Frome – a model of success, I feel aligns with the African expression:
“It takes a Village to raise a child”
This can be applied to almost any situation. For example: your business could be your ‘child’ and a community like Frome, your ‘village’.
It’s all about the community, the collective and working as one.
Sadly, I believe that elements of Frome have become very bitty. There is so much going on, and I don’t always see many collaborations. Many just focus on doing their own thing, but I think this will evolve.
The result?
- Events are often not filled up as many people don’t know what is going on locally. I have often only seen an event promoted, after it has happened.
- Events clash. In one night there could be a meeting for the Frome Writers Collective and the Frome Festival. I would presume these meetings would attract the same group of people.
- There are so many flyers printed, distributed and cluttering up cafes and notice boards. This is not very eco, especially for a town that prides itself on being ecologically aware.
But, Frome has been described in national press as the ‘coolest place to live in the SW’. And we don’t have empty shops on the high street.
What can we learn from Frome as a model of success?
- A vibrant, forward-thinking, modern town. 17 of the 17 town councillors are from the same party, the Independents for Frome.
- The Frome Independent Market is special and unique and has helped to foster a creative spirit and energy.
- There is a big move to support those who are lonely with the Frome Medical Practice. The project is about ‘Compassionate Frome’.
- Even the FT (Frome Times), when it was first set up, was to have a very specific remit of writing positive stories about the town.
- We have a few journalists living in Frome who feature the town in the national paper regularly.
- I trained the walking tour guides and we now have regular walking tours, incorporating more of Frome businesses.
- Frome has one of the highest proportions of self-employed people and small business owners in the country. This has meant a thriving networking community who support and uplift each other and numerous co-working spaces.
- Venues such as the Cheese & Grain, the Merlin Theatre and the Memorial Theatre that get some big names and support local talent.
- The Silk Mill and the Black Swan Arts Centre form hubs for art.
- The Frome Museum is the caretaker of the towns past.
There is so much more going on in Frome, and it would be impossible to list them all. But this list gives you a flavour.
Diversity and Unity
The Old South African motto was ‘Unity is Strength’. The new one is “diverse people unite”.
This can be applied in any community. A town’s strength comes from uniting the diversity. And supporting a collective and collaborative way forward for the community.
As the great Nelson Mandela said, “It is what we make with what we have, not what we are given, the separates one person from another”.
Frome Chamber of Commerce
Pauline Davey, Chair of the Frome Chamber of Commerce:
“It has taken a very long time for Frome to arrive where it is now, it doesn’t happen overnight or even in a few years, and takes a lot of determined people chipping away relentlessly even when it must feel like you’re getting nowhere! The more groups working together the better.”
Come and visit! You will love it too!
