Openstorytellers Frome

01/07/2025

We are really looking forward to this event which showcases our artists work and exhibition about climate change. Book your tickets now!

Join us on Thursday 10th July, 1 -3pm at Frome Town Hall for this revealing preview of the 'making of' An All Round Hullabaloo - the OpenStorytellers show which exhibited at the Black Swan last winter.

As part of The Frome Festival, Frome asked to explore the impact of climate change on people with learning disabilities, sparking a powerful narrative shift. See the ‘All Round Hullabaloo’ exhibition, watch two short films, meet the artists, and join a panel discussion to uncover their creative and collective journeys. Please register for free tickets.

"The film is just brilliant and really highlights the artistic and personal journeys behind the show." says Becky Lovegrove.

🌍Climate change is an issue that effects us all - but not in the same way. This exhibition is a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusive voices in the climate conversation.

Book your tickets via Frome Festival on the Cheese & Grain website. 👉Link in bio.

06/06/2025

Help us design the new Learning Disability Partnership Board!

🗣️ Help shape how Council and NHS services are delivered for people with learning disabilities in Somerset
🤝 Share your experiences and ideas, influence plans and decisions
💬 Meet like-minded people and have your voice heard

When and where?*
📍MS Teams – Tuesday 10 June, 6pm
📍Glass Box Community Space at Taunton Library, TA1 3PF – Monday 16 June, 1pm (with GameChanger group)
📍MS Teams – Saturday 21 June, 11am
📍Yeovil Library, BA20 1PY – Thursday 26 June, 10am
📍OpenStorytellers Frome, BA11 3BY – Tuesday 1 July, 1pm (with Openstorytellers Frome)

⏰ 2-hour sessions | Relaxed and accessible
📢 Open to all people with learning disabilities, carers and organisations who work with the Learning Disabled community in Somerset

💡 To register for an online session, email sarah.codling@somerset.gov.uk by 9 June.
*Email Sarah or call 01823 357796 if you plan to come to any of the sessions so we can prepare. If you cannot come to a meeting but you still would like to be involved, please still get in touch!

05/06/2025

We are so very happy 😀 to have received an award for our film 'Journeys through Time and Climate' at the Frome International Climate Film Festival. The film was created by 4 of our artists who travel into Frome each week on the bus. They worked with local film maker Howard Vause Films • Frome Media Arts to create this animated film, which explores their journey through the rolling hills of Somerset, through changing seasons; reflecting on how climate change impacts on their lives.
Thank you Greenhealthyfrome for funding this wonderful work. If you would like to watch the film, please come to the film viewing at Frome Town Council on Thursday 19th July 1.00 till 3.00 as part of the Frome Festival and to meet these incredible artists.

27/05/2025

Thank you 🤩 everyone who came to my film 🍿 and documentary of A Portrait of Robin Meader Artist 🧑‍🎨 To my friends, colleagues and family members who always show interest and inspiration in my life of being a artist 🧑‍🎨 and illustrator. I hope to make documentaries about people with learning disabilities, our work , lives , and opportunities in the outside world 🌎 To bring the people and the communities together and show how art 🖼️ brings real people to life. We can all be artists 🧑‍🎨 and musicians 🎹 plus filmmakers 🎥 and make everybody hear our stories 😊.

A special thank you to Openstorytellers Frome Howard Vause Films • Frome Media Arts Pigeon Productions and Frome Town Council for hosting this brilliant event for free.

02/05/2025

bit.ly/HugoSupportWorkerBL

A new person-centred care and support service has been launched with the support of Beyond Limits and Openstorytellers. We have already started Hugo's support services and it's going really well. We have just one 19hr a week support worker position going. Please, please share with anyone who you think may be interested.

26/02/2025

Openstorytellers and Beyond Limits have teamed up to offer new, exciting, person-centred care roles to support the amazing Hugo.

Hugo is a 20yr old man who loves music, being in the water and being read a good book. Hugo values consistency, routine and needs someone who will be there for him. We are looking to recruit a crew to be alongside Hugo, in his family home, building a great life in Frome.

if you are resilient, joyful, up for a challenge and value human connection on all levels, then you and Hugo could be a good match for one another.

Have a look at the job advert for more information and get in touch with us if you want to find out more.

View Beyond Limits latest jobs. Assist people with mental health issues, learning disabilities, brain injury, autism and other social and emotional needs.

24/02/2025

Robin Meader Artist has been adding some extra things to his picture! Can you spot the difference?!
The National Lottery Heritage Fund

13/02/2025

Check out this fantastic graphic of the show, as interpreted by our very own Robin Meader Artist! Isn't it fantastic!
Bath and Wells Asylum, where our play was set, held regular 'smoking concerts' in the 1920's and 30's full of music and entertainment. We enjoyed bringing this long gone form of entertainment back to life. Don't worry, it was no smoking allowed! 😆

13/02/2025

A night to remember!
We are delighted to share with you some of the photographs from our recent performance of 'Through the Front Door' at the Frome Memorial Theatre, taken by the wonderful Julian Hight. Its fair to say we were thrilled with the show and we have received lots of positive feedback.
Our audience have told us it was 'amazing...funny...moving...emotional...happy and sad...wonderful...interesting and thought provoking' and much much more.
Behind the scenes we are working on a film to share with you all so watch this space!
Huge thanks goes to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the lottery players who helped to fund the show, as well as all the staff and volunteers at the Frome Memorial Theatre and our fabulous costumier Dulcie Best.
If you attended the show and would like to give us any feedback please use this link to do so https://forms.office.com/e/mb69v8xz9X

29/01/2025

During our The National Lottery Heritage Fund project we have been lucky to have help from some brilliant volunteers who run The Mendip Hospital Cemetery in Wells.
This is the resting place for some patients who lived in Wells asylum and it has been preserved through their hard work and determination to cherish the stories of the individuals buried there.
You can find out more about the cemetery here: https://mendiphospitalcemetery.org.uk/
Hilary and Clare welcomed us to their very special site and gave us lots of information about what every aspect of life was like for patients at the asylum, as well as what it would have been like for the staff who lived there too!
We learned about Dr Boyd and his special hat, which Hilary had recreated. Alice was very impressed!
We heard stories of giant vegetables, farming, fancy dress parties, weekly Balls and special Theatre shows and much, much more… all of which has been embedded into our own show ‘Through the Front Door’.
Come and meet Hilary and Clare at our show and you can find out more about them and their fascinating work.

For more information and to book tickets for our show, click on the link below:

https://fromememorialtheatre.org.uk/shows/through-the-front-door-presented-by-open-storytellers/

photographs courtesy of the South West heritage trust and Wells museum

24/01/2025

During the research for our The National Lottery Heritage Fund show ‘Through the Front Door’ we found out that people with learning disabilities often lived in workhouses and asylums.
The 1845 Lunatics Act meant that every county had to provide asylums, and special asylums should be built for Lunatics.
At that time there was no distiction between people who had learning disabilities and people with mental health issues.
Care for these patients would finally be provided away from the workhouses. What a relief!
A decision was made to buy a plot of land on the outskirts of the City of Wells.
The land was rich and fertile, perfect for making a farm and growing vegetables. The gentle sloping fields were peaceful and buzzed with insect life, away from the noise of the city…
We like to imagine that for some people their quality of life would have been much better here than in the workhouses.
We have done a lot of research into the Bath and Wells asylum, and we would love to share it with you at our show!
We have found the language used to describe people in the past quite challenging and upsetting, but we understand it is part of our history and heritage.
How does it make you feel?

Tickets here:
https://fromememorialtheatre.org.uk/shows/through-the-front-door-presented-by-open-storytellers/
(Photographs coutesy of the South West heritage Trust and the Wells and Mendip museum.)

21/01/2025

Tune in to All About Frome - Frome FM today at Midday to hear us chat with them all about our upcoming heritage show 'Through the Front Door'😃 Frome FM The National Lottery Heritage Fund