FROME’S first Kindness Festival continues to leave its mark on the town in all kinds of ways.
Mel Dalton of the Kindness Festival reports, “A hamper full of delicious local products such as honey, yoghurts, ice cream, chutneys, cakes, biscuits, mushrooms and fish from the Frome Food Hub was kindly put together during the festival by Ian and Kerry Anne from the hub.
“Local charities and community groups were then invited to put their name into a raffle, and the winner was the team of volunteers who lead the Frome Health Walks. These walks take place three times each week and are free of charge to anyone who wants to keep fit and enjoy the countryside in the company of others.
“We were delighted to celebrate the around-the-year work of Frome volunteers in this way, and very grateful to the local businesses who made such generous contributions to the hamper, it looked mouth-watering!”
Business that contributed were: Get Pickled Somerset; HejGro; Hurdlebrook; Ivy House Dairy; Little Jack Horners; Louisebees; Palette & Pasture; Piper’s Bakery; September House Smallholding; Sole of Discretion; Sugar & Spice Bakehouse; The Happy Forager; Vallis Veg; and White Horse Microgreens.”
The Frome Food Hub, which has been featured on both BBC Countryfile and Radio 4’s Farming Today, can be found at www.fromefoodhub.co.uk.
One-off Kindness Café becomes monthly event!
Volunteers from Wesley Methodist Church on Wesley Slope were so pleased with the results of their Kindness Café, which welcomed over 70 people during the Festival for free tea and cake, that they have decided to continue the initiative on a monthly basis.
The next café will be held from 10am to 12pm on Saturday 9th April, with another planned for Saturday 21st May.
Wesley volunteers are also setting up a children’s clothes exchange.
“If anyone has any clothes which their child has grown out of but are still in good condition, please can they drop them off at the church office (at the back door of the church) between 10am and 12pm on Monday 28th March or 4th April,” said Rev. Margaret Crawshaw.
Kindness Festival to return in 2023
Last but not least, a funding bid has just been submitted to Frome Town Council to cover the core costs of a second Frome Kindness Festival next year.
Organisers, The Good Heart, hope to build on the goodwill and generosity of the event last month and involve even more individuals and organisations in planning a town-wide celebration and exploration of kindness for all ages in March 2023.
