Recipients of Frome Mayor's Civic Awards announced

The awards, postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, took place at the Frome Town Council (FTC) meeting on Wednesday, March 17.

Last year’s Mayor of Frome, councillor Mark Dorrington, presented the resident’s with flowers and certificates (with social distancing measures in place).

“This last year has seen so many truly heart-warming stories of folks volunteering to help others during the pandemic,” he said.

“This community feeling is what we strive for in Frome and it’s wonderful to see so many still continuing with this.

“In my Civic Awards I wanted to recognise four individuals who have each volunteered to help others, some for many years and some raising thousands of pounds, each special in their own way.”

One of the recipients of a Civic Award was Radek Evans, who volunteers with many different organisations in the town, including Fair Frome Foodbank, Food at Five community meals and Active Touch.

He is a Carnival Club committee member with a focus on fundraising, helps with the Community Fridge and recycling at Frome Football Club.

Radek also is a FTC noticeboard ambassador and walks around Frome in all weathers ensuring the town council noticeboards are up to date.

Another recipient was neighbourhood sergeant Rachel Clark, who received the award for her fundraising work with Frome charity We Hear You (WHY).

Back in 2019, Rachel undertook to run a mile every day, and at the final mile she announced she had raised over £20,000 for WHY.

Rachel’s previous challenges have included cycling from Frome to Land’s End in 21 hours, pulling a coach around Frome by hand and various world record attempts including continuous climbing of a 30ft fire ladder and a continuous rowing record attempt.

Gill Fone, who has played an important part in many Frome organisations over the years, also received an award.

She has served on the PCC of St Johns Church. been a governor at St Johns School, as well as working for many years as a night nurse at St Aldhem’s hospital.

Gill was a traffic counter for the bypass association and helped to compile a photographic record of Frome which is now in the museum.

For the past forty years, she has also been running the Talking Newspaper in Frome, spending many years as chair, but is stepping down from the committee this month.

Dawn Cunningham was the resident expert at Frome’s Citizen’s Advice Bureau. She had set up Frome’s CAB and welcomed the first client back in 1974.

Dawn continued to volunteer one day a week in Frome and at Midsomer Norton until late 2019 when she had to step down due to ill-health. There are many in Frome who she has helped.

The current Mayor, Anita Collier, will be presenting her Civic Awards covering her mayoral year at FTC’s annual meeting later in the spring.