Oh hello Autumn my old friend. Ok, it’s September so not quite, but my favourite time of year is almost upon us, and I am dizzy with excitement. Not for me the sadness that comes with the end of Summer, oh no. I rejoice in the shortening of days, the lighting of the fire and all things cosy. For long-term readers of this rag, you’ll recognise this annual celebration of seasonal change, it is neither original nor popular, but after gritting my teeth through the oppression of Summer, it’s finally my time to shine. And by that I mean, make hedgerow booze. I’m nearly out of my last batch of sloe gin (from a pre-pregnancy 2021) and am also planning a rosehip brandy, maybe even an elderberry vodka. The latter has all the promise of being disgusting but I will not be dissuaded.
day, miraculously, come together to create a cosy yet stylish woollen article that will see me snuggly through the winter, though I feel that I am just going through the motions. Oh this old thing? Yeah, I knitted it myself will, most likely, be words I never utter. I would wear my jumper when I embark on one of my favourite and surely most rock’n’roll winter activities - that of jigsawing (a verb?).
Oh this old thing? Yeah, I knitted it myself will, most likely, be words I never utter.
Never have I cared less about being cool than when I am sat by the fire, working my way through a jigsaw (a personal favourite depicted a mystical horse in a fantasy land with a glow-in-the dark mane - a gift from a friend, you know who you are). The exception being jigsaws donated to my preferred dealers, the charity shops, with ONE MISSING PIECE. For the love of god, people, have a heart.
After all, I need something to sip while reviving my attempts at knitting a jumper. Inspired by a jumper my glorious grandma knitted my mum around thirty years ago, which she still wears regularly, I have been knitting large squares for around four years, in the hope that they will one
My heart yearns for the new season and the changes it will bring. So, as I ease into slippers on this exceedingly warm August day, I am thinking of you, my beloved Autumn. For me, you cannot come soon enough.
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Merlin Theatre, 12th September, 7pm £18/£10
Who killed Sir Charles Baskerville? Can anyone prevent the same fate befalling the young Sir Henry Baskerville? Is a monstrous hound really roaming Dartmoor? Why is someone systematically stealing Sir Henry’s shoes? And how does a ghostly hound manage to leave vast paw-prints and other unwelcome evidence of its existence? The original and greatest literary detective of them all, Sherlock Holmes, and his assistant Doctor Watson, tackles the most baffling case of their careers in this faithful, cheeky but chilling adaptation from the everbrilliant Illyria theatre company. This performance is held outside in the ECOS Amphitheatre.
Unforgettable Behaviour
the American Museum and Gardens, 28th September - 31st December
The American Museum and Gardens is the first museum in the UK to host Unforgettable Behaviour, a specially curated exhibition celebrating exciting animal behaviour photography from the Natural History Museum’s popular and world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. This global show was previously hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, USA, and opens in Bath this month. The Unforgettable Behaviour exhibition showcases
Garden Design 101
Vallis Farm, 14th September, 10am - 1pm £50 - includes refreshments on arrival
Join Tamsin, Estate Manager at Vallis Farm for an exclusive half-day workshop. Explore the fundamentals of design, plant selection strategies, money-saving tips, and much more. Enhance your gardening knowledge with insights on permaculture, horticulture and sustainable gardening. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your skills and gain the confidence to design your own space, as well as connecting with like-minded individuals. To book your space go to www.vallisfarm.co.uk
39 powerful photographs from previous Wildlife Photographer of the Year collections, displaying some of the most incredible animal behaviour moments ever captured on camera. The photos show an extraordinary range of surprising, and often deeply moving, acts by animals.
FROME COMMUNITY CHOIR EVERY MONDAY FROM 9 SEPT 7PM – 8.30PM
ELITE LADIES KICKBOXING CLASS 7PM TO 8.30PM EVERY TUESDAY FROM 10 SEPT
GRIEF TENDING FROME
WED 4 SEPT | 7-9PM
FROME CONCERTS GROUP PRESENT: SIPING GUO & APOLLINE KHOU
SUN 22 SEPT | 3PM
“IS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGING THE WAY WE INTERACT?” TALK BY BRIAN SNELLGROVE
WED 25 SEPT | DOORS 6.30PM | £6
FROME CONCERTS GROUP PRESENT: CLARE HAMMOND PIANIST
A ground floor, public-facing studio workshop, available on a three-year tenancy for a new or emerging artist or craftsperson
STUDIO 2 a large, non-public-facing space on the second floor, perfect for single or shared occupancy and with capacity for workshops and courses
The Big Clothes Swap
Cheese & Grain, 21st September, 10am - 1pm
As part of Sustainable Fashion Week, the ever popular Big Clothes Swap returns, offering you a chance to offload unwanted garments whilst revamping your wardrobe. To take part you’ll need to exchange items of clothing for tokens. For example 5 items = 5 tokens. You can either bring down your items in the week leading up to the Big Swap (time slots tbc) or when you get to the event itself. Tokens can then be exchanged for items of clothes at the event.
Rent the Round Tower at Black Swan Arts
Built for the drying of newly-washed and dried yarn, the historic Round Tower provides a direct link between Black Swan Arts and Frome’s central role in the development of the region’s woollen industry.
Located in the very centre of the town, directly opposite the main car park, the building’s unique circular shape lends itself to a wide and diverse range of uses, from exhibitions and photo-shoots, to pop-up shop and gallery.
Walking in from the landscaped courtyard garden, you are met with the stone walls and original flagstones of the ground floor space. From there, up the curved wooden staircase, you arrive at the first floor which is flooded with light from the ceilingheight windows and conical glass roof lantern.
Prizes Needed for Christmas Hamper Fundraiser
The List Frome is working in conjunction with Frome Friends of Palestine to raise much needed funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians, a UK-based charity that provides urgent medical care in Gaza. Much like our fundraiser for Ukraine several years ago, donating to the work of Médecins Sans Frontière, we are asking Frome businesses, artists and makers to get involved and donate items and services, all of which will go into a big Christmas hamper to be won by one lucky person, right before Christmas. To offer something for the fundraiser please contact the editor: thelistfrome@gmail.com
This one-of-a-kind space is the ideal location for displaying art, sculpture, ceramics and textiles, and would be perfect for private parties and events. £200 pw. For further information or bookings please contact Leon on: 0777 587 1350 office@blackswanarts.org.uk
AN EXHIBITION OF THE PALESTINIAN HISTORY TAPESTRY
Black Swan Arts, 3rd - 15th September, 10am - 4pm
The Palestinian History Tapestry illustrates the history of the land of Palestine from Neolithic times to the present. It has been made by Palestinian women within and outside Palestine, many of whom live in refugee camps across the Middle East. It draws attention to the history and the heritage of the people of Palestine. The Tapestry is likely to be the
Dog Parkour
The Old Showfield, 8th September, 9 - 11am
Join FTC staff and the team from Charismatic Pets for a fun, free morning out with your dog. No talent required; every dog takes home a rosette for taking part in the fun. While you’re there, view the preliminary plans and chat to the FTC team about the planned canine play space in the back field at the Old Showfield.
The Art of Conversation
Rook Lane, 25th September, 7pm, £6
Are we losing the art of conversation? The recent pandemic and lockdowns have undoubtedly impacted our social skills. Join writer and social innovator Brian Snellgrove for an enlightening evening, as he delivers an original keynote speech. Engage in a lively discussion and share your thoughts on the current state of life in Frome. This event will form the basis of a groundbreaking book, the first of its kind in the UK. Share your hopes and dreams for Frome’s future. Your voice matters. Be part of the change!
www.art-of-conversation.net
largest collection of illustrative work ever produced by Palestinian embroiderers. It is an outstanding expression of Palestinian “sumud” (steadfastness) and solidarity.
Everyone Needs Pockets
Sustainable Fashion Week, 20th – 29th September
Everyone Needs Pockets, the textile re-use network in Frome, is hosting a Sustainable Fashion Week (SFW) hub in the town for a second year with a fantastic programme to inspire people around this year’s theme - the power of repair.
There are workshops, talks, visible and invisible mending, clothes swaps, repair sessions and sustainable fashion, with many activities available for free. The week starts with a ‘Flax to Fibre’ workshop on the 20th, with events running through the week. The final weekend includes a Stitch it Don’t Ditch it public mending display in the Westway on Saturday 28th September at 11am, a Community Clothes Swap run by Frome Wardrobe Collective starting at 12pm, followed by a How To Mend Your Clothes session at the Boulder Rooms, and an evening talk with the inspiring Caroline Till.
You can book sessions at Millie Moon on mending, including one led by Skye from Slow Stitch Club, take part in a Pattern Swap, join Lucy Gundry in Frome Museum’s archives, and hear from fashion director and sustainability expert Scott Wimsett. Frome’s charity shops and secondhand and vintage clothing stores are taking part in a window display trail highlighting the destructive impact of fast fashion, and the importance of buying secondhand and repairing our clothing.
Everyone Needs Pockets is working in partnership with Edventure’s Future Shed, as part of the partnership programme Green and Healthy Frome, which focuses on climate- and health-connected actions. Fast fashion has a massive environmental impact, using energy and water, and creating microplastic pollution and landfill sites visible from space.
Get involved and take action - buy secondhand, celebrate style, repair your clothes and use SFW to learn about the issues and what we can do to change.
For the full programme and ticket links: www.sustainablefashionweek.uk/frome www.everyoneneedspockets.org www.greenandhealthyfuturefrome everyoneneedspockets@gmail.com
Corset Story
Merlin Theatre, 19th September, 7.30pm, £15/£12
Throughout history, corsets have been a significant yet often controversial piece of clothing, representing a void between patriarchy and feminism. Corset Story explores the ways constriction can take effect on the body and creativity from a female perspective. Through story and song, Self & Sossi share their musical investigation into the advantages and disadvantages of restriction and the marginalisation of women artists.
Photo: Celie Nigoumi
Frome Film Club returns
with Season THIRTEEN
Frome Film Club is kicking off its thirteenth season with ten new hand-picked films, showing from September 2024 to July 2025. Films are shown at the Merlin Theatre, usually on the second Wednesday of every month at 8pm. The Merlin bar is open beforehand, so members can arrive early to enjoy the buzz with a drink and a chat before the film.
Membership costs £30 and buys all ten films. Membership is transferable – if you can’t make it on the night, you can pass your card to a friend –and members can also make use of a DVD library of films from past seasons or catch up on any missed during the season.
The season’s programme is chosen from recent releases and aims to show films that have not been shown locally or had wide exposure nationally. Films are selected from a shortlist that the organisers have watched through the year, via festivals, screenings and trips to independent cinemas.
Season 13 opens with Tran Anh Hùng’s gorgeous culinary romantic drama The Taste of Things, which will be screened at the Merlin on Wednesday 11 September.
Dates, details and trailers for Season 13 are all on the website. So, get online and secure your membership now. Numbers are limited, so signing up early is recommended! fromefilm.co.uk/join
Photo:
Celie Nigoumi
Cultivating Community Growing Together
In Frome, as in many communities, loneliness and social isolation are significant issues, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young people, and those with disabilities. The pandemic exacerbated these problems, leaving many individuals disconnected from their communities and struggling with mental health issues. For the last five years, the people of Cultivating Community have been addressing issues of loneliness through naturebased, community-centred initiatives. They run Frome’s much loved seasonal community café, set in the accessible green space of Victoria Park. Since opening its doors over a year ago, the café has transformed the park into a vital community hub, offering a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. This transformation has been made possible thanks to a major refurbishment over the winter, generously supported by National Lottery, the Rural Prosperity Fund and Frome Town Council. The standout feature has been the stunning new shelter. This useful addition provides
a comfortable outdoor space where visitors can relax and chat, regardless of the weather.
Cultivating Community supports young people who may need extra help in accessing valuable work skills and development opportunities.
In the café, young people can gain hands-on experience in a supportive environment, learning everything from customer services to kitchen skills. This not only equips them with practical skills but also boosts their confidence and prepares them for future employment. Working with three schools - Wessex Lodge, Newbury Manor and Critchill School - the programme also helps a number of self-referred young adults. This summer, Cultivating Community has helped fourteen young people averaging 38 hrs a week in work skills support.
Customers at the café have the option of taking part in the Pay It Forward scheme, paying for extra drinks or meals, which are then available for anyone who needs them. Customers are also able to fund a supported shift for training a young person. These simple acts of kindness can make a big difference to someone who might be struggling.
“Coming to Victoria Community Café every day is like visiting family. It is not just about the great coffee; it is about the connections I’ve made and the support I’ve found. This place has become my sanctuary and a true cornerstone of our community.” Alex, daily customer.
Cultivating Community will be starting an exciting new partnership with Broadway Community Gardens to promote wellbeing through community gardening and wildlife habitat creation. Broadway has a community growing history that is almost 125 years old and was among the earliest allotment sites in Frome. So far, a third of the site has been reclaimed from the weeds, but there is still many years of neglect, brambles and bind weed to clear. Plans include putting in a shelter, a disabled composting toilet and disabled-accessible raised beds. Victoria Park and Broadway Community Garden are great examples of our town’s many green spaces and the amazing nature-based activities they facilitate, which are becoming increasingly important to our community, our understanding of our environment and the impact it can have in nurturing both individual health and community resilience.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
There are lots of ways you can support the work of Cultivating Community:
Be a customer at the café: 100% of all income generated by the café is used to fund their community work and programmes.
Volunteer at the café: The more volunteers they have, the more time they can take to chat and befriend customers and run programmes in the park.
Organise a corporate volunteer away day: Talk to your boss about doing a corporate volunteer away day at Broadway Community Gardens. There is nothing like digging up bindweed to bring a team together.
Make them your community organisation of the year: The team have a lot of fundraising goals for 2025 to make Broadway Community Garden really special, so why not put a composting toilet at the top of your company’s secret Santa list!
Join their Blossoms Buyers Club: Sign up to their mailing list, via the website, to be first in line for wholesale off-season perennial plants at very attractive prices, whether that’s edible forest plants, bare root perennials, roses or even herbs. Not only does the Blossoms Buyers Club help fund their work but it also encourages sustainable gardening practices, like using fewer plastic pots and less transport mileage.
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE
Email Sam contactcultivatingcommunity@gmail.com www.cultivatingcommunity.co.uk
Songwriting with Jazz Morley Vallis Farm, 10am - 6pm. £100
September Frome Concerts Group present: Clare Hammond Pianist Rook Lane, 3pm, £25
Hazy Days
Palmer Street Bottle’s Craft Beer Festival
Palmer Street Bottle is one of Frome’s most popular watering holes, and for good reason. This laid-back bar has long been the perfect spot for a meet-up with your friends, have a bite to eat, and working your way through the ever changing selection of craft beers.
“We like to keep things interesting, with monthly Tap Takeovers, featuring different breweries...”
“From hazy IPAs to crisp organic wines, we’re always stocking something for everyone, including non-alcoholic and gluten-free options. Our seven taps are in constant rotation, bringing you the latest and most interesting brews. We’ve also got an ever expanding cocktail menu. If you’re a margarita fan, you’ll love the four varieties we’ve got on offer -they’ve developed a keen fan base!” says PSB Manager Nathan. “We like to keep things interesting, with monthly Tap Takeovers, featuring different breweries and giving our lovely customers a chance to try something new.”
On the last Thursday of every month, PSB serves up Free Cheese Thursday, pairing a personal cheese board with each drink from 6 - 9 pm. They
Free Cheese Thursday
also host events like ‘The Bottle: Unplugged,’ where you can enjoy live music from Frome’s local talent, and seasonal quizzes that test your brainpower over a pint.
Back by popular demand this Summer is Hazy Days, a craft beer festival, held at the glorious Silk Mill. This year, visitors will find seven different bars pouring some fantastic brews from the likes of Left Handed Giant, New Bristol Brewery, Electric Bear, True Story, Somer Valley, and Two Trees, and of Palmer Street Bottle! Local Street Food heroes will serve up culinary delights to a backdrop of tunes from a rotating roster of DJs. You can choose an afternoon or evening ticket, or all-day tickets for those with more stamina! Ticket price includes glass and first free half. ? Strictly over 18s only, and no animals allowed on site.
Hazy Days takes place on September 28th at the Silk Mill, from 12 - 11pm. Tickets cost £15 for a half day slot and £27 for full day, and can be bought via palmerstbottle.co.uk
For updates on new drinks, events and more, follow PSB on Instagram: @palmerstbottle.
THE BIKE JUMBLE RETURNS
FOR EVERYTHING ON TWO WHEELS
Frome Community Bike Project is having a clear out! Join the team at their workshop at Station Approach on 21st September as they clear out their containers, selling everything from parts and accessories to clothing and bikes. They will have a selection of bikes that are finished and ready to ride away, along with frames and wheels for anyone looking for a project.
“Come and have a rummage, find a bargain or a rare part”
Director Emma Parker told us, “We regularly receive donations of bikes and accessories; we have so many that we’re running out of space! Come and have a rummage, find a bargain or a rare part, chat to our volunteers about what we do, and even find out about getting involved. We offer a range of activities to support everyone to get out and about by bike, including cycle training, bike rides, ebike loans, bike repairs and servicing.
“We’ll also be at the Frome Lions Kids Ride event at the Old Showfield on Sunday 22nd September. Children ride their bikes, scooters or skateboards around the track as many times as they can. We’ll be there offering free bike safety checks with Dr Bike, and free pedal powered smoothies for those who still have the energy to make the pedal powered blender work!”
Frome Community Bike Project is a non-profit Community Interest Company; any profits made by the project will go to Frome’s Missing Links to support creating traffic-free routes around Frome. More information about what they do can be found at www.fromebikeproject.org
The Bike Jumble takes place on 21 September, 10am & 4pm Station Approach, Frome BA11 1RE (behind City Plumbing, next to Frome Reclamation.
Photo: Emma Parker
Wilding and Rewilding Films About Nature, and hope
Adouble bill of two important films about nature and hope are coming to the Merlin Theatre in Frome on Friday 27th September at 7pm.
The evening will start with the powerful short film Rewilding - Regenerating the Treescape, which is part ten of a series of films, Wood for the Trees, focused on the future of UK woods and woodlands. Film maker Charly Le Marchant explores how trees fit into rewilding landscapes with Alastair Driver of Rewilding Britain, and discusses other issues such as how these projects pay for themselves and what others can do to support rewilding.
entrust its recovery to a mix of animals both tame and wild. It is the beginning of a grand experiment that will become one of the most significant rewilding experiments in Europe.
We’re making rapid progress towards our target to plant as many trees as residents (27,000 trees!)
Cllr Sara Butler said, “Supporting nature and biodiversity in the place we live is of great importance to us at the Town Council. We’re making rapid progress towards our target to plant as many trees as residents (27,000 trees!) and we are pleased to have the opportunity to share with residents two films to help educate and inspire everyone to be a bit more Wild about Frome.”
This will be followed by Wilding which is based on Isabella Tree’s best-selling book by the same title, and tells the story of a young couple who bet on nature for the future of their failing, fourhundred-year-old estate. The young couple battle entrenched tradition and dare to place the fate of their farm in the hands of nature. Ripping down the fences, they set the land back to the wild and
The films will be followed by a Q&A with Cllr Sara Butler and Charly Le Marchant when audience members can chat about any thoughts that arise during the screening, as well as exploring the theme of rewilding, what it means and how it works.
Tickets for the screening are just £5 per person and can be booked at www.merlintheatre.co.uk/ whats-on/performances/wilding
GET YOUR MOJO BACK
Cheryl Sprinkler returns this September
If you’re looking for a group exercise class that’s out of this world yet completely down to earth, look no further. Now in its seventh year, Mojo Moves is Frome’s unique fitness offering which combines comedy with proper dance aerobics, so you can laugh yourself fitter, stronger and more flexible.
The weekly 45-minute sessions are held at the Cheese & Grain and RISE, and are a great way to improve your confidence and stamina as well as positively improving your mental health and wellbeing. This class boosts serotonin levels like no other, tapping into the subconscious with hilarious reminders of the past, easy-to-follow routines and sing-
along or empowering playlists to reach parts of yourself that you may have long forgotten.
It’s sometimes silly, sometimes full of backing dancer angst and drama, but 100% heart led and truly inclusive. Friendly and welcoming, this is an ideal opportunity to meet new and likeminded people and dance with the freedom of a toddler and the power of a disco diva. Dress to de-stress, impress or care less and reclaim your mojo back from the universe!
Classes:
Cheese and Grain - Tuesdays 18.45 RISE - Fridays 09.30
www.mojomoves.co.uk
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
• Home help and light housework
• Laundry and bed changing
• Shopping and meal preparation
• Trips out / Help attending appointments
• Support with interests / Gardening
• Dementia support
• Hospital discharge support
• Welfare checks / Medication prompting
• Help with admin / IT support
• Respite breaks for carers
• Dog walking / Pet care
• Companionship / Just being there
5 October 2024 Sixth Form Information
Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Tuesday, 24 September 2024
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
. Complete Garden Design.
. Planting and Border DesignComplete design and installation service for planting/borders.
. Garden Consultancy - A service for those who require advice on plants, design/aesthetic and why plants are struggling in the garden.
. Garden Rescue - A service designed for those with an overgrown garden that needs rescuing. Tuition on how to maintain the garden.
Edford Rural Business Park Edford Hill, Holcombe, BA3 5GY cupoftea.co.uk | @cupoftea_co_uk
Frome 01373 452225
Melksham 01225 617779
Trowbridge 01225 754021
Warminster 01985 213350
Westbury 01373 301448
garstonvets.co.uk
DO / SEE / GO
ARTFARM OPENS DA COSTA
Artfarm, the independent hospitality company behind Roth Bar, will open a new restaurant, DA COSTA, in Bruton later this summer.
Located at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, on the site of Durslade Farm, and occupying the previous Roth Bar and Grill space, DA COSTA has been named for, and inspired by, Artfarm co-founder Iwan Wirth’s maternal grandfather, who originated from the small mountainous village of Rivamonte Agordino in Northern Italy. He emigrated to Switzerland in the early 20th century, where he opened a restaurant prior to starting a construction business. Quickly becoming the village and community hub, this small restaurant was much loved for its simple, honest fare.
best of both worlds: quintessential Englishness with Italian culinary flair.
DA COSTA will open in September 2024 at Durslade Farm, Hauser & Wirth Somerset
The menu is an exploration of traditional northern Italian recipes, whilst acknowledging the similarities between this mountainous region of Italy and the verdant county of Somerset. Featuring an array of antipasti, homemade pastas and risottos and daily specials cooked over fire in the centre of the restaurant, many of the vegetables and herbs have been grown in Roundhill’s walled garden, including the radicchio for our risotto with toasted walnuts, a staple dish from Rivamonte and zuppa d’orzi. Other dishes include carpaccio of Durslade Farm beef and Cornish Yarg, handmade buckwheat pasta with fonduta or south coast grilled red mullet with fennel and caper salad.
A century later, and some 800 miles from that first restaurant, DA COSTA continues this glorious culinary adventure, using freshly grown, seasonal ingredients from Durslade Farm and the surrounding area to create dishes that blend the
DA COSTA will open in September 2024 at Durslade Farm, Hauser & Wirth Somerset, and will serve lunch and dinner Wednesday – Sunday. Walk-ins also encouraged.
