Environmental campaigner, writer and activist – and fortune teller and time traveller – Rob Hopkins visited Frome on 23 October. A daytime workshop and an evening ‘in conversation’ event at the Cheese and Grain, organised by Frome Town Council, invited participants to envision a Frome of the near future, with a focus on possibility, imagination and optimism: making a choice to say ‘yes, and’ instead of ‘yes, but’, even in the face of the enormous challenge of climate change. The approach is detailed in his latest book ‘How to Fall in Love with the Future: A Time Traveller’s Guide to Changing the World’. Rob also brought his fortune telling machine to Frome, dispensing hopeful snapshots of a better future world.
Rob said: “We need to be able to imagine something before we can go on and create it. Everything we are surrounded by exists only because it was imagined by somebody once, who went on to create it.”
Broadcaster Fayon Dixon, who recently moved to Frome, hosted the evening event, interviewing Rob Hopkins about his new book and taking questions from the audience. She said: “What a night – it was fun, inspiring and packed with hope! Rob’s stories of places reimagining their futures (and reaping the rewards!) definitely sparked something in the room. So many great questions, ideas, and a real sense that yep: we can do this too!”
Frome Town Council’s Climate Action Lead Matt Mellen said:
“The day was unique, extraordinary and very powerful. We were taken on a fascinating journey through our collective imaginations guided by Rob’s irrepressible enthusiasm, intelligence and humour. We can imagine a bright future and set sail for it. In these very challenging times when doom and gloom are omnipresent; Rob’s approach is the antidote we need.”
Find out more about Rob Hopkins at https://www.robhopkins.net.
