Frome’s Big Christmas Get-Together is returning for the sixth consecutive year.
The event provides a free Christmas lunch and festive celebrations to anyone who wants company on Christmas Day. Run solely by generous volunteers, who work together to ensure everyone has a good day, the event includes everything from venue decorating, food preparation and cooking a full traditional Christmas lunch, to transport for guests, chatting at tables and washing up. A variety of music and activities will entertain guests through the day, finishing with a live broadcast of the Queen’s Speech and then transport home.
It’s free to attend, but places need to be booked in advance. Organisers are working closely with Active and In Touch, Fair Frome, the weekly day centre lunch club, and many local groups and community services, to ensure the whole community is welcomed on this special day. Guest forms are available from Frome Library.
Frome Town Football Club has kindly offered to host the celebrations once again. Last year over 150 people, who would otherwise have been on their own, were fed and entertained, with more than 200 people volunteering their time in December. All costs were covered through donations from over 50 local businesses and individuals, together with a phenomenal public response to collections at the Christmas markets.
One of the volunteer organisers, Emma, explains why this year is so important saying, “Everyone deserves a great Christmas, and this special event is for those Frome residents who may be alone for all sorts of reasons, or who just want to celebrate Christmas with others.
“Frome’s Big Christmas Get-Together brings people together to create a really memorable day and provides people with company and good times. We make a special effort to treat everybody the same on the day, so there is no real distinction between guests and volunteers, just one great community gathering.”
The organizing committee would like to hear from people who could help plan the smooth running of the event. It’s important to find some fresh faces to share out roles both on the day and in the lead up through December. The group particularly need volunteers to lead on transport, press and PR, decorating, raffle and children’s activities. Urgent help is also needed to help raise funds through bucket collections at the Christmas lights switch-on (Friday 1st December) and The Frome Independent market (Sunday 3rd December).
“This is a wonderful opportunity to be more involved with a worthwhile community project, make new friends and make a real difference to people’s lives at what can be a challenging time of year.”
If you would like to make sure Christmas happens for people who need it, please contact Sue at fromechristmas@gmail.com or through Facebook/fromesbigchristmas. All guest enquiries can telephone Margaret on 01373 465418 to find out more.