Share Frome returns to new premises after two-year break

A charity promoting sharing, repairing and reusing has returned to Frome after a two-year break, reopening at new premises at Welshmill Hub.

Share Frome has been rebuilding its operations since June, when it soft-launched from a shared unit at Welshmill Hub alongside FromeBase, a new community DIY surplus project dedicated to keeping useful materials out of landfill.

The charity was previously located on The Bridge, where it operated for nine years. It closed last summer after Halifax shut its branch in the building where the project was based.

Without a suitable location from which to operate, the charity had to step back from its activities.

Its return to Welshmill Hub has given Share the opportunity to reopen while also considering how it can work alongside the community projects that have emerged in Frome during its time away.

Manager Daisy Bishop said, “At the heart of Share Frome is a simple idea: why buy something you only need occasionally when you could borrow it instead?”

As a Library of Things, Share provides access to items that people can borrow rather than purchase, helping to save money, reduce unnecessary consumption and make better use of resources already available in the community.

Daisy said the relaunch had been “an incredibly positive experience”, adding that the reception from the community had been “magnificent and so supportive”.

The charity is now looking to reconnect with local organisations and projects whose work shares its ethos, particularly around sustainability, repair and reuse.

Share is also restarting its volunteer-run Repair Cafés, giving people the opportunity to bring items to be repaired and learn new skills.

“The sessions are intended to be as much about sharing knowledge as they are about fixing things – bringing people together to understand how objects work, learn new skills and give items a longer life,” said Daisy.

The charity’s new neighbours at Welshmill Hub include FromeBase, which provides a space for surplus DIY materials to be donated and sold at a cheaper retail price.

Daisy said the two projects had different focuses but shared a commitment to reuse, making Welshmill Hub an “exciting new base” for Share Frome.

Share Frome is now looking for continued support from the local community as it develops its operations. It is keen for people to get involved, either as volunteers, new members or with a financial donation.

Daisy said, “After two years away, the ambition is not simply to reopen the doors and return to where Share left off. Instead, the charity wants to build something that reflects the Frome of today, working with the network of local projects that has grown during its absence and finding new ways to help people share resources, repair what they already own and reduce waste.”

For more information about Share Frome and how to get involved, visit www.sharefrome.org or contact 07983 639611.