A fundraising campaign to secure a 3.5-acre riverside site in Frome as a new public green space is underway, with the Friends of the River Frome launching a crowdfunding drive to raise the remaining funds.
The project, which will cost £75,000, includes plans to improve access from The Retreat, the nearest road. Frome Town Council has pledged £30,000 towards the initiative, and a generous personal donation of £20,000 has already been received, leaving a target of £25,000 to be raised through crowdfunding.
“Right now, there is a unique opportunity for the people of Frome to gain ownership of three and a half acres of riverside land in perpetuity for the local people and for riverside wildlife,” said broadcaster and author Jeremy Wade, who launched the campaign on behalf of the Friends of the River Frome.
The group has been working closely with Frome Town Council to bring the project to fruition. Once purchased, the freehold of the land will be held by the Theodora Ann Le Gros Trust, which is dedicated to preserving Frome’s open spaces for the community. The trust already owns The Dippy and other green spaces in the town.
Frome town councillor Mark Dorrington said, “I am very excited about this. It will be a great asset for the town. The intention is that Frome, as a town, purchases the meadow and keeps it in perpetuity for the benefit of the town and for wildlife.
“We will put it in trust, which means that if our governance changes in the future, a future council won’t be able to build on it or do anything else with it apart from keeping it as a public open space for the benefit of the town.”
Adderwell Water Meadow plays a vital role in the town’s natural flood defences, retaining water during high river levels to help reduce downstream flooding. It also provides a unique wetland habitat that supports diverse wildlife.
“The well-watered ground has lush growth in the spring,” Jeremy explained. “Green woodpeckers, sparrowhawks, kingfishers, and dippers are often seen, as well as slowworms, otters, and beavers. The meadow is opposite the Rodden Nature Reserve on the other bank, so the whole area is becoming an important haven for wildlife as the town expands.”
The Friends of the River Frome and Frome Town Council plan to work together to create a vision for the site, balancing human enjoyment with wildlife preservation. While the council will handle day-to-day maintenance, volunteers will carry out specific projects, monitor water quality, and track species to assess the impact of habitat improvements.
Once the meadow is in public ownership, proposed enhancements include extending the wheelchair-accessible boardwalk under the railway bridge at Adderwell, adding recreational facilities such as benches and picnic areas, and installing signage and interpretation boards to share information about local history and wildlife.
For further details or to contribute to the campaign, visit the Crowdfunder page at https://crowdfunder.co.uk/p/adderwell-water-meadow.
