Broadway buy-out is complete

CAMPAIGNERS who fought for an area of open space in Frome to be protected from possible development are celebrating the completion of the £24,000 purchase of the land from Mendip District Council.

Broadway Community Gardens is now owned by the town following the sale to Frome Town Council and the community group Save our Spaces. Save Our Spaces will eventually take on stewardship following work later in the year by the town council to make the area accessible.

Local resident and campaigner, Mendip councillor John Clarke, said: "I would like to thank the town council, Save Open Spaces Frome for their support but especially and most of all, those who have fought so hard over the last four years to achieve our goal of saving this open space.

“Now we have the opportunity with the people of Frome, to create a special place where the community can come together, benefit from nature, helping to create a strong community where people’s health, physical and mental wellbeing can be enhanced, a friendly, welcoming safe space for all to enjoy."

Town councillor Fiona Barrow said: “Run differently and complementary to our allotments, it will be a different sort of growing space. The mental and physical health benefits of growing your own collectively are so important – everyone who wants should be able to get their hands dirty and reap benefits. Ultimately our thanks must go to the two-campaign group as it is their hard work that achieved this – a community growing space saved for the whole town to benefit from.”

For details, visit: www.broadwaycommunitygardens.com

Cycling hub steps up a gear

FROME Community Bike Project has announced plans to create a dedicated cycling hub in the town.

If planning permission is granted, the site, which will feature a workshop space, could be up and running within months. In the meantime, FCBP is running a series of free community events from now until September after receiving National Lottery funding through the Together Fund funded by Sport England and distributed by Sustrans.

All profits from the project will go to local charity Frome’s Missing Links to support their campaign to link up traffic-free routes in and around Frome.

Emma Parker from FCBP said: “We’re so grateful to have received this funding and we'll be putting it to good use offering free events to the community. From bike repairs and teaching bike maintenance skills to teaching cycle confidence classes and