Purple Elephant have declared this year's Frome Children's Festival event, their 'best and most successful Children's Festival ever.'

Just one, beautifully sunny, day in August saw the tiny but dynamic team bring well over 30 activities - including live theatre, BMX-ing, story-telling, zip-wires for both able-bodied children and those who use wheelchairs, woodland science experiments, greenscreen TV, live bands, jewellery-making, a sit-upon dragon, arts and crafts, professional sound studio recording, accessible sports activities and character model-making from Aardman - to almost 3,000 people, all for free!

Thanks to Frome Town Council, The National Lottery Community Fund, sponsor Tall Trees Kindergarten and an incredible team of volunteers aged 13 to 76, Purple Elephant founder Sue Willis and her team were also able to make this the most accessible Frome Children's Festival to date.

The advice and ideas of local young people, people with additional needs and groups supporting those with learning difficulties was sought a year in advance; careful planning resulted in an event where all activities were free and everything from physical access, through widget signposting, to family support-workers, a BSL interpreter and fast-pass wrist bands were incorporated to allow all families to join in the important world of play. 

With the summer over, the team, who also run Frome Toy Library with Stay-and-Play, Small Steps parenting support and a Befriending service for 5 -12 year olds, are committed to making accessibility a priority for this annual event as they now move into planning half-term play activities and then Christmas parties for agency-referred families. Plans for the future also involve expanding the number of Small Steps group meetings, including taking this support service to outlying areas, including Coleford.

The Children's Festival and its ongoing family support work is only possible thanks to the generosity of funders, sponsors, donors and volunteers. Volunteers are welcome to get in touch and public donations, to ensure these events continue, are welcomed by text donation number 70580; details of how to give are on the group's website www.PurpleElephant.org.uk