Frome Neighbourhood Networks (FNN)
The Frome Neighbourhood Network (FNN) is a community organisation that exists to help build connected, caring and resilient communities in Frome at the street and neighbourhood level. From 2025 to 2026, I helped document the organizations through photos, interviews and video.
An exhibition for the Frome Kindness Festival
The two photos and texts below are from an exhibition on Cheap Street in Frome during the 2026 Frome Kindness Festival. The exhibition was commissioned by FNN in order to highlight the small acts of kindness carried out by neighbours. Each image was accompanied by a short text explaining the act of kindness and featuring quotes from some of the people photographed.
I liased with FNN to identify possible stories to feature from their existing neighbourhood groups and also tapped my own network to find stories. I then arranged to photograph the groups, something made quite difficult by the fact that it rained almost every day during the period when I was taking photos!
See here for the story behind the photo
Lasagne and Baguettes
These two friendly Frome families live on opposite sides of Nunney Road. When Lydia and Joel first moved in, Alice and Ed brought them a bottle of champagne and some welcome drawings by their daughters, Poppy and Delila. Then, shortly after Lydia and Joel’s third child, Ozzie, was born, Alice and Ed turned up on their doorstep with lasagne and home-baked baguettes.
“As parents, we know how crazy it is in those early days and weeks,” says Joel. “We wanted to do something so that they didn’t have to cook.”
For his wife Lydia, life in Frome is a completely different experience from their previous home of London. “We found it hard to get to know our neighbours in London, even though we were so close with flats all around,” she says. “This road’s got a really nice mix.”
See here for the story behind the photo
The Kindness of Sharing
Frome’s share boxes are about the kindness of sharing. Beechwood Avenue residents, Jackie, Hilary, Mike, Laura, and Celia, all regularly use the share box on their street.
“If you’ve enjoyed a book, then you want to share it, pass it on to someone else,” says Hilary. Laura recently picked up The Runner’s Guide to Yoga, and she now uses it regularly.
“Sometimes there’s a whole load on one theme, and you wonder, ‘who’s into that?’” says Jackie. “Mike, who looks after the share box, recently put out his great uncle’s diary from World War One, which happens to be in French. “It’s been there for a few weeks waiting for someone with an interest in French military history!”
See here for the story behind the photo
Frodo the Cat
Helen, Shop Manager of Blue Cross Frome, holding Frodo the cat, with volunteers Gabby and Chloe.
Local celebrity, Frodo the cat, is both a giver and receiver of kindness. Most mornings, he visits the Blue Cross charity shop for a snack and a nap.
“He was waiting outside this morning,” says shop manager Helen. “He just sits, looks up, paws the door, and gives me a big miaow to say good morning.”
Frodo gets on particularly well with shop volunteers who have autism or ADHD, she says. “He’s a sensitive cat. He sits on the counter, and they stroke him. He makes them feel happier and less anxious. He’s kind to the people who volunteer here.”
A video to introduce Transition Streets Frome
I also created a video to introduce Frome Neighbourhood networks and the Transition Streets Project, interviewing members of two of the local street groups.
