I’ve been reflecting recently on how exceptionally lucky I am to enjoy this life as a councillor, and as your Mayor.
My role involves many activities that make me truly happy. In my council work, we’ve been reviewing all the applications for grants that are available to groups and businesses that need help. So many amazing projects in need of funds – which makes it all the more difficult to decide where the money should go. Join us at the town hall on 25 February to hear the outcome of this round of grants.
Mayoral events so far in February have included popping into ‘Canteen’ to see dozens of people enjoying hot food on a ‘pay what you can’ basis and watching our amazing Frome College students perform their ‘Back to the 80s’ show – it was brilliant! I visited Purple Elephant’s community day at the Key Centre and learned more about their work with families. There was a dog show at the football club with Dogs for Health, including stalls with goodies to buy, plus teas, coffees and refreshments. Another fabulous family event.
On 8 February, I braved the rain to bless the apple trees at our Wassail ceremony at Weylands. Fast becoming one of the highlights of the Frome calendar, it featured dancing, singing, cider drinking and music from Frome Street Bandits. Hopefully we’ll see the results in a great apple crop later in the year!
I was delighted to visit St. Louis Catholic School to address the whole school during their assembly. The children have spent the week thinking about their aspirations for the future, with visits from police, pilots, mortgage advisors, quarrymen, and lots more. What a great idea!
On Valentine’s Day I took part in a new event for Frome – the ‘Stacks of Love’ pancake dash. The crowds were cheering everyone on as they dashed from The Blue Boar up to the Boyle Cross, before claiming a free pancake – a brilliant event.
The end of that day saw another brilliant event, but not a new one – the lighting of our beautiful Valentine Lamp by new lamplighter Eddie Young. Again attended by a huge crowd, with Morris dancers, music and poetry to support the lighting ceremony. A beautiful painting by Paul Boswell called ‘The Lamplighter’ was presented to Reg ‘Lucky’ Ling for all his service to the lamp for over thirty years. Very poignant, and another delightful evening in our wonderful town. Well done, Beverley Jones for organising it!
At the end of that busy Saturday, I was able to relax and enjoy a delicious home-cooked dinner with my partner, Steve, to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
My life isn’t all roses (I’m currently healing from a skin cancer removal that’s refusing to heal, and for the last few days I’ve been struggling with a kidney infection) but, in a nutshell, these are the things that make me unbelievably happy.
I’m very happy and I wouldn’t change it for the world!
