been nominated for a Community Group Award; The Good Heart, a community space on Palmer Street that runs a café, groups and the annual Kindness Festival; and Birth Talk, a charity offering free counselling to pregnant women and new mothers.
Frome mum Shirley Wort, who has dedicated over two decades to fundraising for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), has been nominated for Fundraiser of the Year, following the thousands of pounds she, her husband and family and friends have raised for CRY, the charity working to reduce the frequency of sudden cardiac death in young people.
Shirley has been fundraising for CRY since the death of her 28-year-old son Julian in March 2000, from an undiagnosed heart condition. She set up the Julian Wort Memorial Fund that has raised more than £50,000 over the past 20+ years, in addition to supporting CRY’s world leading ‘test my heart’ programme.
In March this year, Shirley held her last fundraising heart screening at Oakfield School, where over 100 of Frome’s young people booked to have their hearts checked.
Shirley said, “We are totally overwhelmed and humbled to have been nominated for this award. We have no idea who nominated us but we are just incredibly grateful to the town and surrounding villages and areas for the support that’s been given to us.”
The money raised by the Julian Wort Memorial Fund has been used to buy two electrocardiogram (ECG) machines and defibrillators for Frome Hospital, and to support CRY’s core funds to ensure the vital provision of services such as specialist bereavement support, research and awareness.
There are eight categories in the BBC Make a Difference Awards that recognise people who make a difference to the communities in which they live. Four finalists are in each of the categories which are; the Together Award; Green Award; Bravery Award; Carer Award; Great Neighbour Award; Fundraiser Award; Volunteer Award; Community Group Award.
The awards ceremony will take place in September at the Haynes Motor Museum in Yeovil, where those nominated will find out if they have won their category.
