A FORAGING walk at Rodden Nature Reserve, pond dipping and discussions surrounding the impacts of fast fashion were just some of the 37 events that took place at this year’s Great Big Green Week in Frome.

Great Big Green Week takes place across the UK and serves as a platform for towns like Frome to celebrate green spaces and highlight the action the town is taking to tackle climate change.

Among the events on offer was a big textile reuse session at the town hall with Everyone Needs Pockets.

Foraging walk at Rodden Nature Reserve Picture: Frome Town Council

Guests Tamara Cincik, from Fashion Roundtable, the all-party parliamentary lobby group/Bath Spa University and Katherine Symonds-Moore, an independent sustainability consultant, spoke about the need for urgent action and the challenge of ethical fashion and clothes production.

Tamara Cincik, from Fashion Roundtable, with her colleague Tamara and Tamara Jones from ENP Picture Frome Town Council

Sue Palmer, one of the organisers, said: “It was a fascinating morning with the national and international picture of the impact of fast fashion brought into the room.”

Everyone Needs Pockets Big Textile Reuse Picture: Frome Town Council

Katie Marshall of local Community Interest Company (CIC) Science Boost held a pond dip and allotment explore on June 9, inviting young people and families to explore life in Welshmill pond and the adjoining allotments. Further sessions are planned during the forthcoming Frome Festival.

Feedback from attendees included: “Niamh loved finding out about the ‘bum breathers’ and you made her feel very proud of finding a newt.”

Another said: “We are so lucky to have such valuable experiences on offer in Frome, they spark both a love for nature and science.”

The pond dip Picture: Frome Town Council

Caroline Thornycroft helped to host the only event to run every day of Great Big Green Week, ‘Living Churchyards’ at Christ Church.

Caroline said: “Christ Church was filled with wildflowers during Great Big Green Week, from posies on windowsills to daisies on the gates, gathered in many gardens and allotments.

“The Wild Bunch display, featuring hedgehogs, was very much enjoyed by visitors from all walks of life throughout the week, and by congregations on both Sundays!”

Children exploring allotments Picture: Frome Town Council

On Saturday June 15, the Donate IT tech amnesty collected 64 laptops, 81  Phones, 34  tablets and 13 PCs, the equivalent of half a ton of unwanted tech saved from landfill.

Rounding up a busy calendar of events, a screening of My Garden of a Thousand Bees from CIC Meadow in my Garden took place on June 16.

Screening of My Garden of a Thousand Bees Picture: Frome Town Council

The film follows nature filmmaker Martin Dohrn as he sets out to record all the bee species in his tiny urban garden in Bristol.

The film was followed by a discussion and a further session is planned for the autumn to make bee-friendly structures for gardens in Frome.

Next year’s Great Big Green Week will take place in June 2025.