FROME’S first ever Kindness Festival, which celebrated the kindness that keeps the town going, has been hailed a big success.
The final weekend of the Festival was all about people: the crowd who enjoyed the Frome Rock Choir perform around the Boyle Cross Hat on Saturday lunchtime, those of all ages (from tiny to elderly) who enjoyed the two Kindness Cafes at Wesley Methodist Church and in Victoria Park, the children and families who painted pebbles, made badges and learned origami at the Frome Independent, everyone who created kindness windows for Window Wanderland, and the smiling Kindness Crew who toured the town centre with gifts and wish-granting umbrellas.
“We’ve been inundated by stories of how the Kindness Festival has touched people’s lives this past week” said Alison, Karen, Simon and Teresa, the directors of local non-profit The Good Heart, who organised the festival. “We know we reached over 2,000 pupils through our schools’ assemblies and workshops, that we distributed more than 1,500 kindness badges, that over 480 people booked a place at Festival events, and many others enjoyed the coverage on BBC Points West, Radio Somerset, in the Frome Times and on social media.
“It’s scientifically proven that kindness has a massive ripple effect, so we’ll never know how far this wave of warm-heartedness has travelled. If you have your own stories or messages to share, please email us at thankyoufrome@gmail.com.”
“There are so many people to thank; our Festival partners, the venues who gave their spaces for free, the individuals and businesses who provided financial and other sponsorship, the leaders of our Festival events and the wonderful Kindness Crew – over 40 volunteers who made it all possible.
“This really was a community-wide event and we look forward to involving and reaching even more Frome people at the 2023 Festival.”
