Kindness Festival set to make a comeback this week
One of Frome’s most anticipated events, the Kindness Festival, is set to make its return this week from Saturday, March 15th, to Saturday, March 22nd. The festival carries the theme “Kindness is a Superpower” and is scheduled to be launched by MP Anna Sabine, heralding a celebration of compassion and community spirit. This year marks the fourth edition of the festival, which stands as the UK’s longest-running dedicated event to kindness. Last year, it was met with great acclaim, drawing an impressive 5,000 visitors.
Hosted by The Good Heart organization, this year’s festival promises to be more extensive and diverse than ever before, offering an array of over 40 events throughout the week, many of which are free to attend. From a Superhero Fun Run to a Super Eco-Craft and Toy Swap, there are exciting family-friendly activities planned for all ages. Community members can also look forward to an eco-friendly River Walk and pop-up events around town dedicated to celebrating local superheroes.
Volunteers at the Kindness Festival have been actively engaging with 11 local schools, providing superhero-themed assemblies that aim to instill the values of kindness and empathy in students. Additionally, the festival is introducing the Frome Grief Network on March 15th, spearheaded by Mayor Cllr Andy Jones, offering a supportive space for addressing difficult emotions through listening and discussions on providing and receiving support.
A highlight of this year’s extravaganza is the festival’s collaboration with The Forgiveness Project, an international charity promoting the concepts of forgiveness and compassion. Attendees can look forward to an evening talk by founder Marina Cantacuzino MBE, a week-long exhibition titled ‘The F Word – Images of Forgiveness,’ and workshops and discussions exploring the intertwining nature of kindness and forgiveness on March 22nd.
The festival boasts a dynamic schedule, featuring an award-winning comedy drama ‘The Duke,’ an evening of Kind Comedy, a Grief Disco, the premiere of a video ‘Menkind,’ an afternoon of soulful music by four local choirs, and Kind/Unkind, a historian-led guided walk. The proceedings will conclude on a high note on March 22nd with performances by the Frome Rock Choir and Frome Street Bandits, promising a festive atmosphere full of joy and unity.
Coordinator Jess Francombe commended the collective efforts of over 100 individuals and organizations, emphasizing the dedication and hard work put into bringing the event to fruition. The primary goal of the festival remains to spread kindness and build a strong sense of community spirit in Frome. Francombe expressed the hope that visitors would derive as much enjoyment from participating in the festival as the organizers have in preparing it and emphasized the importance of kindness in a world where empathy and compassion are crucial virtues.