Romantic volunteers needed to help with Frome’s lamp lighting ceremony

DEDICATED lamplighter and star of Frome’s annual Valentine Gas Lamp Lighting Ceremony, Reg Ling, wants to hand over the reins to a small group of volunteers in time for next year’s February ceremony.

Held annually for over 30 years to commemorate Valentine’s Day, the ceremony was started this year at 5.30pm by a firework that was launched into the air to summon the community to the lamp that is at the top Catherine Hill.

Frome’s new town crier, Martin Scott, started the proceedings at 6pm and Reg greeted the crowd, speaking about love and inclusivity before lighting the lamp in the manual way. Mulled wine was available by donation.

“At 92 years old, Reg is finding it challenging to continue with the organisation and the maintenance of the lamp,” explains Sue Bloomer, Reg’s daughter and a volunteer for the ceremony proceedings. “We need help with sorting refreshments, planting up the heart-shaped planter, maintenance of the lamp and lamplighters’ pole and doing the accounts.

“Reg does this largely single-handedly. His romantic vision, over 30 years ago, was to renovate a disused Frome street lamp and dedicate it to love and St. Valentine. We’d love some help in order to keep this Frome tradition going for many decades to come.

“It was a good crowd this year and we got more donations. It’s never thousands of pounds but we got £76 in the pot, which is more than we have ever gotten. We also nearly used up 11 bottles of mulled wine!”

To register your interest to volunteer, email info@fromevalentinelamp.co.uk or call Sue Bloomer on 07963 009346.