The List Frome - May 2024

THE STORY OF THE STORES WINE WITH FRIENDS

“This

I’ve used. I can’t rave about it enough”

“absolutely amazing”

“I’ve never been as dedicated to a skincare product than I have with these”

Langley

W“We’re so sorry,” we said, “ the kids have made a mess of the garden.”

e’ve just got back from Devon. Lee Bay is a quiet, secluded village in a valley, leading to a small beach, perfect for rock pooling and shell gathering. The biggest hardship for my large family was that between the holiday house and the beach lies possibly the best pub in the world. Ah, The Grampus! I would move counties to be able to visit you daily. No great fanfare surrounds this magical place, it makes no fuss of itself, it’s not smug, it doesn’t try too hard, there is no polish, it’s not trendy, or something you’d read about in a glossy mag. But it has legendary status amongst my family. Years ago, one of my brothers actually made us badges and t-shirts saying ‘I Love The Grampus’, as prizes in a quiz.

We love the people who run it, the food, the music and the beer. It was a much-needed respite, as its relaxed atmosphere was in stark contrast to that of our holiday house. With more of us than ever, we booked a new, bigger place this year. It was a choice we questioned throughout the week of

our stay, largely because of the owners’ clear dislike of guests. There were bossy signs everywhere, dictating petty and often barely comprehensible rules. There were the CCTV cameras. There were the gardeners who doubled as spies, excitably relaying information on our behaviour back to the owner. No wonder we ended the week feeling grumpy and tense.

Well, almost. On the last day, we all walked to the beach, mooched about in the drizzle, then headed back. Now, it is almost rude to walk past the Grampus and not pop in, even if just for five minutes (it never is), so we dutifully shuffled in, kids in tow, babies on our backs. Whilst we sat under cover in the garden, the big kids ran about in the rain, putting their heads under drips, chasing each other about and churning up the lawn, creating a mud bath. Our guilt at this came spilling out when a member of staff came out to collect glasses. “We’re so sorry,” we said, “ the kids have made a mess of the garden.”

“Did they have fun?” she asked. “Oh god, yes!” we yelled. “Well - that’s all that matters, isn’t it?” What a place.

Burrito Bambino X River House Take Over

Friday 10th May & Friday 24th May

Let the monthly dose of Mac & Cheese balls recommence! Following two successful pop-ups, Bambino Burrito is back at the River House this month for not one but two instalments of Mexican munch, margaritas a-plenty, and DJs to spin you into summer. Food is served from 6-9 (or sell out) for alfresco dining, banging beverages, and good vibes.

Eat Your Weeds (For Lunch)

Saturday 25th May - 11am - 1.30pm, £40

Come and try some new and delicious creations at Vallis Farm, made with ingredients you can find (quite literally) for free outside your door, window or along your street. There will be lots to eat (including dessert) so come hungry! Take a walk around the farm and learn how to identify edible and medicinal weeds and how they can work for us and for nature. Then eat and drink to your heart’s delight around the farmhouse table.

Retro Social

The Awesome Studio, May 30th, 7.30pm - 10pm

Are you a board game buff, lover of all things retro, or do you yearn for the halcyon days of the SNES? Then head to The Awesome Studio for a night of Retro consoles and board games, for adults only. Bring friends or make new ones and play like the good old days! BYOB or find refreshments and pizza right next door at Rye Bakery.

Nye - National Theatre Live

Merlin, 9th May, 7pm, £16

Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS. Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mindbending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill. Written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris , this epic new Welsh fantasia was filmed live at the National Theatre on 23 April.

The Unsettlement: Two ‘sound walks’ for Frome

From 2nd May, Black Swan Arts

Two new sound-based artworks, designed to be experienced whilst walking through Frome, will launch on Thursday 2nd at Black Swan Arts. Created by artist Lúcia Harley and writer Claire Carroll, the project is an invitation to explore the town by walking and listening.

Fair | Fine | Brisk by Claire Carroll is a meditative audio artwork which blends fact, fiction, sound and poetry in tracing part of the route of the River Frome.

Weeds are Community by Lúcia Harley encourages listeners to take a stroll through the town’s streets reimagining these small but determined life forces that exist in tandem with the human spirit.

The project is supported by Frome Town Council and Black Swan Arts Centre, and is the result of a year’s research for these two Frome-based practitioners, who have worked with a host of partners; from artists and musicians to druids and morris dancers. The artworks are designed to be listened to whilst walking through the town, but can equally be enjoyed from home - or anywhere. All are welcome to the launch of The Unsettlement, which takes place in the River House at Black Swan Arts from 6pm on Thursday 2nd May. The artworks will be free to download from the Black Swan Arts website from 2nd May 2024.

Follow @we_are_unsettled on Instagram for more.

Going Indie: the art of self-publishing in print and online

Naval Room, Archangel, 7.30pm, £5

A talk by the celebrated author David J. Gatward, organised by The Write Place, for writers considering self-publishing. Since David decided to leave his publisher to Go Indie and self publish, he has never looked back. Learn how to produce and publicise books online, build a readership in a crowded market and find faithful fans. Fromebased David is an Amazon Award Finalist for his hugely popular DCI Harry Grimm crime series.

Gaza: The Moral Collapse of the West

Trinity Hall, May 25th, 7pm, £10

Award-winning journalist and broadcaster, Peter Oborne comes to Frome to deliver a vitally urgent talk (with Q&A) on the events in Gaza over the past six months and their effect on the political landscape in The West, and the UK in particular. Peter is the former chief political commentator of The Daily Telegraph from which he resigned in 2015 due to his concerns over journalistic integrity. He will address the moral failure of our institutions and reflect on what this implies for the citizens of Western nations. This event is organised by Frome Friends Of Palestine.

ROH – CARMEN WED 1 MAY – 6.45PM

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE:  NYE THU 9 MAY – 7PM

01373 465949 merlintheatre.co.uk Bath Rd . Frome . BA11 2HG

MACBETH: RALPH FIENNES & INDIRA VARMA THU 2 MAY & SUN 5 MAY 7PM/3PM

ROH – MESSAGE  IN A BOTTLE THU 30 MAY – 7.20PM

THE GREEN ROOM WINES

Lazy River Band

American Museum, May 17th, 5.30 - 9pm

Relax in the spectacular gardens at the American Museum for an evening of music and Americaninspired food and drink. Soak up the stunning views across the Limpley Stoke valley while you enjoy the music of The Lazy River Band, a vocal-led jazz quartet from Bristol with an authentic, intimate, early-jazz sound, and a superb repertoire of songs mainly from the ’20s to ’40s. The band includes a stunning, sultry vocal delivery from Rachel Lawrence, perfectly supported by Bill Frampton and Gus Dolding’s skilful and original comping. Greg Sterland’s accomplished tenor saxophone playing completes their unique, vintage sound. A light supper and refreshing drinks are available at the American Garden Deli.

Chris Pig

Retrospective

Black Swan Arts, 11th May - 24th June

Chris Pig ha been an artist printmaker for over 40 years. After studying for his MA in Barcelona with Winchester School of Art, he became principal lecturer in Printmaking at City and Islington College for seven years. He left to set up his own studio in Córdoba where he lived for six years before returning to London and working at East London Printmakers. He now lives in Frome with his family where he is director of Black Pig Printmaking Studio. His retrospective is an autobiography, through the medium of printmaking, and includes prints from his life in bohemian Barcelona, the gangs of Hackney, juvenilia, anarchism, Córdoba and up to present day Frome.

Hocket

The Silk Mill, 4 May, 7.30, £10

Thomas Gold (fiddle), Keith Harrison-Broninski (English concertina), and Laurence Parnell (low whistle, guitar, vocals) first played as a trio in an unrehearsed lunchtime pub gig on St. Patrick’s Day 2024. They immediately clicked and decided to continue working together. All three are composers as well as dynamic instrumentalists. Their approach to tunes and songs from the Irish and other traditions is fluid, inventive, and improvisatory, resulting in traditional music that is both thrilling and thoughtful. Their first performance as the band Hocket will be on Saturday 4 May at the Silk Mill. The event will be informal, and seating will be in the round. There is no bar and you are welcome to Bring Your Own drinks. Tickets are available from  https://donorbox.org/events/577754.

He has work in public and private collections throughout the world such as Guangdong Museum of Art China, Douro Museum of Printmaking Portugal, Ashmolean Museum Oxford, the Pallant House Gallery, Chichester , the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum in London.

The Vintage Nostalgia Festival

Set in the beautiful countryside of Stockton Park, Wiltshire, Vintage Nostalgia Festival is a fun-filled weekend of live music, dance, vintage and antique shopping, plus classic cars, automobilia, children’s entertainment, and so much more. Visit for the day, or camp and stay for the whole weekend. For those wanting a little luxury, glamping is available in the boutique camping area, with extra special accommodation including luxury bell tents, caravans and period 1950’s silver bullet airstreams.

Visitors are encouraged to wear period attire - though help is on hand if needed, with Pearls Pin Up Parlour

on hand to create any style. Once you’ve got the look, you can enter the Best Dressed Competition! Or why not learn to jive, swing dance, or just sit back and enjoy a brilliant line up of live music and dance acts over the weekend offering jazz, blues, pop, swing, and rock ‘n’ roll from as far back as the 1920s and right up to the 1980s? If that’s all too energetic, you could just relax with a Pimms in the Vintage 1963 Leyland Titan Double Decker Bus Bar, while parents and carers can find a bit of respite at the children’s entertainment and activity area.

Tickets are limited and camping is pre-book only. To book go to vintagenostalgiafestival.co.uk

20A Cheap Street . Frome . BA11 1BN . 01373 472505

Christina Oswin Jewellery @christinaoswin christinaoswin.co.uk

REPAIRS . REMODELLING . COMMISSIONS . JEWELLERY CLASSES

Recycled metals . Fairtrade gemstones . Ocean Diamonds

Friday 10th May

qigONg with Lara

Friday 24th May

gArdeN deSigN 101 with Vallis Farm

Saturday 25th May

eAT YOur WeedS (fOr luNcH) with Vallis Farm

Thursday 30th May

THe ANcieNT TreeS Of SelWOOd fOreST with Julian Hight

Friday 31st May

frAMed berrY

bASkeT WeAviNg with Organic Matters

WINE WITH FRIENDS

AT THE STORES

The Stores opened its doors without a fanfare in December last year. Abi and Sarah, former colleagues and long-time friends, got the keys and turned around the old Penleigh butchers’ site on Stony Street in just two weeks. This left no time for a grand opening, but now their names are finally above the door, it’s time to give them the welcome they deserve!

Sarah and Abi grew up locally but met working in the wine trade in London back in 2014. “Between us, we have worked in the industry for over 25 years, in a variety of roles” says Abi. Sarah started making wine in France before taking up a head sommelier role in the Michelin world and then running wine training for London hospitality staff. This is where she met Abi, who had come from high street wine retailer Majestic Wines and was then working as key account manager, with clients such as the National Theatre, Historic Royal Palaces and Wimbledon, developing wine lists and training their teams.

The two remained friends and almost a decade on they found themselves back in the south west. Sarah had moved back to open Eight Stony Street as their head of wine while Abi followed post lockdown after the arrival of her daughter. The Stores was conceived over many late-night chats and glasses of wine, and it seemed the right time to make their dream happen.

“The Stores is designed to be the kind of space we want to go to. We love the European style of sitting in and enjoying a glass of something delicious and interesting in a very casual setting without any of the pretence and snobbery that can sometimes accompany wine,” says Sarah. “We really love the feeling that The Stores is part of people’s everyday lives, whether popping in for a glass and talking about their day. or the fact that we know many customers’ tastes well enough to be able to recommend a bottle they’ll definitely enjoy! Friday and Saturday nights now often end with the whole bar talking to each other, and people meeting new friends over a glass, which we love”.

The wines at The Stores are hand selected from independent producers from around the world, and the range is considered and concise. Many of the producers are friends, and Abi and Sarah believe working with suppliers in this way brings wine to life for people. Everything they do is designed to help make choosing wine fun, not intimidating. They aim to offer all the styles and price points customers want, without bombarding them with ‘too much choice’. They focus on introducing some of the lesser known grape varieties and regions, which produce delicious wines and offer amazing value for money.

“The whole layout of the shop is designed to make the wine approachable and fun – rather than overwhelming. Instead of hundreds of bottles laid out by country, we have arranged a wine wall, laid out by style. This means you can spot a bottle you know you like and work your way around that section, confident that whatever you are drinking will be a similar style,” explains Sarah.

The Shop and Bar both aim to get people trying new wines and finding new favourites.” says Abi. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support of locals. A lot of people now come in regularly to tell us what they’re cooking over the weekend and ask for a recommendation. That’s the sort of advice we love to be able to offer.”

Cheese is a new love for the pair. When they planned the Stores, there hadn’t been a cheese shop in Frome for a while and it seemed a natural addition to the wine. They enrolled on specialist training courses so they could talk as confidently and passionately about their cheese selection as they do about their wines. “We’ve chosen to specialise in British cheeses while making sure to cover the all of the classic styles. As with the wine shelves, everything in our fridge is available to eat in or take away.”

Alongside the shop and bar, Sarah and Abi host regular tastings and events, ranging from informal wine and cheese evenings to more in-depth spotlights looking at a particular grape or region. They recently hosted the first in their supper club series with Frome legends Hakko House, for an evening of delicious Japanese cuisine, all expertly matched with wine. It was a sell-out evening, with amazing reviews.

Their calendar is filling up fast, with new tastings and collaborations confirmed with local chefs and food heros including Marc from Lo Rapitenc, Tom from Westcombe Dairy, Lucy from Pomona and Kasae Fraser, Masterchef professional finalist. All events are on their eventbrite page, which can be found via their website and Instagram. They also hold private tastings either on site or at customers locations.

The bar is open for wines by the glass and cheeseboards, plus nuts and olives, whenever the shop is open.

It stays open late every Friday and Saturday until 10pm.

WHAT’S ON:

23 May – Supper Club: The Wild Pear Supper Club

The Stores are teaming up with Chef Georgie from The Wild Pear, to host a supper club celebrating the best seasonal ingredients from the Southwest matched with a flight of perfectly paired wines.

16 May – Wine Tasting: If you like Sauvignon Blanc, try…..’

A tasting of everything but Sauvignon Blanc, guiding you through five wines that get overlooked in favour of the famous varietals and regions. Incredible alternatives for those who want to expand their wine horizons.

31 May – The Italian Series: Italy Series - Puglia, Campania & Basilicata

The penultimate Italian tasting. Arrive in the sunny south, where dry and warm climates produce bold characterful wines that are never shy! For those who love intense and vibrant wines this is one not to miss.

Find The Stores at 5 Stony Street, Frome.

To book on to a tasting night or supper club go to: thestoresinfrome.co.uk @thestores_frome

Photos by Ed Schofield.

Frome International Climate Film Festival Cheese &

Grain 19th May

The third Frome International Climate Film Festival is taking over Cheese and Grain on Sunday 19th May. It will run all day from 9am until late, showing a fascinating and diverse selection of films chosen from 850 entries and 47 countries, making it a truly international event.

The festival allows filmmakers to submit their work to be judged, with winners receiving an award (sculpted by local artist Anthony Rogers). The judges are chosen from a range of backgrounds, and this year come from as far afield as Mexico and Sweden. The judges select the films for awards, which are presented on the day of the festival. Categories include Best Male Director, Best Female Director, Best Under 16 and Most Inspirational.

The festival promotes deeper thought about climate change, and the films have been chosen for their inspiring and optimistic approach, encouraging a positive change to a greener lifestyle. Most films are short and many are animated, especially those for children, and have wide appeal. The climate crisis is bringing many challenges, but organisers hope visitors will leave the film festival feeling energised and inspired, encouraged and hopeful.

The festival includes:

09:00 - 12:00 Family focused events, activities, art, craft, films, Indian dance, eco-fashion, green tech and green networking.

14:00 - 17:00 Showcases the winning films and green tech displays, riverside walk, eco-chill room and eco-yoga.

19:00 – 23:30 International Climate Film Festival Awards, followed by live music by the Climates Music Competition winners.

For more information go to: climatefilmfestival.co.uk Tickets available via the website and tickettailor

MON 6

Frome Independent Market

Frome Town Centre, 10am - 3pm

TUE 7

Frome Musical Theatre Company present Anything Goes Memorial Theatre, 7.30pm, £15/£18

WED 1

The Royal Opera House presents Carmen (live streamed) Merlin Theatre, 6.45pm, £16

THU 2

Trio Paradis 1.15pm, Christ Church, free

The Unsettled - Launch River House, 6pm

Night River Presents Michele Stodart HydeAway, 7pm, £15

Macbeth (with Ralph Fiennes & Indira Varma - screened) Merlin Theatre, 7pm, £16

WED 8

Grief Circle Rook Lane, 7pm, £5

Frome Musical Theatre Company present Anything Goes Memorial Theatre, 7.30pm, £15/£18

T’Barry Bingo 23 Bath Street, 7.30pm

Keith Stuart Author Talk Bennet Centre, 7.30pm, £3

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE | THU 30 THE UNSETTLED LAUNCH | THU 2 THE FROME INDEPENDENT MARKET SUNDAY 5TH

WED 22

The Royal Ballet presents The Winter’s Tale (streamed live) Merlin Theatre, 7.15pm, £16

THU 9

International Feldenkrais Week Rise, 3pm, free

Nye (screened) Merlin Theatre, 7pm, £16

Night River Presents Nana M. Rose HydeAway, 7pm, £12

Frome Musical Theatre Company present Anything Goes Memorial Theatre, 7.30pm, £15/£18

THU 16

Potent Plants and Altered States 42 Acres, 10am, £42

If You Like Sauvignon Blanc….Try This Wine Tasting, The Stores, 7pm, £28

THU 23

Wild Pear Supper Club The Stores, 7pm, £65

Night River Presents John Murray HydeAway, 7pm, £20

Going Indie: the art of self-publishing with David J. Gatward Archangel, 7.30pm, £5

WED 29

The Energy Exchange: Regenerative Gardens 42 Acres, 10am, free

Pub Quiz 23 Bath Street, 7.30pm, £2.50

THU 30

Vallis Talks - The Ancient Trees of Selwood Forest with Julian Hight Vallis Farm, 7pm, £10.50

The Royal Opera House presents Message In A Bottle (screening) Merlin Theatre, 7.20pm, £16

Retro Social The Awesome Studio, 7.30pm

BURRITO BAMBINO X RIVER HOUSE 10 & 24 MAY

FRI 10

Qigong with Lara Vallis Farm, 9.30am, £12

Burrito Bambino x River House Take Over River House, 6 - 9pm

Frome Musical Theatre Company present Anything Goes Memorial Theatre, 7.30pm, £15/£18

SAT 4

Hockett The Silk Mill, 7.30pm, £10

Lawless! Freewriting and art journaling The Write Place, 10am - 1pm, £35

SUN 5

Macbeth (with Ralph Fiennes & Indira Varma - screened) Merlin Theatre, 3pm, £16

FRI 17

The Vaults Folk & Roots Open Mic The Bennett Centre, 7.30pm, £3/£5

SAT 11

Frome Farmer’s Market Boyle Cross, 9am - 1pm

Stolen Moments - The Improvisational Style Of Wayne Shorter 3pm, Christ Church, free

What’s The Story? Narrative In Poetry & Prose The Write Place, Black Swan Arts, 10am, £25

Frome Musical Theatre Company present Anything Goes Memorial Theatre, 2.30pm & 7.30pm, £15/£18

SAT 18

Theatre Open Day Memorial Theatre, 10am - 1pm, free

Bratton Silver Band Concert Merlin theatre, 7.30pm, free

String2String (Cello/Kora duo) Bennett Centre, 7.30pm, £10

Inspire, Relax, Escape (writing workshop) The Write Place, 10am - 1pm, £25

SUN 12

Grief Tending Mycelium Space, 2pm, £20-£30

Frome Flea Market and Craft Fair West Woodlands Showground 9am - 3pm, £1

FRI 24

Garden design 101 Vallis Farm, 9am - 1pm, £50

Burrito Bambino x River House Take Over River House, 6 - 9pm

Well Worn with Skye Pennant - Invisible Mending book event Archangel, 7.30pm

SAT 25

Eat Your Weeds (for lunch) Vallis Farm, 11am - 1.30pm, £40

The Hammervilles The Tree House, 7pm, £10

SUN 19

Frome International Climate Film Festival Cheese & Grain, 9am - 11pm, free

Jazz: Mark Pembrey & Graham Dent Trio The Cornerhouse, 7.30pm, free

FRI 31

Framed Berry Basket

Weaving with Organic Matters Vallis Farm, 10am - 4.30pm, £110 (incl lunch)

Italian Series, Puglia, Basilicata The Stores, 7pm, £35

GOLDEN YEARS

50th anniversary for Stephen Thomas

This year Stephen Thomas, of Marchbank Jewellery, marks fifty years of working as a goldsmith, silversmith and jewellery designer. Stephen trained in London in the 1970s at Sir John Cass College, Whitechapel and went on to be apprenticed to various prestigious UK businesses before setting up his own Jewellery Design business, Apoidea, on Broad Street, Bath. In 2001 he moved to Frome where he started what is now Marchbank Jewellery Design. Stephen’s training meant he could turn his hand to a variety of commissions and repair work for a diverse range of clients. He has undertaken projects for heritage organisations such as The Royal Bath & West Society, The Royal Smithfield, and the The Worshipful Company of Gunmakers. Stephen has also designed and made beautiful silver chalices for local churches, and designed items for Bath Abbey as well as carrying out specialist restoration work on silver crosses and other antique silver artefacts, including Georgian Tea and Coffee pots. His work for the antique trade and heritage companies has brought in a variety of unusual items - from a solid silver Bull trophy with gold plated horns, to a beautiful ornate Georgian antique, Bacchus design wine coaster in silver gilt.

However, the main focus of Stephen’s day to day work in his busy goldsmith’s workshop in the heart of Frome’s bustling Cheap Street, is working on his commissioned pieces of beautiful, bespoke jewellery for customers. Stephen started making rings for customers at the age of 16, from simple silver and gold rings to more intricate pieces, as he developed his skills and the range of materials that he could work with. Stephen sets all his own stones and can remodel existing jewellery as well as design new pieces, working one to one with clients to create a unique piece of jewellery that will last for generations.

Stephen is more old school - making a lot of the tools needed to produce the bespoke and truly hand-made jewellery that he crafts.

His workshop is always busy and he hand fabricates each item in situ. It can be painstaking work, from setting tiny 0.2mm diamonds to forging beautiful hand-made gold and silver chains. No two days are the same and the nature of the work means new challenges arise every day.

Over the years Stephen has made and collected a variety of indispensable tools for his craft. This is truly heritage industry work - the ability to hand craft jewellery is a dying art, with new technology such as 3D laser printers, CAD design and better casting techniques. Stephen is more old school - making a lot of the tools needed to produce the bespoke and truly hand-made jewellery that he crafts. The tools required for traditional gold-smithing are as varied as the final designs he has created over the years. His ability to make up specific tools for specific jobs is a skill that has helped him establish and grow his business, and gain a regional reputation for the variety of work that he is able to undertake. This is largely due to his ability to make and repair things by hand – something not easily undertaken by more modern techniques.

Stephen is a member of the National Association of Jewellers and is a registered Fair Trade Goldsmith. So all of the clean gold used in new designs is Fair Trade. He also uses recycled gold and silver and only ever uses traceable, non-conflict diamonds in his designs. Remodelling and recycling jewellery is a great way to help reduce the environmental impact of the jewellery trade - something that Stephen has done since the 1970s.

Talking about his time on Cheap Street, Stephen says ‘Frome has a great community of independent traders. There are other goldsmiths and jewellers here but we all try and help each other out. There isn’t the rivalry you would find in other towns and cities between competing businesses. I think the fact is we all offer something different and unique, so we can be supportive of each other.” What is the best thing about the last 50 years in the jewellery industry? “My customers! Over the years they have been amazing. As a goldsmith we see it all, from cradle to grave. It’s a very human thing to want to symbolise love in a piece of jewellery, an object that can withstand the passage of time and symbolise enduring love. One of the first gold rings I ever made had the inscription: ‘ A ring hath no end, like my love unto my friend’ - a 17th century blessing. I’m still making more rings than any other item of jewellery today!”

Marchbank Jewellery Design are running some great giveaway prize draws to celebrate Stephen’s Golden Anniversary this year - please check out their instagram page for details.

@marchbankdesign2016

THE LOOSE LEAF

AT CUP OF TEA

Based just outside Frome, Cup of Tea are true tea experts. In business since 2002, they source and supply some of the finest loose-leaf teas from around the world, supplying to the public and businesses up and down the country. The teas they source are produced using orthodox methods, meaning that only the finest handpicked leaves are considered good enough to find a place in your cup.

Cup of Tea stock classics like Earl Grey and Darjeeling, but also have a range of rare and seasonal white and green teas. Because they are passionate about better tea, they also partner with unique tea gardens in countries like Colombia, in remote parts of Japan and South Africa. They sell a wide range of world teas including green, black, white, oolongs, plus fruit and herbal infusions.

They also sell a range of tea ware from caddies and tea pots to strainers and tea cups.

Cup of Tea supply many businesses with their loose-leaf teas, including DeNude in Frome. With 80% of their packaging being plastic-free makes them a wonderful fit for conscientious companies, and they are keen to forge strong relationships in hospitality and retail in the local area. Teatasting workshops are available, with the aim of expanding your knowledge and refining your taste. Participants come away having learned about all aspects of tea, from its history to its production, and tasted different varieties of tea - to discover what makes their perfect cup. To see the vast selection of teas available or to book a workshop, go to cupoftea.co.uk or call 01761 239162.

VISIT US IN STORE OR ONLINE:

Edford Rural Business Park, Edford Hill, Holcombe, BA3 5GY cupoftea.co.uk | @cupoftea_co_uk

Author Talk

Befriending Adults Sought as Volunteers

For Local Child and Family Support Charity

Would you like to make a difference for children in Frome?  Local familysupport charity, Purple Elephant, is seeking volunteer adults to join its Child Befriending Service. This, provided for children aged 5-12, supports youngsters with low and medium level emotional needs, mostly anxiety-related.  It brings a dedicated, listening-adult into their lives on a weekly basis, providing a guiding-friend who offers time just for them. Could that be you?

Are you a caring, child-focused listener, as able to empathise as you are to play? Whilst the Befriending Service undoubtedly provides benefits to the emotional and mental well-being of its young users, senior familyworker and Befriending project manager, Sarah Hynds emphasises that this is not counselling or therapy and that volunteer adult befrienders’ natural qualities are more important than previous experience or qualifications. Sarah Hynds explains, “You don’t need a background working with children for this role, as it is not therapy. It is time spent giving one-to-one attention.  Professionals are welcome but so are those currently training in a caring profession or who are excellent parents, aunts or uncles. A caring personality, empathy, a bit of humour and the ability to communicate sensitively with children are what really counts.

We have been running the service for 3 years now, and the difference we’ve seen it make to young people is massive. So we’d encourage anyone who feels they could offer some time to get in touch and discuss how we work and if this special, fulfilling role is for them.” Martha, one of Purple Elephant’s current Befriending volunteers, gives an insight into her experience: “My meetings with H are one of the highlights of my week. Sometimes we’re dealing with some pretty big feelings, or topics, other times we just have a gossip. Occasionally I wonder who’s benefitting more from our meetings, as I definitely get a boost from seeing them. I leave feeling I’ve done something useful with an hour and it’s great to know that this might make a real difference to a young person’s mental health.”

There are a significant number of children in Frome in need of this support. Purple Elephant is able to offer this remarkable, tailored service thanks to various grants and funding, but is currently only catering for 6 children and has had to close its waiting list as the numbers grow, due to lack of volunteer Befrienders. The organisation is keen to hear from those who feel this role might be their strength. Volunteers, who will, of course, be supported by training, DBS application and appropriate line-manager supervision, are asked to get in touch via email    info@purpleelephant.org.uk

I leave feeling I’ve done something useful with an hour and it’s great to know that this might make a real difference to a young person’s mental health.”

Frome Children’s Festival’s 10th Birthday

Book Your Places Now

Frome family-support charity Purple Elephant is delighted to announce that the annual Frome Children’s Festival will be held on Sunday 21st July, from 11am to 5pm. Celebrating its tenth anniversary and dubbed  ‘a celebration of childhood’,  this all-welcome community day of over 30 activities will run from Cheese and Grain, into Welshmill Woods and Welshmill Park and on to the other side of the river. As founder Sue Willis explains, ‘We’re extremely excited to have reached the milestone of 10 years and are looking forward to bringing local families a special celebration with loads of funincluding zip wires across the river, facepainting and a special performance from Wild Words theatre.

“It gets harder each year to find enough funding to keep the festival free so, with many regular funds and grants not available this year, we will be asking festival-goers for donations up-front to ensure we have enough money to run a super special event. We are asking everyone who can afford it for a £5 family donation which, in turn, will ensure we know how many fun-seekers will be there on the big day.  We’re looking forward to an extra special event, celebrating our birthday in style, with the support of our fabulous local community!’

Purple Elephant has been touched by the generosity of the local groups and companies who have already offered to run activities for free and the team welcomes anyone else who could run an activity or provide entertainment for free or via their own funding this year. The more the merrier! Local businesses who would like to sponsor the festival or buy tickets as “Thank you” gifts for their own staff and families are asked to get in touch with the organisers.

Tickets for all are available to book online via the charity’s website and, of course, remain totally free for families who cannot afford to give a donation PurpleElephant.org.uk

FLOWERS FOR GOOD

Horticulture with Heart

Alexia Tibbs, the green fingers behind Flowers For Good, is at her most comfortable working outdoors, with things that grow. “I’ve always loved being outside,” she says. “I was made to walk in the countryside from a young age with my mum and our boxer dogsI probably moaned when I was very small but think it is one of the most important things I learned - how just getting outside in the fresh air can really clear your head.” Lex, as she’s known to her friends, found her passion for gardening when she left home. “When I had my own garden I began buying plants and realised what a creative process it was to make a garden look beautiful all year round. It’s like a painting that you never finish. It changes with the seasons and things die or change, so the painting you are working on is alive. I really loved the challenge of it, organizing the natural world but never quite having full control over it.”

a job in the commercial world of floriculture and helped set up and run a cutting garden for a floral designer, which is when the ideas behind Flowers For Good began to grow.” Lex started Flowers For Good in 2023, bringing together the things that are important to her, and her wealth of experience. “I wanted to be immersed in the beauty of the natural world, working physically rather than sitting at a desk. The relationships you can build with people through plants, to bring about positive change, is moving and humbling. I want to work with anyone and everyone, using gardens, flowers and the outside to change the way they feel for the better. I felt there was a bit of a gap in the market for teaching people who want a beautiful space but can’t afford a garden designer or gardener.”

Whilst studying for a degree in textiles, Lex worked in outreach support with a range of people with additional needs, from learning disabilities to mental health. “I was due to start an MA Art Psychotherapy course. But then I found a Diploma in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture - which was something I had never heard of. I completed the Diploma alongside studying RHS level 2. From then I spent 10 years working for various charities as a therapeutic horticulture practitioner, running horticultural therapy groups - which involves growing, arts and work skills. In 2021 I accepted

Being shocked by the waste created in commercial floristry (such as flowers being flown into the UK, arriving wrapped in plastic, and being discarded after single events), Lex started to think about how she could create a positive effect. “I started to dream of being the ‘Robin Hood’ of the gardening world, redistributing flowers and teaching people to fill their gardens with flowers and food rather than buying from elsewhere, most likely wrapped in plastic and sprayed with chemicals. Teaching seed sowing might sound silly, as most people can sow a seed, but it’s the fundamental tips for success and all the aftercare that is the important part.”

URQUHART & HUNT

Landscape Design & Ecological Restoration

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022

Gold Metal & Best in Show

Top 50 Garden Designers of the Year 2022 & 2023

House & Garden

Best International Garden 2024 Society of Garden Designers

Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt set out on a landscape design partnership 20 years ago, rooting their practice in a shared passion for romantic planting schemes, ecological harmony, applied horticulture, authentic craftsmanship and outstanding design.

@urquhart_hunt 01373 888 720 www.urquharthunt.com

lex@flowersforgood.co.uk flowersforgood.co.uk flowersforgooduk

Connecting with nature, through education, collaboration & creativity.

We provide a full range of services from installation, service and repair of full central heating systems and boilers through to bathroom, kitchen and water softener installations. Call us now for a FREE no-obligation quote!

Through Flowers For Good, Lex now offers a range of horticultural workshops and services, including:

• Gardening with support. The aim is to support people to get the most out of their gardens. From weekly maintenance to hands on individual tuition, Lex can work to suit your specific requirements to ensure your garden is meeting its full potential.

• Planting design-full planting design service with the option of installation and maintenance.

• Therapeutic Horticulture - Delivering group sessions, and consultancy, support and training for activity co-ordinators or those who wish to support people to engage with nature for health and wellbeing.

• Floristry- Floral arrangements and displays for events and occasions.

• Floral Recycling - A recycling service for weddings and events, deconstructing and re purposing flowers. Usable flowers will be re-arranged and distributed to individuals and community groups to extend the joy they bring. FFG offer a full deconstruction and bucket washing service at the end of an event or will simply collect any surplus flowers and put them to use. Before the event Lex will contact her community networks to identify where the flowers would bring the most joy.

• Seasonal flower growing- Chemical free, seasonal flowers are available to buy on a small scale. All are grown in Somerset, available in buckets , bouquets or vases for events.

‘It was a total dream to have Lex and her super skills in our studio for a wreath making evening. We had so much foliage to work with, Lex was such and engaging and inspiring teacher and made it so much fun! Everyone was so proud of their beautiful creations- we can’t wait to do it again next year!’  Sunhouse Creative, Bath.

For more information on Flowers For Good and the services Lex provides, go to flowersforgood.co.uk

Frome 01373 452225

Melksham 01225 617779

Trowbridge 01225 754021

Warminster 01985 213350

Westbury 01373 301448

DO / SEE / GO

THE BIG BAT COUNT

“The findings will help us monitor the population of different bats in town, help us provide more habitats in appropriate places...”

As dusk falls on Friday 10th May, volunteers will join Somerset Bat Group, The Wild Bunch and Frome Town Council  for the first Big Community Bat Count of 2024 – and you can join them. The two annual bat counts help to monitor and record the local bat population, providing data for conservation efforts. At last May’s count, 38 volunteers worked in seven teams and spotted a total of 102 bats, from nine different species. The data collected forms part of Frome’s Wildlife Mapping project, using the iNaturalist app, part of a global network of data collection for monitoring biodiversity and informing preservation efforts. The event is being organised by Frome Town Council and The Wild Bunch, with the support of Somerset Bat Group.

Jo Morris, Frome Town Council’s Resilience Officer, said: “This is a really exciting project and we’re keen for lots of residents to get involved. People of all ages are welcome and you don’t need prior experience: training will be provided on the day and the equipment is easy and fun to use. We’ll be returning to places where we’ve counted

bats in previous years, plus a new location or two, thanks to sightings reported to us. Thank you to Somerset Bat Group for kindly lending us the equipment once again.”

Cllr Ben Still added: “The findings will help us monitor the population of different bats in town, help us provide more habitats in appropriate places, and will contribute to Frome Community Wildlife Mapping Project on iNaturalist. The data gathered will help us produce a baseline for monitoring biodiversity across town to inform Frome Town Council’s response to the ecological emergency.”

The bat count will last around one hour, with a briefing beforehand, so the event will last no longer than two hours in total. The briefing will start at 8pm on Friday 10th May, with the count due to start around 9pm.

The bat count is supported by the Somerset Bat Group and Somerset Wildlife Trust. Register your interest in taking part by signing up for a free place at bit.ly/frome-bat-count-may24.

Nestled in a breathtaking location just 15 minutes from Frome, All Hallows is a Prep School for day and boarding children aged 3 to 13.

Our curriculum is far from ordinary; it’s a journey that goes beyond traditional learning.

Woven into it is a robust emphasis on co-curricular opportunities, creating an indescribable uniqueness that even we find hard to put into words.

At All Hallows, we prioritise the happiness and well-being of each pupil, making a truly exceptional education experience.

Please contact Jackie Truelove, All Hallows’ Registrar, to find out more.