Frome Food Network Future Shed Residency
Background
Green & Healthy Frome (2021-2026) was a unique partnership of Edventure Frome, Frome Medical Practice and Frome Town Council taking action on health and climate in our town. Funded by The National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund, this community-led initiative helped people live greener and healthier lives in our town.
Frome Food Network was supported by Future Shed as part of Green & Healthy Frome. Future Shed offered practical support to get green and healthy initiatives and enterprises off the ground through building networks, connecting people and start-up coaching.
Future Shed was part of Edventure, an organisation supporting community entrepreneurship in Frome.
2023
In spring 2023, Frome Food Network entered into a residency – in parallel with four other community networks and part of Green & Healthy Frome’s Climate Action bid – at Future Shed.
The residency’s main objective was to rally and engage the public, and connect FFN members, around food in the context of climate and health. The FFN planned and supported several events including farm walks, field trips, and ‘edible discussions’ as part of that objective.
2024
In spring 2024, FFN entered into a second residency with Future Shed.
This year, its objective became more focused, and involved embarking on a ‘communal eating project’ (later named Canteen) seeking to bring Frome residents together to share delicious, wholesome, and affordable food. The project is inspired by The Long Table in Stroud, among other initiatives across the world.
2025
FFN and its Canteen project enters into its final residency with Future Shed, as it seeks to gauge levels of interest and tweak and expand on the concept.
For more info on the progress of the communal eating project, see below or contact Hugh from FFN.
Canteen originated as a product of a Frome Food Network 2024 and 2025 residency with Future Shed: a Green & Healthy initiative that offered practical support in getting health and climate friendly projects and enterprises off the ground.
Throughout both residencies, Canteen put on eight pop-ups serving a total of 1,072 people:
30 meals claimed free of charge
70–80% of food prepared from ingredients sourced from local and nature-friendly farms
~600 litres of food waste composted by community service Loop
79 meals donated to the Community Fridge
Six of those pop-ups took place at Trinity Chuch Hall; one at Wesley Church as part of Frome’s Green & Healthy Conference, and one at Victoria Park in collaboration with Victoria Park Community Cafe, Frome Seed Library, and Frome Town Council.
222 people came to eat at Canteen in the Park on 15th August 2025
Head over to Canteen’s page for more info on the concept and its latest pop-ups.
This zine tells the story of Canteen (as a project within the Green & Healthy Frome initiative), from its incidental ties to a state-supported restaurant in Frome in 1943, through to recipes for dishes we’d put on for its pop-ups in 2025.
Read the zine in full here.