Since my last column, it seems that many of my activities have involved children, young people and their families. I was delighted to attend the Rotary Children’s Fun Day Out at Longleat, where local Rotary clubs host children from our area and give them access to the park. Many of those attending are disabled, disadvantaged or vulnerable and would otherwise not have the opportunity to enjoy the animals and other attractions. It was great to share their excitement and the volunteers said they had a lovely time too.
Even this month’s town council meeting had a family air to it, as we held it in the Key Centre on The Mount. Frome Town Council gained ownership of the centre from Somerset Council last year and since then we have repaired and improved it to make it a welcoming place for all in our communities. There is a dedicated space which will be home to a nursery and a tender process is being held to find an operator. Please take a look at the events being held at the centre and call in to see how it is being revitalised for the benefit of our residents – if not before, why not come along to celebrate Playday on 5 August? More about that on the council’s social media or a poster near you soon.
Frome College and Selwood Academy students performed at this year’s Frome Busks. The young musicians performed on eight stages across the town and I tried to see all of them on each stage at least once. The standard seems to get better every year and is a credit to the students and their teachers. During my circuits I even managed to photo-bomb a neighbour’s wedding at St John’s – congratulations Pippa and Tonks!
I joined the Frome Pride community gathering at Rodden Meadow on 20 June and, among others, I was pleased to be introduced to Rainbow Families. This is an organisation formed to support LGBTQ parents, caregivers, and their children. They provide safe, inclusive environments to engage in relaxed, family-oriented events and it was obvious the event in Rodden Meadow was achieving all these aims.
Finally, I joined the first anniversary celebrations of ‘For Dads’ Sake’, a group of Frome dads who got together to talk about the issues they faced as parents. This has blossomed into a fantastic social group, not just for the dads but for their partners and children too. They have come so far in one year, and raise money for a great Frome charity, Frome Birth Talk. I wish them every success for the future. I hope I can see more of these organisations at their events this year.
To request a visit from Mayor Mark Dorrington, email lflaherty@frometowncouncil.gov.uk.
