The team behind The Frome Independent have launched a new t-shirt design which will help raise money for a grassroots project tackling period poverty in Frome.
The market’s new “Somerset Sisters” t-shirt has been produced to raise money for Frome Re: Fresh, an initiative that tackles period poverty amongst vulnerable young people. The project works with schools across Frome, distributing sanitary products and toiletries to young people.
According to a recent study conducted by Always, more than 137,700 young people across the UK have missed school in the last year because they couldn’t afford sanitary products. There are now a number of initiatives across the country addressing period poverty at a local and national level.
Frome Re:Fresh was established by a group of Frome residents who are part of West Wilts Vineyard Church in Trowbridge. They work closely with four Frome schools to make a difference to disadvantaged young people in Frome from low-income families, who may be struggling to afford sanitary products and toiletries.
Lesley Hooper, coordinator for Frome Re:Fresh said that establishing the project felt vital at a time when more families are struggling to make ends meet. She said, “Many young people don’t have access to basic toiletries through no fault of their own and as a result, often suffer from poor self-esteem and bullying.”
The Somerset Sisters slogan was a popular element from a special market held in 2015, which celebrated the women-led businesses that take part in The Frome Independent market.
Tabitha Clayson, director of the market explains that the market team had received many requests to renew the slogan and that this time around, her team wanted to use it to raise money for a local cause. The new Somerset Sisters t-shirt was produced by The Frome Independent team, who were looking for an appropriate local charity to work with, when they heard about Frome Re:Fresh.
She said, “Working to help charities in our home town is something our whole team feels passionately about. We wanted to revive the Somerset Sisters slogan for 2018 and put it to good use, raising money for a local project that supports young people locally.”
The Frome Independent’s “Somerset Sisters” t-shirts are made from “Fair Wear” organic cotton, and screen-printed here in Frome by I Dress Myself. 20% of all Somerset Sister t-shirt sales will go directly to Frome Refresh, who will use the funding to continue their work providing sanitary products and toiletries to young people in town. T-shirts will be available at The Frome Independent’s final 2018 market on Sunday 2nd December and on their new online shop, due to launch in late November.
The Frome Independent is a not-for-profit social enterprise. Each year they host themed markets and activities to support different charitable causes. This year they have worked with Dorothy House, WHY, Frome’s Missing Links and Mendip YMCA. This Christmas, they will be partnering again with Fair Frome, who they work with each year to raise thousands of pounds for Frome’s Big Christmas Get Together. Markets take place on the first Sunday of the month, March – December.
If you’d like to know more about Frome Re:fresh, you can find them on Facebook, or online at www.communityaction westwilts.org/refresh
If you’d like to make a donation of toiletries and sanitary supplies, you can visit the Town Hall on Christchurch Street where they have a donations box.
