A music video of ‘Turn It Off, an original song by composer Edward Chilvers and filmed during the recent River Festival at Rodden Meadow, has just gone live, urging people to put down their devices and connect with each other and with nature.

The annual River Festival event was organised by Frome Families for the Future and Green and Healthy Frome for Great Big Green Week 2025. In addition to ‘Turn It Off, festival-goers enjoyed a vibrant mix of nature-based activities and community fun, including stalls from Avon Wildlife Trust, Sustainable Frome, magnet fishers, Frome & District Angling Association, and more. There were workshops with Super Roots, rapping from Martin Sheills, river dipping with the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust and a performance of “I Am the River” – a collaborative piece written and performed by the community.

https://youtu.be/JuF9fXUp4IE?si=UFjJrb5L\_Lejn4ND

Matt Mellen, Climate Action Lead at Frome Town Council, said:

“The River Festival was a fantastic example of what happens when you get people together in nature, switch off from the digital world and enjoy time together - and the perfect place to host the premiere of Eddie Chilvers’ new song! Frome Families for the Future’s River Vision project is part of the great work they do providing opportunities for discussion, play and hopeful action, to protect the planet for future generations.”

‘Turn It Off’ came about when composer Edward Chilvers noticed the world was suffering from a toxic phone addiction, an epidemic, that erodes relationships, creativity, health, concentration and life force. Eddie said-

“Everyone knows they need to spend more time away from their screens, but the problem is they’re designed to be as addictive as possible! I wrote the song hoping the chorus would get stuck in people’s heads and remind them to turn it off and put it away! If you connected with the lyrics of the song, please share it! We’d love to get it heard by as many people as possible.”

Frome Families for the Future (FFFF) is a grassroots community group made up of local parents and carers who want to leave the world in a better state for the next generation. As well as advocating for access and time spent at the river, FFFF work with key stakeholders to drive forwards in finding a way to clean up the River Frome catchment. Since 2024, FFFF has been working on its River Vision project in collaboration with Edventure Frome Future Shed – part of the Green & Healthy Frome programme, a partnership project between Edventure Frome, Frome Medical Practice, and Frome Town Council, supported by the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund.

Gemma Annan, founder of FFFF said -

_"Like so many people, we are devastated by the state of the UK's rivers. We want to help organise people to drive an effective response. Rivers are living connections within our landscapes. They must not be treated like dumping grounds for pollution or sewage. We need radical change now and a starting point is people gathering at rivers and calling for their protection."_

Edward Chilvers is a professional pianist / composer specialising in multi-tempo music. His songs, under the name Eddie Chilvers (available on bandcamp), are intended to be helpful, to inspire, and help move people through common problems and struggles.

Find out more about Eddie and forthcoming events at www.edwardchilvers.com