Keep it Frome
A Celebration of Frome’s Circular Economy!
Most of us try to avoid waste and don't like throwing things away. But sometimes it seems like nothing is built to last, from plastic cutlery to fast fashion and gadgets that break within a year.
The good news is that Frome's chock full of people fixing, repairing, growing food and sharing stuff. This is what's known as the 'circular economy' because it keeps materials flowing around the town instead of sending them on a one way trip to the rubbish tip.
Keep It Frome is a new campaign to show how a circular economy is growing fast in our town. From Mark using old car parts at Nunney Road Garage to Claire repairing clothes for anyone who needs them, this is about people helping each other, saving money and looking after nature all at the same time.
Frome is off to a brilliant start and this circular economy is something we can all be proud of. But it needs your help to keep growing. Please reduce where you can, share stuff with your neighbours, and support the amazing businesses listed here who are all striving to Keep It Frome.
‘Keep it Frome’ Tee
Screen printed on Recycled Organic cotton.
Designed by Gus Scott, and printed by I Dress Myself.
All proceeds from sales go back into Loop:Frome CIC to support their work in Soil health and Circular economy!
Growing
Could Frome be a flourishing garden? How we choose to steward our food systems is a key aspect of the circular economy, defining both the health and well-being of our community.
There’s nothing more circular, or joyous, than growing your own food right on your doorstep. Frome Allotment Association manages 250 plots spread over eight sites around town, where creatively repurposing waste materials while growing delicious fruit and veg is part of the tradition.
Allotments Association
Frome Food Network
Foodie Fromie? The Frome Food Network a collective of growers, food businesses, chefs, policy makers and passionate foodies helping build a stronger and more resilient food system for the town.
Recently saved for the community by Frome Town Council, Broadway Community Gardens is now being transformed into a thriving hub of inclusive, community-centred food growing, learning and resilience.
Broadway Community Gardens
Loop:Frome is your local compost collective, picking up food ‘waste’ from local businesses on their electric trike and transforming it into fantastic living compost for the community. They also support other groups and communities to work the same magic.
Loop:Frome
Re-using
Finding ingenious ways to use existing resources is vital in the creation of a circular economy! This means building and buying good quality, long lasting products, as well as using our skills and creativity to up-cycle; turning something ‘old’, into something ‘new’.
The Dandy Lion
Ready to slow down on fast fashion? The Dandy Lion on Catherine Hill is Frome's longest running vintage outfitters, keeping quality vintage clothing in Frome's economy at their highest value, reducing waste and the environmental impact of new production.
Little Bear’s Wardrobe
The Little Bear's Wardrobe is an organic children's clothes shop on Badcox where you can exchange your kids’ old clothes for store credit, pick up quality pre-loved items and shop for top eco brands.
Denude
Denude on Bath Street is Frome's only zero-waste refill shop, helping you take steps towards lower impact living as you stock up on packaging-free wholefoods, household and personal care products.
The Scaff Shop
The Scaff Shop turns reclaimed scaffold boards into sleek and functional items for homes and businesses, epitomising the beauty of a circular economy.
William Floyd MacLean
William Floyd Maclean Ltd is a carpentry and joinery firm and a labour of love. They offer bespoke designs crafted using sustainable materials, compost most of their waste, and are about to launch a circular production process though a new and innovative furniture system and business model.
Scrapstore
Frome Scrapstore is a collection of unwanted (but amazing) waste products, which can be re-used for arts and crafts, play, DIY, and homemaking. It's an initiative of local charity POD, which supports people with additional needs, carers, and their families.
Sharing
Sharing connects us, reduces waste, and lowers the impact of our living. Sometimes known as the ‘gift economy’, sharing can massively reduce the need for new items and resources. While giving us the opportunity to offer help and receive it.
The Community Fridge
Hate food waste? The first of its kind in the UK, Frome’s Community Fridge was set up in 2016 to help reduce both food waste and food poverty. Now sharing around 90K surplus items a year from homes and supermarkets across town, it has also inspired over 60 other community fridges across the UK.
SHARE
Need something for the job? From power tools to camping equipment, disco lights to pressure washers, SHARE is a library that lets you borrow 'things' instead of books. Become a member and join the fast growing community of people across the UK saving money, space, and the environment all at the same time.
Frome Seed Library
Green fingered? Frome Seed Library supports people to collect and share locally grown seeds, and hosts events to get more people growing. Located at the Frome Library, they strengthen local food resilience, and bring awareness to the timely issue of 'seed sovereignty'.
Frome Wardrobe Collective
An ethical and community-oriented alternative to high street fashion, the Wardrobe Collective host fun peer-to-peer clothes swap events and sharing services.
The Toy Library
Lending little Fromies hundreds of toys, games and play resources at ultra low cost, the Toy Library (run by local charity Purple Elephant) also provide weekly stay and play sessions, offering both kids and their grown ups a chance to play, connect and receive support.
Repairing
How our Grandparents did things! Can we replace throw-away culture with a culture of fixing? Choosing to repair reduces waste, pollution, and planetary impact, and is vital for keeping resources circulating in the local economy.
Frome Community Bike Project
Frome Community Bike Project is a new cycle hub and workshop supporting people to cycle more for everyday journeys. Alongside recycling, maintaining, and selling bikes they teach skills and offer volunteering opportunities. Profits from the project go to Frome’s Missing Links to make it safer and easier to travel actively.
Phone Cell
Make do and mend! Covering all standard tech items including phones, laptops and tablets, Phone Cell wants to be the best repair shop in the industry, keep tech out of landfill and money in your pocket.
Donate IT
Broken or unwanted gadget? Donate IT is an amnesty and repair service for tech items. They will securely wipe the data from all donations and re-distribute them to members of the community for free, reducing both waste and digital poverty.
Nunney Road Garage
Nunney Road Garage has been championing the art of creative repair and reuse for over 30 years, reusing parts and spares and keeping many vehicles going that would have been scrapped long ago.
Everyone Needs Pockets
A local clothing and textile network, Everyone Needs Pockets runs mend and repair sessions, sharing skills and raising awareness of ethical clothing and textile use.
Re-imagining
The circular economy is about more than just stuff, its about people, their well-being, and their creativity. This section highlights individuals and organisation who are re-imagining key aspects of the Frome community.
Active and In Touch
Fancy making new friends and keeping care in our community? Active and In Touch volunteers offer help and friendship to people who have become isolated, building stronger connections between Frome residents and improving the resilience and diversity of our community.
Future Shed
Future Shed Frome is a space for people to come together to create a greener, healthier town, offering practical support to get initiatives and enterprises off the ground through building networks, connecting and coaching.
Edventure
For over ten years Edventure has been supporting young people to tackle community issues while gaining skills towards a meaningful livelihood. Through their flagship ‘Start-up’ course, Frome has gained many transformative initiatives – including lots of the gems listed on these pages.
Frome Town FC
Footie fan? Frome Town FC is well on the way to being community and fan owned. This will transform it into a thriving and dynamic community asset, keeping sporting, social, cultural, economic and educational value in the control of local residents.
FreCo
FRECo is a community-owned renewable energy project, generating solar power on the Football Club stand and the roof of Frome Medical Centre and channelling profit back to investors, roof owners, and community projects.
