Frome Mayor Philip Campagna is calling on the community of Frome to celebrate Christmas 2023 with an act of kindness, in lieu of the traditional Mayor's Christmas card competition. This alternative Christmas greeting could be for someone you already know, or for a stranger; the only rule is to aim for an eco-friendly, low waste gesture. Philip said:

"A random act of kindness is the perfect antidote to these cold, dark days – and it doesn't have to cost a lot to brighten someone's day. Why not plant a spring bulb and give it to a friend or neighbour, bake someone a cake, or write them a letter? Perhaps you could offer help with odd jobs, knit them a scarf, or even just pay them a compliment? Frome has a fantastic, generous community spirit and an annual festival entirely devoted to kindness thanks to the team at The Good Heart, so kindness comes as standard for many people in our community. The key is interaction and connection, so why not reach out to someone you don't know with your Christmas act of kindness?"

"Thanks to the students of Oakfield Academy for getting involved last week and planting the bulbs pictured to hand out to people. Those simple acts of kindness will turn into a sign of spring for their recipients before too long. As with all acts of kindness, you don't have to tell anyone you've done it for it to count…but if you have an idea for your gesture that you'd like to share, anonymously or otherwise, send a photo or description to us via Facebook or to [email protected] so we can share your ideas."