» The List Recommends

Bike Bath – Ride around Somerset

22nd August

Bike Bath is a day of short, medium and long marked rides, taking in the best scenery of Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, with three start and finish locations in Frome, Bath and Devizes. This year there are starts and finishes at Bath Recreation Ground, Frome Rugby Club and Devizes Sports Centre (this start is TBC).

Entry fees for adults are £30 for the medium and long routes and £25 for the short route, with children being charged £15. Charities’ teams are also encouraged to enter. As an entrant you will benefit from:

• a free medal at the end of your ride • timing and routes via the new Iconic App • fully waymarked routes with a back-up route map and GPS files • feed stations on the long and medium routes showcasing the best produce from local food and drink suppliers • on-course first aid support.

Bike Bath’s charity for 2021 is Dorothy House Hospice . You can make a donation or set up a Just Giving fundraising page for them when you register. To sign up to Bike Bath go to: iconiccyclingevents.co.uk

20 Miles – an Exhibition by David Parfitt

Until 26th September / Black Swan Arts

Somerset landscape artist David A. Parfitt is showing a series of paintings and prints which reflect on our connections with nature, place and home.

The exhibition shows a mixture of dramatic, sometimes almost abstract, watercolours and striking monochromatic monoprints, created in David’s studio during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. His work focusses on the trees, wetlands and woods of Somerset, and explore the tension between the restrictions that have been placed on all of us over the past year and the desire to get out into the natural world.

By staying close to home, David rediscovered places on his daily walks around his village, making new connections and creating new memories. Conversely, he also longed for his regular autumn and winter walks around the Mendip hills and Somerset wetlands.

David’s paintings are representational, but his intention is ‘to make things that have a sense of place without looking overly contrived or deliberate’. His method involves working quickly, drawing seemingly haphazard marks with a brush and combining these with loose washes without getting over-involved in detail.

AUSTRALIAN INFLUENCED EATERY

private catering available

14 king st frome ba11 1bh

seating inside and out

superfood smoothies, cold press juices, specialty coffee, poke bowls, buddha bowls, acai smoothie bowls, sweet treats. nooktheshop.co.uk 01373 471368 @nooktheshop TUE-sat 9-4

NOW OPEN

Taking bookings Tuesday – Saturday from 5:30pm

FUSION FOOD CREATIVE COCKTAILS NEWNEW SEASONALSEASONAL MENUSMENUS LAUNCHED EVERY WEEK

See online for details

www.fatradish.co.uk 01373 596102 Follow us online

@fatradishfrome

20 Market Place . Frome Somerset . BA11 1AN

Celebrate the full indoor return of

FROME CHEESE & GRAIN FARMERS’ MARKET

Saturday 14th August 9am - 1pm Farmers • Food & Drink • Music

Proud to support Somerset Farmers’ Markets th-law.co.uk

HMS Pinafore

12th August / 7pm / The Merlin Theatre

Set on board the warship HMS Pinafore, the opera cheerfully mocks such great British institutions as class, patriotism and the Royal Navy. Josephine, the captain’s daughter, is in love with Ralph, a common sailor, but her father wants her to marry Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty. The couple are caught as they elope from the ship and Ralph is “T he first Sunday in March felt as though it was cursed for a while; galeforce winds, storms and even snow putting a stop to our planned season launches in recent years. In 2020 we held our breath throughout February but, miraculously, the weather held for our March market. What none of us could have foreseen was that, in the end, that market would be the only event we would be able bring you in 2020 and to date.

As many of you are aware, the scale of our event means that it would simply not have been safe to bring back our event. We are a small team, who are based here in Frome, and whilst we were frustrated not to be able to operate our markets, the safety of all of our brilliant staff, traders, local community and visitors was our top priority.

Sadly, due to the delay in lockdown easing, we had to postpone our return until Sunday September 5th rather than Sunday 1st August as originally hoped. As a substitute, and a way to ease everyone back into the idea of a live outdoor event in the town centre, we came up with a plan to run a small French style night market for July 30th. Hopefully some of you will have attended A Little Night Market and had a great experience! We are keeping everything crossed that the lifting of restrictions remains in place and 5th September will see our return. But, we are all primed for things to change quickly these days – so please keep an eye on our social media and website for updates! When we return, we will be encouraging as much Covid safety as possible, such as asking staff, traders and visitors to stay home if they have Covid symptoms or have been asked to self-isolate, using the NHS Test and Trace app (we’ll have a QR code), cashless payments and shopping with your eyes!

In the meantime, you can check out lots of our traders on the new Market Directory section of our website and join us for the online edition of our August market over on our Instagram stories. This will take place on Sunday 1st August. We’ll have makers, designers, food producers, flea traders, local shops and businesses promoting their products and making exclusive offers and discounts throughout the day.

We’d like to share our awe and admiration for the tenacious people who have adapted their businesses to pandemic life, and thank everyone who has supported our designers, makers, food producers and the small creative businesses here in Frome. Hope to see you all in September!”

For tickets go to merlintheatre.co.uk

Emma Housely - Summer Story

14th August - 28th September / The WHY Gallery

Somerset artist Emma Housley paints abstracts which explore vivid colour and rich experience. In particular she is inspired by the experience of water, swimming, light and heat, working in acrylic and a wide variety of mixed media to explore the fascinating process of painting.

Emma’s exhibition, Summer Story, at The WHY Gallery, is based on the luminous colours of summer. Works on canvas, wood and paper will reflect her preoccupation with water, light and warmth, and the nostalgia of summers past.

The exhibition runs from August 14th- September 28th at takes place at The WHY Gallery, 3 Stony Street, Frome. www.whygallery.co.uk locked in the ship’s dungeon. Only when certain revelations are made by Buttercup, a dockside vendor, can everyone end up freely marrying their true hearts’ loves.

This wonderful comic opera gets the complete Illyria treatment, faithfully performed by a reduced cast on a beautiful nautical set.

Return of The Frome independent

An Update From The Market Team

CRIMES IN EGYPT

NEW OLD FRIENDS THEATRE COMPANY

New Old Friends theatre company, run by Frome-based wife and husband team Heather Westwell and Feargus Woods

Dunlop, has been lucky enough to have many highlights since it was formed in 2008. The company has won multiple awards, gained five-star reviews, enjoyed critically and commercially successful runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, and sold out big venues all over the country with a distinctive brand of fast-paced, multi-role, quick-change, clever comedies. But one of the most joyous experiences was two rainy nights last

December at the Merlin’s ECOS amphitheatre, with a Covid-defiant, outdoor, socially distanced, stripped back performance of one of their hugely popular

‘Crimes…’ plays. By firelight. In the rain.

Anyone who was there for either of them can attest to the joy and magical energy of the events which were part of Signal Fires, a national festival in which the country’s leading touring theatre companies put on outdoor fireside performances in their home towns. The festival was designed as a beacon of light, a pledge that professional touring theatre would return. Now the company is back to make good that promise.

Crimes in Egypt plays the Merlin (where New Old Friends is an Associate Company) on the 3rd and 4th September before heading out on a large national tour. The show had a sold-out three weeks for its premiere at Theatre Royal Bath’s Ustinov in 2019, before heading out on a hugely successful tour under its previous title, Crimes on the Nile. It features Belgian detective Artemis Arinae on a cruise up the Nile with a collection of outrageous characters: an erotic novelist, a drunken captain, two feuding femme fatales, a German doctor, a clueless hunk, an embarrassed teenager, a Scottish guardian, an American steel magnate and a hapless first mate. Everyone except Arinae was played by just three actors.

The four-strong cast conjure up hilarious set pieces along the way, including encounters with local wildlife and a camel race that has to be seen to be believed. But it’s not all fun and games on board the good ship Amun Re; one of their number is murdered, and all the guests and staff are suspects. Can Artemis Arinae work her little grey cells and catch the killer in time?

“We are so excited to be returning to the Merlin. We love putting on shows there, and not just because we get to walk home afterwards! Frome is such a vibrant and creative town, we are proud to be part of it. We really want to establish a solid base here in our home town, so hopefully everyone out there will buy tickets. There have been times over the last eighteen months when we genuinely didn’t know whether the company would survive or if touring would be an option again, so we are thrilled to be kicking off an ambitious tour this autumn.” Heather Westwell, Artistic Producer of the company told us. Crimes in Egypt is the perfect way to get back to live performance; it is fun, fast, and full of witty wordplay and hilarious characters.

The pandemic was devastating for so many, but particularly those working in the performance industry, with a series of postponements, cancellations and a general mood of uncertainty and existential dread pervading. But, after a few false starts, New Old Friends found a way to continue to connect with their audience by writing, performing and producing Comedy Whodunnits for your Ears, a podcast of hilarious murder mysteries that Heather and Feargus recorded in their spare bedroom during lockdown, and then had their sound wizard, Fred Riding, sprinkle on some music and sound magic. The series caught the attention of BBC Radio 4 and was featured on Front Row; it has won an OnComm award, and rose as high as 2 in the iTunes fiction charts, even ranking inside the Top 200 of all podcasts nationally. There are currently three series still available to listen to, with two more planned for autumn and Christmas, supported by Arts Council England.

“We’re really proud of the podcast series, it allowed us to stay creative during a really rough time and we’re thrilled that people seem to enjoy it. But we have to be honest and say that live theatre is our true passion, particularly touring theatre. So we couldn’t be more excited to be presenting Crimes in Egypt this autumn, and it’s particularly great we’re starting it here in Frome,” said writer and producer Feargus Woods Dunlop. Crimes in Egypt is the perfect way to get back to live performance; it is fun, fast, and full of witty wordplay and hilarious characters. The Merlin has worked incredibly hard to ensure that all patrons feel safe and secure, with all appropriate measures in place. Book a ticket and give this great local company the send-off they deserve.

Crimes in Egypt is on at Frome Merlin, 3rd and 4th September at 7.30pm, with a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday 4th.

Tickets are available from

merlintheatre.co.uk

(Set Design by Connie Watson, Lights by George Seal)

WE FEED THE WORLD

a Calendar of Events Exploring the Future of Agriculture

A Small Farm Future - How we Feed the World and Nurture the Planet

Photo credit: Jason Taylor

To celebrate the We Feed the World photographic exhibition in Frome, The Gaia Foundation and Be the Earth will be collaborating with the Whittox Gallery, Gallery at the Station, Vallis Veg, 42 Acres, Frome Town Council and local producers to create an exciting programme of food and farming events, open to everyone.

Vallis Veg Site Tours

Sundays: 1st, 15th, 22nd and 29th August, 10.30am by the information sign at the entrance to the market garden. Text 07870704299 to book a free place. Please note, strictly no driving on site – pedestrians only! (email camping@vallisveg.co.uk if you need to drive for health reasons).

Wild Nutrition

Thursday 26th August, 5pm – 6.30pm, talk and discussion

Alex Laird, author of From Root to Stem will be in conversation with Tasha Stevens Vallecillo, production manager at 42 Acres just outside Frome. Alex and Tasha will explore the importance of nutrientdense, wild and locally grown foods to our health and immunity, and how we can incorporate this greater diversity into our diets. With accompanying visuals, plants and produce, they will also consider ways in we can ensure locally diverse foods are shared equitably across society. Tickets £6, concession £5.

Rise, Whittox Lane, BA11 3BY. Booking via www.thewhittoxgallery.com Thursday 2nd September, 7pm – 9pm, light meal then talk and discussion.

With Chris Smaje, Robyn Minogue, James Turner and Peter Macfadyen

Chris Smaje, author of A Small Farm Future and cofounder of Vallis Veg in Frome, will discuss the ways in which a small farm future can be realised in the UK and globally, and why it is a critical and urgent pathway to address our ecological crisis. Chris will be joined by Robyn Minogue from the Gaia Foundation’s Seed Sovereignty Programme, James Turner from communications organisation Glimpse and Peter Macfadyen, author of Flatpack Democracy. Join a lively and urgent conversation. Tickets £12 including food and a glass of wine. Concessions £10.

Rise, Whittox Lane, BA11 3BY. Booking via www.thewhittoxgallery.com

Rewilding is an incredibly inspiring, large-scale and regenerative approach to restoring the diversity we have lost

Agri-Rewilding - How Rewilding and Small-scale Agriculture can Thrive

Thursday 9th September, 7pm – 9pm, light meal then talk and discussion.

With Ben Goldsmith, Hal Rhoades, Tasha Stevens-Vallecillo and Seth Tabatznik

Rewilding is an incredibly inspiring, large-scale and regenerative approach to restoring the diversity we have lost, but how do we ensure that our food production needs are also integrated and flourish? Ben Goldsmith, Somerset farmer and Chair of Rewilding Britain will be joined by Hal Rhoades from The Gaia Foundation and Tasha Stevens Vallecillo and Seth Tabatznik from 42 Acres, Somerset. Tickets £12 including food and a glass of wine/soft drink. Concessions £10.

Rise, Whittox Lane, BA11 3BY. Book online: www.thewhittoxgallery.com

We Feed… Frome

Friday 24th September, from 5pm As part of the Great Big Green Week meet the producers and food innovators working in and around Frome. Did you know you can support Frome’s local farmers by shopping online at the Frome Food Hub? Or that there’s a new waste project in town closing the composting loop? Meet the fine folk producing the most nutrientrich, delicious and diverse foods around, and enjoy the fare on offer plus live music and inspiring short talks. Rye Bakery, Hesperian Fish, Lungi Babas & 42 Acres Food Truck. In partnership with Gallery at the Station and Frome Town Council. Station Approach, BA11 1RE. It’s free, so just show up!

PURE

Interiors with a Focus on Sustainability and Socio-Economic change

With an exciting take on the interiors industry, new kids on the block Pure are bringing their exciting new concept to Bruton High Street, opening on 31st July.

Pure was set up in February 2020 by owners Lois and Robbi. They have a studio and warehouse in central Frome and a team of six bright and creative individuals all working hard to get the Pure concept off the ground. Having headed up a busy commercial interior design team in London pre-Covid, Lois recognised that due to the new digital age and everchanging attitudes about consumerism, that we have found ourselves in a situation whereby companies are under immense pressure to deliver to extremely tight deadlines, accept returns at a whim and produce constant streams of display one season after the next. The culmination of stock at extreme levels has been inevitable. This pressure on design companies and retailers to either carry the cost of storage, or invest in resources to process and sell this unwanted and unstandardised (sometimes unboxed) stock is an immense financial burden, when really they ought to be focussing on their main line of business.

At the same time, knowing that many young, hard-working families struggle to afford high end or branded furniture, and being a stickler for resourcefulness, Lois felt it somewhat unjust to sit with the knowledge that, if the right solution could be found, this furniture would certainly be appreciated elsewhere, and would avoid furniture sitting in a warehouse burning holes in retailers’ pockets, or worse, being disposed of completely.

So the Pure team, in their little studio in Frome, store, process and market end-of-line, ex-display or returned goods at 50% off the full retail price. They then share the revenue with the suppliers when sold, and anything not sold after 90 days is donated to charities, local community projects or anywhere that is in need in the local area. They even have a Head of Giving assigned to that very task. The whole operation is based in Somerset and they are fiercely passionate about serving the local community. Pure are completely exclusive to our area, in a 20 mile radius around Frome and Bruton, for deliveries and donations. Although their supplier network spans the whole of the UK, they prefer to connect with as many local businesses as possible.

Even greater news is that not only are items 50% less than you would have paid new, they are often high end brands, good quality and stylish and, if not new, then as good as. Lois is very particular about the brands she works with, and being an established interior designer herself, she has impeccable knowledge of the industry. Part of the deal, though, is that when goods arrive (although they only work with brands they know and trust), it’s a complete surprise as to what they will get, and items always go fast.

Pure tend to have deliveries every few months, so if you are renovating or perhaps an AirBnB host, and need a lot of items, it’s worth subscribing to their newsletter to keep up-to-date with goods that come in.

The shop, in partnership with Smouk Interiors (who source handcrafted Moroccan goods directly from the makers), opens 31st July on Bruton High Street, where most of their goods will be available to view and buy.

For more information please check out www.pureinteriors.uk

RASPBERRY CURD

seasonal Recipes from our resident Foodie Laura Coate

Imake curd a lot. (I blame Ballymaloe Cookery School.) Give me pretty much any fruit and I’ll work it into a sweet, eggy cream. Trials over the years have ranged from forgettable (poo-brown pomegranate) to incredibly successful (our household staple: banana curd).

When we moved into our little Frome cottage seven years ago, we inherited some straggly raspberry canes at the bottom of our garden. Some autumns, we prune them right down, sometimes we don’t. We feed them in spring, but sadly despite our ministrations, they never yield vast numbers of fruits. Just enough to gobble a handful of berries a day. My parents, on the other hand, grow tonnes. So many that my Dad doesn’t even bother to net them anymore, as he just can’t give them away. I’ll greedily take as many as I can, so I can preserve them as jam, cordial and liqueur.

Curd is a preserve with a relatively short shelf life and raspberries make for a delightful curd. Try this one on brioche toast or dolloped onto yoghurt for breakfast. Use it to sandwich a sponge cake for afternoon tea, or fold equal quantities of lightly sweetened cream (whisked to just hold its shape) into it and freeze in a lined loaf tin to make a raspberry semifreddo.

WHAT YOU’ll NEED

to fill a couple of small jars’ worth:

150g raspberries (the more ripe, the better) Juice of half a large lemon 50g butter 85g caster sugar 2 large eggs, plus an extra yolk

Place the raspberries, lemon juice and sugar in a blender and whizz until liquidised. (Or, if you’d prefer less washing up, mash these ingredients together in a bowl, using a fork.)

Dice the butter and tip into a heatproof bowl. Find a pan that will accommodate the bowl snugly to make a Bain Marie and add the raspberry mixture. Stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Whisk the eggs together very, very well and quickly stir into the liquid until completely blended.

Cook, stirring, for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the curd is thick enough to coat a spoon (it will thicken more as it cools). For a seedless curd, push the mixture through a sieve and pot into sterilised jars.

Once cool, keep the curd refrigerated and aim to devour within 5 days or so.

Follow Laura for updates and recipes: Instagram @foodwithfolk Gentle, effective, non-invasive, therapy for aches, pains, restricted movement, injuries, stress & many other problems.

Janie Godfrey - Frome Bowen Clinic 01373 452 422 www.bowenclinicfrome.com