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A Fresh Start: September Highlights
- Daisy Steel
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Embracing New Beginnings
There’s something about September that always takes me straight back to the first day of term - the smell of new pencils, the excitement of a blank notebook, and the promise of getting back into a routine after the long summer break. Even now, that "back to school" feeling makes me want to start new projects and look ahead with fresh determination.
Celebrating Renewal on the When in Frome Podcast
On this month’s When in Frome podcast, we've been celebrating the stories that reflect that same sense of renewal and resilience.
175 Years of Frome Railway Station: A Family Legacy
We began at Frome railway station, which this year marks an incredible 175 years of service. There I met up with Mike Joyce, who first started work on the station in 1953, and his son Bryan, who's carried on the family tradition. My favourite tale from Mike was of the circus rolling into town - complete with elephants and giraffes stepping off the train. Hearing the Joyce family's stories reminded me that railways aren't just about journeys but about people.
Local Legend: Rachel Clark’s Extraordinary Fundraising Journey
Our Local Legend this month is Rachel Clark, whose tireless fundraising has raised thousands of pounds for Frome cancer charity WHY. Having run a sponsored mile every day for a year, she’s now nine months on from completing the challenge but told me she's carried on running for herself - but that’s just one of many feats. Over the last few years, Rachel has helped smash the Guinness World Record for the most amount of people to row 500 metres each, pulled a 12-tonne fire engine around Frome and attempted to break the record for the furthest distance climbed on a fire ladder, cementing her reputation as someone who pushes herself to extraordinary lengths to support others.
Sonia’s Chilly Challenge: A Cold Water Swim
Meanwhile, Sonia took on her chilliest challenge yet with a bracing dip at Vobster Quay. Cold water swimming is not for the faint-hearted, but Sonia proved once again that she’s game for anything in the name of "Challenge Sonia."
Finding Balance: My Experience at Thrive Pilates
I tried something a little gentler - although my aching muscles might disagree - at Thrive Pilates with Laura. Let’s just say there was a fair amount of wobbling, but I really enjoyed the class, and I will definitely be back for more.
Hamish Young’s Art Installation: A Shell for Every Resident
One of the most striking experiences I had this month was at Black Swan Arts, where artist Hamish Young filled the gallery with 28,000 shells - one for every resident of Frome. His work explores themes of loss and abandonment, drawn from his own story of being adopted. Visitors were invited to take a shell home (I couldn’t resist), so the piece was always subtly changing shape.Â
Family Life: Embracing Chaos and Connection in September
Away from the microphone, life at home has been full too. Over the summer we’ve been building a shepherd’s hut in the garden for our daughter and granddaughter. On top of that, our son Ben - who had been living in Taunton - moved back to Frome in August. I feel very blessed that now all five of our children are living close by. Of course, "blessed" is one word for it - "chaotic" might be another. With everyone popping in and out, there’s rarely a quiet moment, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. And perhaps that’s what September is really about - not just sharpening new pencils, wobbling through Pilates, or building shepherd’s huts, but embracing fresh starts in whatever form they arrive.
Where Can I Listen to the When in Frome Podcast?
You can listen to the When in Frome August edition right here on the Fabulous Frome website, on all major podcast platforms, on Frome FM throughout the month.
And if you’ve got a story, an idea, or a local legend you think we should feature in a future episode, do please get in touch! Especially if they’ve got a tunnel under their house or an alpaca in their garden. You know, the usual Frome stuff.
If you are a business and would like to have a Spotlight feature written about you and published on Fabulous Frome, please contact Becky on +44 7793 561696 or email her at becky@fabulousfrome.co.uk. For prices, click here.
