On Sunday, 12th July, Frome didn’t just host a parade; it hosted a living, breathing, multispecies manifesto. It was a celebration of creativity, imagination and our connection to the natural world. Going one step further, it was a poignant reminder that we, humans, are nature and that we, humans, need nature to survive, especially against the backdrop of this exceptional, unnatural, heat. The idea was conceived of by Caro Till of Tilt Futures and delivered in collaboration with artist Kate Keara Pelen and Frome Town Council Climate Lead Matt Mellen.
Theo, age 5, who was at the parade said this:
“Mum, some people think that humans are above other animals, but without each other we are nothing.”
People of all ages gathered outside the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist at 1:30 pm. Most children were excitedly presenting the mask they created in school in the weeks leading up to the parade. Mask-making workshops were held at all Frome primary schools alongside sessions organised for the homeschooling community.
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A teaching assistant who was at the parade shared,
“I personally think it’s a lovely way to bring the community together, and it’s really nice that it can be done in school so the children can have a sense of pride in their work inside and outside of school at the same time. Also by doing it in school it allows the children to have more creative experiences rather than just the normal day to day lessons.”
Alongside student creations, artists created some exceptional masks and wildlife creatures to join the parade. There were costumes from Bristol Experimental Puppet Festival, Big Bean Puppets, and artists: Izzy Bristow and Meg Fowden, to name a few.
Under the awnings, eagerly awaiting parade kick off, you could see a fish swimming with the crowd and a snake slowly slithering. There was a woodlouse talking to a warthog. You could see a pigeon bobbing around, beautiful birds in flight and a somewhat stationary mushroom. There was an incredibly beautiful puppet sun and moon hovering over all the creatures – human and more than human. Three jellyfish moved through the crowd. And there was an elk, an enormous, somewhat life-like elk hanging with the others. Each mask, puppet and costume was created by human hands, many with upcycled materials, to convey the spirit and energy of the nature they were designed to represent. It felt truly magical.
PARADE INSPIRATION
The inspiration for the theme of the parade came from the We Are Nature Campaign. Launched in 2024 by Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle from House of Hackney along with Jessica Mond Wedd from Lawyers for Nature, The #WeAreNature campaign is a grassroots movement to change English-language dictionary definitions of the word nature to include humans. The goal is to reclaim our place in Nature and is summed up perfectly in the campaign tagline, “We are a part of nature, not apart from it.” The campaign gathered public support (from Robert Macfarlane, Caroline Lucas, Chris Packham and many more) and evidence of our usage of including humans within nature and submitted this to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). They managed to persuade the OED to make a revision, to reinstate a wider definition of Nature which included humans and shed light on the myth of separation and our interconnectedness with the wider natural world.
THE PARADE
The parade set off at 2:00 pm. Local legend Mojo Moves, who wants us to ‘Reclaim our mojo back from the universe!’ and former mayor, Peter Macfadyen led the group on his beloved tuktuk. Over 1,000 people followed down the hill into town. The main street of town, often the beloved subject of how busy the traffic is, was filled with happiness. There was a lively buzz to it all. The street was filled with creatures having a good time together and the vibe was palpable.
We paused for a moment at Boyle’s Cross for all students to demonstrate the dance they’ve been learning in school. Katy Perry’s Roar blasted over the loudspeakers. And the town center was filled with people of all ages doing a dance, choreographed by the inimitable Mojo. You could feel the energy as all participants sang: “I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, Dancing through the fire, 'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar.” The children were thrilled to be showing off their moves with Mojo Moves, most of whom believe her to be the real Katy Perry.
Rosie, a local mum, expressed,
“It was so lovely to see people coming together to celebrate being part of amazing nature! We loved all the masks and puppets – our favourite was the very silly blue billed bird who did some excellent dancing to Roar by Katy Perry. The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, and it’s easy to take what we have left for granted, especially when everyone is so busy. Today’s celebration was a wonderful, positive reminder that we need nature and nature needs us – and together, we're a real – and creative – force for nature.
The parade continued through town and into Welshmill Park for some speeches, some spoken word poetry and a disco – music and movement.
Founder Caro Till expressed,
“We’re delighted to be working with Frome Town Council and We Are Nature on this imaginative community event. It is so important for our young people to be able to have the resources and the opportunity to enjoy positive creative experiences. Our parade combines that creativity with learning and celebration, enabling young people to explore their relationship with the natural world in a positive and memorable way.”
Nature Voices, a spoken word artist and musician shared three incredible songs about the Otter, the Fox, and the Beaver. It was reminiscent of the iconic 70s educational series Schoolhouse Rock! with the kind of clever, catchy, and vital content our kids deserve – it was a highlight of the park festivities."
And everyone grooved in the cool shade to the beats from DJ, Mother of Mankind. Picture dads with babes in their arms, moms having a bit of a wiggle, children inhabiting their animal creations and fun had by all. It was the perfect Sunday afternoon – being in a woodland, with community, dancing to Disney hits alongside nature-based beats.
A highlight? The paramedic who was squirting the children with a watergun whilst they were chasing him with sticks.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Today’s Wildlife Parade is an important demonstration that tells our community and our country that we are here for a thriving, joyful and sustainable Frome. Here are the five key takeaways from the day.
- WE ARE NATURE – We are in trouble because the dominant view is that Nature is separate from us and a resource to be exploited for human use. Rather, we should view the ecosystem, of which we are a small part, as a collection of living beings and entities each deserving of rights in their own right to thrive and flourish. As Theo rightly explained to his mum, we believe that we humans are better than and superior to all other nature. This is not true. We need now – more than ever – to embody that we are connected in the web of life. To be in community, as people, dressed as creatures, was a powerful demonstration of this.
- WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO PROTEST, WE CAN PARADE – Sometimes activism gets a bad rap, not everyone loves to be told what people are against. A parade on the other hand, inspires a completely different vision and sense of power. When people fill a town center something incredible happens. It moves it from shopping and cars to relationships and being.
- ALL HUMANS ARE CREATIVE – The Creative Mornings manifesto comes to mind here. “Everyone is creative. A creative life requires bravery and action, honesty and hard work. We are here to support you, celebrate with you, and encourage you to make the things you love. We believe in the power of community. We believe in giving a damn. We believe in face-to-face connections, in learning from others, in hugs and high fives. We bring together people who are driven by passion and purpose, confident that they will inspire one another, and inspire change in neighborhoods and cities around the world. Everyone is welcome.” The parade was a living expression of this same vision. A celebration of creation, of making, of demonstrating the actual thing that makes us extraordinary.
- ANYONE CAN MAKE ANYTHING HAPPEN WHEN THEY HAVE EVERYONE WITH THEM – Think of the title of Jon Alexander’s book, Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us. This idea came from a mom, not a company or a government. This person, Caro Till, brought in the council, artists, local schools and the community to make this moment happen. Everyone is needed. Everyone has a role. This parade was a strong reminder that it takes all of us.
- FROME, FOR ALL – A common undercurrent in Frome is the knowledge that there are two different populations here. There are Fromies, the people who were born and raised here. And there are DFLs, the Down from London folk who have moved in. This parade did not play to the poles. It was inclusive. It was for everyone. All primary schools alongside the brilliant homeschooling community were invited to participate. This was a brilliant effort to bring the town together.
Founder, Caro Till shared,
“The hope is that we can say, ‘Wow, I’m a living being within a living, breathing planet, isn’t that incredible!’ If our children know more about our interconnectedness with nature they can hopefully care more!”
Participating today was a demonstration to ourselves, our kids, our town, our country and our world that:
- We are nature.
- We are creative.
- We are powerful; when we come together, we are a force to be reckoned with.
It was a brilliant day. The overarching sense from the community was, “We cannot wait to do this again next year.”
The Wildlife Parade proved that when you take the cars off the street and put the community back in, the town doesn't just function—it thrives."
