As we start Frome Kindness Festival, Frome Medical Practice want to take the opportunity to reflect on how very lucky we are in Frome to have so many wonderful charities and volunteers supporting our local community. So much of the work our local charities and volunteers do are simple, but valuable, acts of kindness.

The practice is working closely with Active and In Touch, their charity of the year, and has been really touched by the stories they've shared about the impact the work they do has on people's lives.

Over to the Frome Medical Practice team to explain more.

We thought Frome Kindness Festival week was an ideal opportunity to open up a conversation about the work that volunteers do for Active and In Touch and over the next few weeks, as we continue with a focus on the theme of kindness at the practice, we will share more stories from Active and In Touch and hear about the impact these acts of kindness have on people's lives.

This is the story we wanted to share with you this week, in the words of the daughter of an Active and In Touch member.

"My mother is 95 years old. Fit and well, she lives in her own home where she receives help with meal preparation and other domestic facilities. Thus she is 'well looked after'. However, the reason she is happy in her home is that once a week, for the past two years, she has been visited by an Active and In Touch Volunteer Befriender, who has become a friend."

"Another reason is that she is, weekly, whisked away by other members of the Active and In Touch team to a group activity. For the last three years it has been the second highlight of her week. She anticipates it, she prepares for it, she enjoys it and she talks about it afterwards. She says it must be wonderful for people who are lonely, simply because the people who run it, and those who volunteer to help, give so freely of themselves. The team does everything to make her day go well - from picking her up, organising 'days out', appointing speakers, and making her and the other attendees comfortable. When asked why she enjoys the weekly event so much her answer is that it is such a happy meeting where we all enjoy each other's company."

The positive impact on this member's life is possible due to the kindness and time of volunteers. If this is something you'd like to find out more about you can contact Active and In Touch here https://www.activeandintouch.org/contact-us/