Bath Voice March 2023

bath voice

March 2023 No. 37

FREE EVERY MONTH in Bear Flat, Combe Down, Oldfield Park and Widcombe INSIDE

News In Brief

Page 4-5

Charity News

Page 6

What’s On

Pages 12-14, 23

Sports News’

Pages 16-17

Local History

Page18

Bloomfield Green celebrates 100 years as a community space

It is 100 years since the Bath Corporation bought agricultural land that now makes up Bloomfield Green and the Bloomfield Allotments for public use. Last month the Friends of the green celebrated the centenary by the planting of a Cedar of Lebanon tree, chosen by local residents. Families also planted snowdrops. Pictured is The Mayor of Bath Cllr Rob Appleyard helping in the planting. More on this on page 5.

Free Blue Badge parking to end

By

Local

Democracy

Reporter John

Wimperis: Blue Badge holders will need to pay the charge to enter Bath’s Clean Air Zone from March 15 as the exemption period comes to an end.

The city’s clean air zone requires drivers of vehicles other than private cars and motorbikes to pay a charge

to drive though the zone, which covers large parts of the city centre and adjacent areas, if they do not meet the council’s emissions standards.

Drivers with disabilities who hold Blue Badges were one of several groups able to apply for their vehicle

to be exempt in the first two years of the Clean Air Zone, which came into force in 2021. But now the exemption period is almost up.

From March 15, Blue Badge holders, wheelchair accessible taxis, community health, education, social

Continued on page 3

HOSTS REQUIRED IN BATH

Excellent rates for hosting our international students

Single rooms for adult students

Twin rooms for junior students (age 12-17)

Please contact the school for more information

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Contacts

Harry Mottram News Editor news@bathvoice.co.uk

Erica Benson Publisher and sales 07402 441485 erica@bathvoice.co.uk

George Benson Distribution 07970 767606 george@bathvoice.co.uk

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HOW DO I GET IN TOUCH WITH ...

My MP?

Wera Hobhouse MP 26 Charles Street, Bath, BA1 1HU 01225 307024 office@werahobhouse.co.uk

Jacob Rees-Mogg House of Commons Westminster London SW1A 0AA jacob.reesmogg.mp@parliament.uk

My councillor?

Oldfield Park: Shaun Stephenson-McGall 07483 299240

Shaun_Mcgall@bathnes.gov.uk

Widcombe & Lyncombe: Alison Born 01225 319188

Alison_born@bathnes.gov.uk

Winston Duguid

07899 066440

Bath Voice are members of:

Winston_Duguid@bathnes.gov.uk

Moorlands: Jess David 07977 500804

Jess_david@bathnes.gov.uk

Southdown: Paul Crossley 07718 632959 paul_crossley@bathnes.gov.uk

Dine Romero 01225 477496 dine_romero@bathnes.gov.uk

USEFUL NUMBERS

Bath & North East Somerset Council

Guildhall, High Street, Bath, BA1 5AW

Bath One Stop Shop

3-4 Manvers Street, Bath, BA1 1JQ Council Connect 01225 39 40 41

Email: council_connect@bathnes. gov.uk

Bath & North East Somerset Citizens Advice Bureau

2 Edgar Buildings, George Street, Bath, BA1 2EE

0344 848 7919

NHS

Urgent: 111 / Emergency: 999

COMPLAINTS

Combe Down: Gerry Curan 01225 330349 / 07900684562

Gerry_curran@bathnes.go.uk

Bharat Ramji Nathoo Pankhania Bharat_pankhania@bathnes.gov.uk

07464 867554

Odd Down: Joel Hirst 07792 869044 joel_hirst@bathnes.gov.uk

Steve Hedges 07971270879

steve_hedges@bathnes.gov.uk

Twerton: Sarah Moore 07807013635

Sarah_moore@bathnes.gov.uk

Tim Ball 01225 400834 / 07970461674

Tim_ball@bathnes.gov.uk

Westmoreland:

June Player 07967 920064

June_Player@bathnes.gov.uk

Colin Blackburn 07796 807157

Colin_Blackburn@bathnes.gov.uk

Continued from page 1

care workers, community transport, and people who got exemptions under the financial assistance scheme will all now have to pay the charge for the first time.

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s cabinet member for transport Manda Rigby said: “When we went with the first CAZ outside London, we were determined to introduce it as equitably as possible, whilst hitting its air quality targets.

“We were very and repeatedly clear about all the exemptions having a two year period from the start. Bristol had slightly over six months exempted period, Birmingham had none at all [for Blue Badge holders].

“It would be unfair on the 900+ residents who changed their vehicles with assistance from the finance scheme to help us all breathe cleaner air, if we didn’t do as initially shown in the scheme and changed the rules now for the very small minority who still have non compliant vehicles.”

Currently, there are 88 exemptions issued for Blue Badge holders, 27 of which are being actively used. 36 have not been used in the last three months and 25 have never been used.

The daily charge to enter the Clean Air Zone is £9 for taxis, minibuses, vans, pick-up trucks, and some campervans and four-by-fours; and £100 for coaches, buses, and HGVs. Private HGVs like horsebox vans and motorhomes can have the £100

reduced to £9, if registered with the council.

Motorbikes and private cars are

not charged for entering the Clean Air Zone

Five new Residents’ Parking Zones

Police

www.avonandsomersetpolice.co.uk

General inquiries: 101

Emergency 999

Fire

www.avonfire.co.uk

Inquiries: 0117 926 2061

Emergency: 999

Anti-social behaviour team asb@bathnes.gov.uk

01225 842462

Well Aware

Health and social care information

www.wellaware.org.uk

(Freephone) 0808 808 5252

Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get things wrong. We always try to resolve issues informally at first but we also have a formal complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about anything in the Bath Voice, contact the News Editor using the details below. We aspire to follow the the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), nuj.org.uk/about/ nuj-code.

Further details of the complaints process can be found on our website or can be obtained by contacting the Editor by email: news@bathvoice.co.uk or by post: 1 Camerton Close, Saltford, Bristol, BS31 3BT or by phone: 07402 441485

All stories and pictures are © Bath Voice (unless otherwise stated) and may not be reproduced without permission.

Bath Voice News & Media Ltd

Bath Children’s Choir performed at the Concert of Warmth and Light for Ukraine in Bath Abbey on Friday 24th February, 2023. They are pictured her with Wera Hobhouse MP for Bath who has signed up to be an Ambassador for Voices for Life. See page 4 for more.

Warmth and Light for Ukraine

Voices for Life: Bath singing and wellbeing charity ‘Voices for Life’ welcomed Wera Hobhouse MP as an Ambassador.

Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse has signed up to be an Ambassador for Bath charity ‘Voices for Life’. Voices for Life’s mission is for every child, no matter who they are or where they live, to have the opportunity to enjoy singing together, build confidence and develop in all aspects of their life, musically and beyond.

Tessa Armstrong, Voices for Life Founder and Executive Director said: “We are thrilled to welcome Wera Hobhouse as an ambassador for the charity. 2023 is an incredibly exciting year for the charity with the launch of

our new project ‘Extraordinary!’ and we are delighted to have Wera on board as we bring the joy of singing to thousands more children.”

Founded in 2020 by Tessa Armstrong, (pictured) the charity has thrived, inspiring thousands of children to be happy and confident through music.

Bath Wera Hobhouse MP said: “I am impressed by the work that Tessa Armstrong and Voices for Life are doing to support children’s wellbeing through music. I am delighted to support them.

“It was such a joy to hear the Voices for Life choir perform at the Concert of Warmth and Light for Ukraine at Bath Abbey.”

By Harry Mottram:

The new residents’ parking zones (RPZs) came into official use from Monday, February 20th, 2023. Now residents and their visitors will need a digital permit to park their vehicle there.

Dual use and limited waiting bays are also available in some areas, plus residents can purchase a digital permit.

For some people the RPZs deprive them of free parking near their home or indeed near the shops or businesses they visit. In some areas of Bath there’s also the nuisance of so called ‘park and stride’ commuters who park and walk into the centre to their place of work – depriving residents of somewhere to park.

In short there are winners and losers with some pleased they have been installed and other venting

their anger on social media.

The five new zones are in the following areas:

St John’s Road, St Michael’s Road and Hungerford Road area

Chelsea Road and Foxcombe Road area

Sion Hill and Summerhill Road area

Entry Hill area

Lyme Gardens and Charmouth Road area

Residents seeking further information, or information in another format such as easy-read, Braille, or in another language, can email to LNPilots@bathnes.gov.uk or call an advisor on 01225394025. Those unable to access the internet can visit Bathnes Libraries and Information and Advice Services for support. Full information is available at www.bathnes.gov.uk/LNRPZ

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Week 2: Tuesday 11th – Friday 14th April

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Batheaston Primary School, Bath, BA1 7EP

Call: 01225 285050

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Book Online:

Photo (credit Clive Dellard):

Coronation celebrations: It may come as a surprise for some that if you plan on staging a Coronation celebration event in one of Bath’s parks such as a concert or a street party you will have to book it with the Council and pay a fee.

The advice is to get your application in early and if you are not sure if your event will attract a fee such as one for closing a road for a day then email the events team at event@bathnes.gov.uk with an outline of the plans, together with any questions – ideally by early March.

However, many people will celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III in their own way – with a picnic, in a pub, with a walk or with a party at home. The date is Saturday May 6th, with a bank holiday on the Monday (8th May).

So it is likely that it will be a long weekend of events with many people whether they are Royalists or Republicans, will take the chance to let their hair down and party.

Buckingham Palace has issued this statement: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce that the Coronation of His Majesty The King will take place on Saturday 6th May, 2023. The Coronation Ceremony will

take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside The Queen Consort.”

Councillor Dine Romero, cabinet member for Children and Young People, and Communities, said: “The Coronation is going to be a fabulous occasion and holding neighbourhood events is a great way to get into the community spirit. We are asking anyone planning an event to get in touch with us at the earliest opportunity, so we can help you make it a great success and avoid any pitfalls along the way.”

“We hope that as many neighbourhoods as possible will take the opportunity to join in this international celebration and we hope to hear about all your exciting plans soon.”

If events are deemed large enough by the Events team to need an application via the council’s EventApp, full documentation, including risk assessments and event management plans need to be returned eight weeks in advance (Monday 6 March 2023) at the latest for events taking place over the

Coronation weekend. If you are organising a public event and want people to turn up like a giant picnic or street party – then email the editor at news@bathvoice. co.uk

Further information on the King’s Coronation can be found at the official Royal Coronation Weekend website. Crime: The website CrimeRate.co.uk is a data analysis and GIS project and they say they aggregate open police force data, social media signals and file FOI requests with local police departments to build the most complete catalogue of crime and safety information in the region.

They say on their website: “The overall crime rate in Bath in 2021 was 65 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to Somerset’s overall crime rate, coming in 8% higher than the Somerset rate of 60 per 1,000 residents. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Bath is among the top 20 safest major towns, and the 1,947th most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.

“In October 2021, Bath had the worst crime rate in Somerset for burglary, with 26 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.25 per 1,000

n NEWS IN BRIEF

inhabitants. September 2021 was also a bad month for Bath residents, when it was Somerset’s most dangerous area for bicycle theft, recording 19 crimes at a rate of 0.18 per 1,000 residents. Bath recorded 87 reports of criminal damage and arson during September 2021, making its crime rate of 0.84 the worst for criminal damage and arson in Somerset that month.

“The most common crimes in Bath are violence and sexual offences, with 2,506 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 24. This is 16% higher than 2020’s figure of 2,152 offences and a difference of 3.42 from 2020’s crime rate of 21. Bath’s least common crimes are possession of weapons, with 22 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 33% from 2020’s figure of 33 crimes.”

Avon and Somerset Police said they have seen119 fewer street-based violent crimes and 17 fewer serious violent crimes between April 2021 and March 2022. Overall, this represents a 3% fall in serious violence in the areas which are seeing focused patrols and a fall of 4% in other less-seriously affected areas. Research data suggests a fall in theft, burglary, robbery and anti-social behaviour.

By Clyde Hunter:

It was a drizzly day on Saturday (February 18), but a good number of all ages of residents and friends of the green turned out to mark 100 years of the Bloomfield Green. Children and their parents planted 500 snowdrops while a Cedar of Lebanon (known as the Centenary Tree having been chosen by a vote) was planted to mark the occasion.

Ian Halsall-Fox wrote on social media: “Wonderful Saturday morning despite the weather to see the Mayor of Bath, Councillors and the local community attending the ceremonial planting of a Cedar of Lebanon on Bloomfield Green. Marking the centenary of Bath Corporation purchasing the land in 1923 for £12,000 for the benefit of its citizens.

“The Friends of Bloomfield Green have done some great work in recent years in promoting this vital open space and carrying out improvements including the planting of many trees, sewing of meadow seeds and the installation of recreational equipment. This couldn’t have been made possible without the help of the expert staff from B&NES.”

In a short speech, before applying mulch to the tree to complete the planting, the Mayor stressed the

value of local community volunteers working with the Council to improve Bath’s green spaces. Last November, The Mayor presented high-level certificates for the national It’s Your Neighbourhood competition for 2022, run by the RHS and Britain in Bloom, to 17 Bath Friends groups, including the Friends of Bloomfield Green.

By Harry Mottram. The BBC’s Tess de la Mare and Imogen Sellers have reported on a disgusting aspect of water waste entering the River Avon and making the lives of rowers a misery.

The problem is worse following heavy rain in January but the problem is being solved by water-based litter pickers who are cleaning up the sanitary waste from the river in the Wessex Water Company area.

The BBC reported the vice-captain of The Minerva Bath Road Rowing Club Ian Burdiss as saying: “The state of the river is as bad as I have ever seen it and I have been rowing for 40 years, 30 of them in Bath.

“We have floods regularly and I have never seen this amount of rubbish brought down with the water, the actual branches have been totally

Wessex Water said the public

Bath group that gets it about cancer

Super fit and healthy PE teacher Lara Philips, 34, noticed she was feeling tired and generally unwell. When she struggled for breath, suffered fevers and a pain in her chest she decided enough was enough. “I was diagnosed with pneumonia and a collapsed lung. The doctors feared there was something more sinister going on, and a further PET scan confirmed their fears. To my complete shock, the results identified cancerous tumours in my neck, stomach, pelvis, lung, aorta and spleen. On the 20 April 2016, aged 34, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma stage 3.” After intensive treatment she recovered but after leaving hospital she wanted to talk to like-minded people of her own age who had been affected by cancer. The result was she founded a group in Bath called We Get It - a charity where people can talk about life with cancer, of treatment, of whether they can still enjoy sex, and generally converse with those who understand. We Get It have weekly meetings, workshops, talks and have lots of personal stories on their website including the Scars for Life photo shoot. if you have cancer or have had cancer then check out https://www.wegetit.org.uk/

should call 0345 600 4 600 if you spot signs of pollution. They said they will attend any pollution incidents within two hours to investigate.

n NEWS

Mentoring: Bath-based charity Mentoring Plus is marking its 25th anniversary in 2023 with an appeal to the community to connect with children and young people needing extra support.

Like many local charities, Mentoring Plus has seen charitable donations from individuals, businesses and organised events reduce since the disruption of Covid.

Numbers of volunteers coming forward to train as mentors have also shrunk – both just at the time when the numbers of children and young people needing support have shot up. The charity is seeking more mentors to help with their work.

To find out more about Mentoring Plus visit mentoringplus. net Royal Osteoporosis Society: On Wednesday, January 25th, Her Majesty The Queen Consort (formerly HRH The Duchess of Cornwall) called in to visit the new offices of the The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) at St James House in Bath.

CEO of the charity Craig Jones said she was a long time supporter of the charity following her late

mother’s and late grandmother’s experiences of osteoporosis.

The Royal visitor (pictured) also met members of the Council and other officials as well as the MP at the Guildhall.

Half of women and one fifth of men over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. The condition causes bones to weaken and fracture following simple injuries –including a cough, a fall from standing height, or even a hug from grandchildren. Fractures caused by osteoporosis are one of the most urgent threats to people living well in later life, and to the independence and freedom people deserve.

For more on the society visit

theros.org.uk/ Strikes: Last month Bath witnessed a series of strikes and walk outs by railway workers, teachers, lecturers, ambulance workers and nurses amongst others in a campaign for higher wages and improved working conditions.

None of those disputes at the time of going to press have been resolved with more industrial action across several sectors of the city’s workforce planned this month. To keep up to date with when and where the strikes in March will take place follow the news on Bath Voice’s website and social media.

See: https://bathvoice.co.uk/ Snow Hill: The social commentator

Joe Schofield has written online about the proposed RPZ for Snowhill which he feels is being unfairly imposed by the Council and is expensive for those on low incomes.

He noted: “Last year, the council declared that a proposed Residents’ Parking Zone (RPZ) for Snow Hill, Walcot and Claremont, would be going ahead in June 2023.

A council report said that the aim of the scheme was to improve on-street parking for residents. The RPZ would deter commuters from parking their cars at locations like Snow Hill and then walking the rest of the journey to the city centre.

The report also stated that as a measure discouraging the use of cars, the RPZ would help to improve air quality in this polluted part of Bath.”

But there’s a price he said with parking permits costing between £100-£125 annually and visitors’ permits will have to be bought for people coming to see friends or family by car. The Snow Hill estate has 300 social housing flats and in the Council’s survey 63% of people living within the Snow Hill, Walcot and Claremont Zoneobjected to the RPZ. His article can be read at https://www.bathgazette.co.uk/blog

By Harry Mottram:

Bath has a problem with hidden homelessness - that is those who don’t have a permanent home but sleep on the sofas of friends and family, camp out, stay temporarily in bed and breakfast or hostels or seek temporary housing with a charity.

Emily Hatrey is the manager for Curo’s temporary accommodation service in Bath and the surrounding area.

She said they have 23 households as part of the supported housing project in Bath, plus flats throughout the area

After studying sociology at Southampton University she has worked in social housing with the last seven years for Curo.

“It was the aspect of social inequality that, leads to life outcomes for some people,” she said, “I did a piece on social housing as part of the degree and found it interesting and that led to some work experience with a housing association in Stroud.”

Curo are contracted by the Council to deliver temporary housing for those in need.

There’s been a rise in people being evicted by private landlords as interest rates on their mortgages

Emily Hatrey explained about Curo’s temporary housing scheme

rise and make renting uneconomical or a need to sell the property for other reasons leading to evictions.

For a single parent with a good job that can still mean they cannot simply rent somewhere else immediately due to the high cost of rents. A quick look on the internet will tell you a two bed flat in Bath is over £2,000 a month to rent in many cases. Those at risk of homelessness need to contact Bath and North East Somerset Council’s housing options team on 01225 396296. They will refer candidates to Curo having assessed their needs.

Curo’s emergency accommodation is also in need of donations of quality kitchen equipment, white goods and sheets and pillow cases. To donate call 01225 315973.

Emily said Curo works with Clean Slate - the debt solving people in Bath - plus The Genesis Trust who help those in need and with furniture, also get help from the St John’s group, plus the Citizens Advice Bureau whose advice is invaluable for anyone concerned about losing their home - they can be called on 0808 278 7897 or you can call in at Manvers Street at their One Stop Shop.

By Local Democracy Reporter

John Wimperis: A mental health charity is working with the NHS to transform how people access mental health support in Bath and North East Somerset.

Bath Mind said it has been working with the NHS over the last 10 months.

Anyone needing support with their mental health can contact Bath Mind’s “front door” on 08081 751 369. Calls are free and the phone line is available seven days a week, from 9am to 11pm.

Bath Mind CEO Kate Morton

Spring into a New Career

said: “Anybody can ring that number if they’ve got concerns about themselves or a loved one and they can just talk it through with a wellbeing practitioner.

“And it might be that we can support them directly; it might be that we can then provide a more relevant service that they can get in contact with and we’ll help them do that. We don’t just leave them to do it.

“Or we can then escalate to our NHS partners if the severity of illness is something we can’t deal with.”

Bath Mind is an independent mental health charity serving the whole of Bath and North East Somerset.

The charity also now has a team of practitioners based in the emergency department at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, working with people who come in due to mental health reasons and referring them to Bath Mind, rather than NHS services.

You can contact Bath Mind’s “front door” on freephone 08081 751 369 from 9am to 11pm, seven days a week. See : https://www. bathmind.org.uk/resources/

We can make a real difference to people in the community we all love – together.

Flexible working to fit around you and your commitments.

A commitment to your development and wellbeing

– receive training and support to equip you with the skills you need to succeed.

Access to a range of full NHS benefits (including generous holiday allowance and pension).

We’re here to support you - Health and wellbeing for our colleagues is at the forefront of everything we do.

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When John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer smelted down stolen gold in his Lansdown home

Most wanted in Bath

By Harry Mottram:

It will be eight years this June that former Bath resident and fraudster John Palmer was shot dead at his Essex home. The hit man who has yet to be caught made sure of the assassination by pumping six bullets into Palmer with an 8mm pistol. It came as no surprise to his victims as Palmer had many enemies having defrauded 20,000 people of their life savings in a time share scam in Spain raking in millions of pounds in cash. And there was a question mark over his involvement in numerous armed robberies and missing millions in cash – suggesting the criminal underworld also had a grudge against him.

Palmer lived in a large, detached home in Battlefields, Lansdown, Bath, where he melted down the gold bullion stolen in the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery near Heathrow Airport. Despite always denying he knew it was stolen gold and being found not guilty in a 1987 trial that alleged he was an accomplice to disposing of the gold the evidence was to the contrary. The jury believed his claim he was ignorant of the origins of the precious metal and he walked out of the Old Bailey a free man. This despite the fact he had a shop in Bedminster in Bristol that bought and sold gold jewellery and also laundered stolen valuables including the gold bullion. It was this activity that earned his nickname of John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer.

There have been numerous TV documentaries, books, a movie and articles written about the Brink’s-Mat robbery due to it being the largest theft in British criminal history and the fact it was £23 million pounds of pure gold bullion that was stolen. And that was also the reason the crime unravelled - as converting gold bullion into cash is not easy – especially in such large quantities. Only two of the six robbers were convicted - Micky McAvoy and Kenneth Noye – along with a security guard Tony Black who had let the robbers into the warehouse at Heathrow International Trading Estate.

The thieves used Palmer to melt down much of the gold bullion by mixing it with junk jewellery, copper and other scrap metals to disguise the high gold content and the security codes marked on the gold. The gold could then be resold

legitimately with the cash used to fund extravagant lifestyles of the criminal accomplices – especially John Palmer who for a time was one the country’s richest men. After his 1987 trial he moved into another dodgy business using a mixture of violence, intimidation and deception.

Palmer had a home in Tenerife where he concentrated on selling bogus time share apartments to unsuspecting members of the public. Thousands of people fell for his scam – selling holiday homes that didn’t exist, or were sold many times over, or were not his – or hadn’t been built. In 2001 he stood trial charged with fraud and was found guilty and imprisoned in England. Deprived of his ill-gotten gains he was made bankrupt – a come down for a man who had owned a Learjet and a chateau in France.

After six years behind bars he was out in Spain again committing fraud for a second time with more property scams – quickly building up a small fortune. The Spanish police closed in on his activities and he fled first to Brazil where he was deported and then to England and instead of moving back to Bath, he bought a detached house in Essex with a large garden. It was there that a professional hit man tracked his every move, waiting for the moment when Palmer was in the garden out of sight of his CCTV and away from his house. It is thought the gunman climbed the garden fence and shot Palmer six times at point blank range. Palmer turned and staggered towards his house, he collapsed and died. He was 64. The motive must have been the gold. Most of it is still missing and it is possible – indeed likely – that Palmer hid some of the bullion as a nest egg – without telling the gang where it had gone. Either that or as has been rumoured in the media he was about to grass on the remaining members of the gang in exchange for leniency ahead of a trial.

The curse of the Brink’s-Mat robbery has continued to excite the media for understandable reasons: the sheer scale of the heist, the gold bullion and the aftermath as the criminals turned in on themselves as they were consumed with greed and rivalry. Gold launderer Charlie Wilson was shot dead in 1990, another launderer Donald Urquhart was murdered three years later, as was Solly Nahome who was also linked to disposing of the gold. Brian Perry who was possibly one of the robbers but didn’t get jailed for the crime but did get jailed for helping to dispose of the gold was shot dead in 2001. Another launderer of the gold was George Francis was shot dead in 2002 and finally Bath’s best-known criminal fraudster met the same fate in 2015.

A new radio documentary series is currently available on BBC Sounds. Gangster: The story of John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer - a criminal who smelted the gold from the Brink’s Mat bullion robbery and went on to mastermind the biggest time share fraud in history is available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/ series/p0dwnc59

To advertise, contact Erica on erica@bathvoice.co.uk or call 07402 441485

When notorious criminal Kenneth Noye stabbed motorist Stephen Cameron to death in a road rage incident he went on the run. And the one person he knew he could count on was Bath resident and handler of stolen gold bullion John ‘Gold Finger’ Palmer.

In May 1996 Noye had been driving his Range Rover along the M25 when as he left the motorway an incident developed between him and Stephen Cameron, 21, who was driving a van.

In a typical road range situation the two drivers got out of their vehicles and confronted each other.

While passing motorists might have suspected it was a case of the odd punch and insult the reality was Noye pulled out a knife and stabbed Cameron in the chest. He calmly walked back to his car and drove off leaving Cameron’s girlfriend Danielle Cable, 17, to call 999 as her boyfriend died of his wounds.

Noye, 48, was on licence from prison for his part in handling stolen gold from the Brink’s-Mat gold bullion robbery and when he heard Cameron had died he knew he’d be back in the clink for good. He rang round his old criminal mates for help – his car was crushed – his clothes burnt and an alibi was sorted.

His next move was to Bath to Palmer’s house in Lansdown where the duo planned Noye’s disappearance. Dodgy coppers and customs staff were contacted to turn a blind eye when the following day from a field near Bath Noye was spirited across the English Channel to France in Palmer’s AS355 Twin Squirrel helicopter. After a night in Palmer’s chateau near Caen Noye took a train to a private airport near Paris and there a private jet took him into exile in Spain.

The story of John Palmer and Kenneth Noye and their part in the wider Brink’s-Mat gold bullion theft is told in the BBC drama The Gold, while a new book on Noye’s flight and eventual arrest and imprisonment is told in A Million Ways To Stay On The Run: The Uncut Story Of The International Manhunt For Public Enemy No.1 Kenny Noye, by Donal MacIntyre and Karl Howman, and is published by Mirror Books.

Harry Mottram

John Palmer. Pic: Wikipedia

Above the time share enterprise that fleeced the public and the scene of the Brink’s-Mat robbery Pics: BBC

n LETTERS

Widcombe News: The next Widcombe Art Trail takes place on Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th June 2023.

The people behind the event are appealing for artists to take part. In a statement to Bath Voice they said: “Are you an artist of any discipline, who would like to exhibit or sell your work?

“Perhaps you would like to take part as a host. You might be someone with an interest in art, parents of people studying art or just have a suitable house in Widcombe where you could host an artist or artists and exhibit their work.

“As well as their own artists Widcombe Art Trail has a tradition of welcoming those from surrounding villages and other parts of Bath not covered by an Art Trail. If you or anyone you know would like to take part either as an artist or a host or have any questions, please contact Pippamandp@wrigleyrosebank.

co.uk”

Poppy Day News: At a meeting of the full Charter Trustees, held in the Guildhall on 24th January, it was agreed that the Mayoralty would

fully take on the running, and funding, of the Bath-based Remembrance events to bring it in line with other towns within Bath and North East Somerset.

Initial conversations with the military and veterans’ groups have shown that there is a desire to do things a bit differently on Remembrance Sunday. As an example, having a split day with a parade in the morning and an event in the afternoon, as has been done previously, may not be the way which suits participants in the future.

The full Charter Trustees made it clear to the Standing Committee that if the request from those

involved in celebrating Remembrance was to continue with current arrangements, the money is there in the existing annual budget and healthy reserves to deliver this desire. If any of the arrangements are changed for Remembrance celebrations, it will be because those changes have been requested, not forced by any reduction in monies available. This proposal was backed by the majority of those Charter Trustees present.

Burdall’s Yards: Martin Campbell is the new venue manager for Burdall’s Yard on the London Road.

“The intention is to fill the venue with lots of activities,” he

said, “with live music gigs, spoken word, stand-up comedy and talks - and we have apart the main stage which takes 100 standing and 80 seated - have other spaces at the yard.”

The old industrial yard has been in its time a night club and part of Bath College - but is now a venue for pre-school groups, yoga sessions and meetings due to its many spaces - including noted generous toilets due to its former past as a night club.

Refurbished and with a bar run by The Townhouse pub/cafe nearby it is also a meeting place for coffee for locals - and includes an open air dining area - although on the day I visited it was trying to snow.

His employer is Next Stage Theatre based at the Mission Theatre in Avon Street.

Martin hails from Corsham where he ran the Pound Arts Centre until switching to the yard in November.

Apart from drama classes, choir rehearsals and meetings the venue also has regular art exhibitions which are free to view should you be passing.

Bus cuts

We are writing to express our concern about the proposed changes to the supported bus services in North East Somerset, and to ask for your continued support in ensuring that these changes do not leave older members of our community without access to reliable and affordable transportation.

Supported bus services are publicly funded transportation services that are provided in areas where there is not enough demand for a commercially viable bus route. These services are intended to ensure that residents in these areas have access to reliable and affordable public transportation.

Demand responsive transport (DRT) on the other hand, is a type of public transportation service that is designed to respond to the specific transportation needs of individuals or small groups of people, rather than following a fixed route and schedule. DRT operates on an on-demand basis, with passengers booking a trip in advance and then

being picked up and dropped off at their desired locations.

Stopping supported bus services in North East Somerset may have a number of negative impacts on the communities that rely on them, particularly for older people and those experiencing inequality.

Whilst we support the introduction of Demand Responsive Transport; we must ensure that it is accessible to all not just those who know how to use a computer or app.

We have already been contacted by members of our community who are worried about the potential impact of these changes and how they will impact their daily lives.

We also call for more funding for existing Community Transport Schemes, such as SWAN Transport and Dial-a-Ride services in Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Keynsham, to ensure that members of our community who are most in need are not left behind without access to reliable and affordable transportation.

Age UK Bath North East Somerset will be listening to the experiences of our community members and closely monitoring the impact of the changes to the supported bus network and the introduction of Demand Responsive Transport.

We urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure that these changes do not leave members of our community without access to reliable and affordable transportation.

Simon Allen, CEO, Age UK Bath Action Network Bus Comments

The Action Network website has plenty of comments from residents about the current bus cuts. This one is typical: My daughter is reliant on a bus to get her to school in the morning. The new subsidised £1 child single tickets for Bath are not being passed on to children who use them for school, so their singles are £2.50 from the Bus Station to Ralph Allen (£3.00 from London Road).

This has been made based on a commercial, profit based decision.

Traffic in Bath is at an all time high and it is accepted that takes a ridiculous length of time to get across the city. RELIABLE public transport is the obvious answer, but when you cannot guarantee that the bus will turn up on time or the route won’t be cancelled, you can’t rely on it. Therefore people revert to the control of their own car. (Even for the school route there is only one time in the morning and one time for end of school, despite significant numbers of children attending after school clubs there are no additional services from Ralph Allen School to London Road, so parents all go in their cars to pick up).

Natasha Bye

Farming finance help

Over the last twelve months kind Curo colleagues have raised a grand total of £10,842 for Bath City Farm as their chosen Charity of the Year. Each year, Curo colleagues select a local charity to support and for the past year they’ve given their time and effort to support the farm, a place of fun and learning based near Curo’s offices in Twerton.

Alison Howell

*Lin’s Leisure Trips offers leisure outings for both able-bodied and disabled people. Local pick ups for all trips

GARDENERS

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LOCAL SERVICES

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be returned if your seat reservation is resold. Coach may be cancelled if less than half full.

and Enjoy these Benefits

* Staying active, keep learning and having fun

* Meeting people and making new friends

* Access to online learning and training

* Free attendance to talks and learning events

* Meeting other members with similar interests

* Learning new things and sharing your skills

About u3a in Bath

There are over 450 ,000 of us in the UK and 1,400 in Bath

We are in “u3a in Bath” and our members are all retired or working part-time. We take part in a range of activities – from History to Languages, from Tennis to Country Walks. See the complete list of our 100-plus interest groups on our websitewww.u3ainbath.uk

u3a in Bath Membership

You can join the u3a in Bath by filling in an application form and sending it to Membership Officer, U3A in Bath, PO Box 4040, Bath, BA1 0EJ Application forms on our website or phone 01225 318438 Membership is only £15 per year.

Our Monthly Talks

Monthly Talks are usually held on the first Thursday in the month and start at 10.30 a.m. Doors open at 9.45 a.m. for coffee. Admission is free for members but a donation of £2 for non-members.

If you join U3A in Bath at the meeting then your admission fee is refunded.

Talks take place at:

The Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bath BA2 4EU

Upcoming Talks are:

2nd March 2023

SPACE EXPLORATION – OUR PLACE IN SPACE by Jo Richardson

6 April 2023

THE ART OF DECEPTION - FAKES AND FORGERIES by Marilyn Bishop

4 May 2023

DROPPING THE HABIT - A NUN’S STORY by Marion Dante

Martin Campbell is the new venue manager at Burdell’s Yard on London Road

Classical music at Hayesfield School with the Bath Symphony Orchestra and Bath’s Drew Hall at Komedia

Regular events in Bath

Mondays

Widcombe Choir. Widcombe Social Club. 7.15-9pm. For details see the Widcombe Association website.

Tuesdays

Central Library with Bath La Leche League. Meet the friendly breastfeeding support for mums. 10-11.30am. Details at Email: mara.rl.richards@gmail.com or call 01225 339023 (Mara) or 01225 317631 (Helen).

Old Theatre Royal Tours. Guided tours every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday of The Masonic Hall in Bath, also know as the Old Theatre Royal.

Wednesdays

Widcombe Wayfarers Walks. Meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, starting at 10am at the west end of Widcombe Parade. Walks last between 1-2 hours and are medium paced. Come dressed for the weather, with suitable footwear and be prepared for a few climbs. Walks are limited to 20 people and registration is now compulsory. The walks are free but if you would like to make a small donation to this event you can do so when you register. See the Widcombe Association website for details.

Widcombe. St Matt’s Widcombe. Coffee morning at 10.30am. Come down and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.

Southdown Methodist Church. Warm Spaces. 1-4pm. Southdown Methodist Church Centre and Thursdays 10-4pm offering a warm space, refreshments and activities.

Thursdays

Story Time at Bath Library. 12noon to 12.30pm. Let’s share stories and books at the library! Perfect for families with children aged 0-5. No booking required.

Bath Good Afternoon Choir. They meet every Thursday at the Central United Reformed Church in Argyle Street Bath from 2pm to 4pm. The choir is led by Grenville Jones, where the accent is on social singing for people who have afternoons free.

Fridays Bath Mosque – Al-Muzaffar. Friday prayers. Check website for various times. https://bathmosque.org.uk/ We Get It. Walcot House. Bath based charity offering support to anyone who has been diagnosed with any cancer or who is supporting someone with cancer. The friendly & informal Get Together at Walcot House, 90B Walcot Street, Bath,

BA1 5G between 10AM-11:30AM. You are very welcome to join us for a coffee and a chat .For more information see our website - wegetit.org.uk - or email us at together@ wegetit.org.uk

Saturdays

Bear Flat Community market and café. Third Saturday of every month, from 9:30am to 12:30 pm in the church hall on Bruton Avenue. To book a stall, email market@ bearflat.org.uk Walcot Antique and Flea Market. The market is every Saturday from 7.30am to 4pm.

Bath Farmers’ Market. Green Park Station. Every Saturday at 9am-1.30pm. You will find quality, fresh, seasonal produce at a fair price. The goods are sold directly by the people who produce them and everything usually comes from within a 40 mile radius of Bath.

Sundays Magdalene Chapel, Holloway. Holy Eucharist – 10am at the Chapel Church of Our Lady & St Alphege Mass 11am, 6pm. Oldfield Lane. St Luke’s, Wellsway. 10am. Service of worship, prayer and teaching.

St Matthew’s, Widcombe. 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month 10:30am Contemporary Family service.

Bath Abbey. Holy Communion 8am using the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. This service includes a sermon, but no hymns, and lasts for 45 minutes.

Theatre Picks In Bath

Thu 16 Feb-Sat 18 Mar. Ustinov Studio.

Charlotte & Theodore. Meet Lotty and Teddy. Two dreamers – colleagues, lovers and then man and wife – determined to make a difference in their worlds, and to keep the spark In their relationship and their family alive. But can they do this as academics on a university campus where every well-intentioned thought, each well-meaning gesture and idealistic good deed can have unexpected and long-lasting consequences?

Tue 28 Feb-Sat 4 Mar. Theatre Royal Bath. Noughts And Crosses. Sephy is a Cross and Callum is a Nought. Between Noughts and Crosses there are racial and

To advertise, contact Erica on erica@bathvoice.co.uk or call 07402 441485

social divides. A segregated society teeters on a volatile knife edge. As violence breaks out, Sephy and Callum draw closer, but this is a romance that will lead them into terrible danger. This gripping Romeo and Juliet story by acclaimed writer Malorie Blackman and adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz is a captivating drama of love, revolution and what it means to grow up in a divided world. Adapted from the story which inspired the hit BBC TV drama series.

Wed 1-Sun 5 Mar. The Egg Theatre. Want My Hat Back Trilogy. Two turtles have found a hat. The hat looks good on both of them. But there are two turtles. And there is only one hat.

Thu 2–Sat 4 Mar. Mission Theatre. The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Presented by Bath University Student Theatre. One of the world’s richest people, Claire Zachanassian makes a visit to her former debt-ridden home town of Güllen. She makes an offer to save the town from its dilapidated state by offering a sum of money that one could only dream of. However, it comes with one condition. Expelled from her town in disgrace as a teenager, Zachanassian seeks revenge over her ex-lover, Alfred Ill, and asks the Güllenites to kill him in return for one billion.

Fri 3-Sun 19 Mar. Elevate Festival at the Theatre Royal Bath’s pop-up venue. Artists from across the region, the two-week programme of diverse events showcases new writing, dance, theatre for families, rehearsed readings, drag entertainment and scratch nights - all proudly presented by a range of locallybased amateur, emerging, graduate or professional performers from Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

Tue7-Sat 19 Mar. Theatre Royal Bath. The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Returning to his childhood home, a man finds himself standing beside the pond of the old Sussex farmhouse where he used to play. He’s transported to his 12th birthday when his remarkable friend Lettie claimed it wasn’t a pond, but an ocean–a place where everything is possible.

Thu 9-Sat 10 Mar. Rondo Theatre. Habeas Corpus. Alan Bennett’s farce presented by Bath Spa with the graduating students from BA Acting and BA Theatre and Festival Production. Habeas Corpus follows the comings and goings in the Wicksteed home. The pleasures of the body (‘corpus’) are the driving passion for everyone gathered together with family, friends and colleagues.

Fri 10 Mar. Theatre Royal Bath. Lockdown Blues. Six women, six stories, six lockdown blues. Comedy drama.

Sat-Sun, 18-19 Mar. The Egg Theatre. Dinosaurs and all That Rubbish. An imaginative adaptation of Michael Foreman’s environmental tale with dancing dinosaurs, fuelled by rock’n’roll. This riotous hour, packed with signature Roustabout silliness, will have you tapping your toes from start to finish!

Tue 21-Sat 25 Mar. Theatre Royal Bath.

Heathers The Musical. A black comedy

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n WHAT’S ON

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Tuesday 14th March 2023. Christ Church, Julian Road, Bath BA1 2RH. 6:00-8:00pm. Illustrated Book Presentation ‘Nine Quarters of Jerusalem’ by author Matthew Teller. A new biography celebrating the complexity of the Old City. A vivid portrait and a fresh perspective on the Holy City. £12 entry to include Palestinian Buffet Mezze with wine and soft drinks. Supporting disadvantaged children and families at the Spafford Children’s Center in East Jerusalem. www. spaffordcenter.org https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/ spaffordtellerbookmar2023 or pay on the door.

rock musical based on the eponymous 1988 film about school girls.

Wed 22 – Sat 25 Mar. Rondo Theatre. The Memory of Water. The Rondo Theatre Company perform Sheelagh Stephenson’s dark comedy of sisters and sibling rivalry.

Thu 23 Mar. St Alphege’s Church, Oldfield Lane. The Argyle String Orchestra Centenary Concert. Includes work by Handel.

Fri 24 Mar. Ustinov Studio. Learning to Fly. The story of a remarkable friendship

Throw yourself into Judo. Bath Judokwai run classes suitable for ages 11- adults every Monday evening from 6.45pm to 8pm at Hayesfield Senior School Sports Hall, Upper Oldfield Park, BA2 3LA. We are a non-profit making club affiliated to the British Judo Association For more information regarding classes and joining contact www. facebook.com/bathjudowai/ or 01225 743727

James made when he was a lonely, unhappy teenager with the scary old lady who lived in the spooky house on his street.

Tue 28-Sat 31 Mar. Roper Theatre, Hayesfield School Upper Oldfield Park Oklahoma. Students of Beechen Cliff and Hayesfield Girls’ School and Bath Theatre School bring Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical to the stage.

Wed 29 & Thu 30 Mar. Rondo Theatre.

Escape to Wonderland. Inspired by the words and stories of Lewis Carroll, WhimsiCo’s debut play Escape to Wonderland combines poetry, music, and prose to explore grief, love, identity, and growing up in a time when it is incredibly hard to do so.

Theatre Picks Outside Bath

Wed 1- Fri 3 Mar. Bristol Malcolm X Community Centre, Bristol. A Midsummer’s Dream. A heart split into 2.

Loft Boarding & Insulation

Thurs 23rd March, 7.30pm. St Alphege’s Church, Oldfield Lane, BA2 3NR - The Argyle String Orchestra Centenary Concert! The programme will include selections from Handel’s Water Music, which was played in the Argyle’s first concert 100 years ago, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, plus music by Rutter and Short. Our conductor, Tim Robb, will also be playing a viola solo with the Orchestra conducted by Linda Stocks. Tickets £10 on the door or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ argyle-string-orchestra

Set beneath a glittering, ethereal surface you will find Shakespeare’s dazzling play transformed into a macabre Edwardian fable from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Tue 7-Sat 11 Mar. Alma Tavern Theatre, Bristol. Tender Napalm. Misplaced Theatre returns to the Alma Theatre with Philip Ridley’s explosive, poetic and brutal play contains sexual language and threats of violence. 8pm.

Fri 10-Sat 18 Mar. Tobacco Factory, Bristol. This House. UK politics is in crisis and the country is in economic peril. Fights break out in the Houses of Parliament and the government whips can barely contain the chaos. Sound familiar? Well this time, it’s 1974 and in this not so distant past, Westminster. Bristol Old Vic Theatre School production.

Pick of Diary Events in Bath

Mon 27 Feb-Sun 5 Mar. 4 Abbey Street. Art Exhibition. Protection Exhibition is a collection of works by nine artists.

Fri 3 Mar. Widcombe Social Club. Live music from Wiltshire’s Happy Kingsley. Music starts at 6:30pm. Expect this show to make you laugh, cry and ultimately wonder how he makes the acoustic guitar sound like you’ve never heard it before.

Sat 4 Mar. Victoria Art Museum. New English Art Club Exhibition Tour with Peter Brown. 1pm. Discover the stories behind the paintings in our latest exhibition, Capturing Life: A Century of the New English Art Club.

Cappella Nova: Fly Me To The Moon Sat 18th March 2023, 7:30 pm

St Luke’s Church, Hatfield Road, Bath BA2 2BD

‘Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars…’ A concert of music inspired by the moon, the stars and the night, with songs from the German Romantics Brahms and Rheinberger and contemporary classical composers, ending with great American popular songs: Blue Moon, Moon River and more. Tickets in advance £12 from www.eventbrite.co.uk on the door £12, students £8, under-18s free Concert in aid of 5k Your Way, a community-based initiative for those living with and beyond cancer and their families and friends. Charity no. 1165675 www.cappellanova.org.uk

Mon 6 Mar. Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, 16 Queen Square. Bath Natural History Society. A talk on Beetles and their world. 7pm (coffee) for 7.30pm start. Admittance: £2 members, £4 non-members. For further information please see the website: bathnats.org.uk The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution has a long series of talks and events - too many to list here but see what’s on visit https://www.brlsi.org/whats-on/

Wed 8-Fri 10 Mar. Mission Theatre. MidSomerset Drama Festival. Three days of acting, verse speaking, mime and much more from young performers around Bath and the South West.

Fri 10 Mar. Widcombe Social Club. Gypsy Swing Jazz. Free from 6.30pm. Sat 11 Mar. Widcombe Social Club. Disco night. 1980s - so get your glad rags on and have a boogie - from 8pm.

Sat 11 Mar. Burdall’s Yard. Viva Vocals. Female voices community choir from Corsham, directed by John Sandford and accompanied by Michelle Howarth on keyboards. Their strapline is ‘Sing Yourself Happy’ and that is what they strive to achieve at each practice and concert opportunity.

Sat 11 Mar. Bath Abbey. Abseil in aid of the Genesis Trust. See their website for

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Singarevva and The Palace presented by Theatre Nisha - part of the Elevate Festival

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details of how to take part.

Sat 11 Mar. Hayesfield School. Bath Symphony Orchestra - Scandinavian Spring Concert. Music includes Sibelius Karelia Suite, Grieg Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 and Sibelius Symphony No. 1.

Sun 12 Mar. Komedia. Drew Hall Trio. 2-4pm. Bath-based singer songwriter & soul singer based in Bath, in the UK. His musical style provides a combination of bluesy, soulful & easy listening sounds with a unique & strong singing voice, and a distinct, contemporary style of guitar playing that sets a perfect tone, and puts you in wonderfully chilled state of mind. Free.

Mon 13 Mar. The Forum. London Symphony Orchestra with Barbara Hannigan. Programme includes Olivier Messiaen L’Ascension and Gustav Mahler Symphony No 4

Fri 17 Mar. Widcombe Social Club. Just Parsons. Pizza and tales of questionable romance with the music of Parsons. Music starts at 6:30pm, free.

Fri 17-Sat 18. Bath Abbey. Karl Jenkins Symphonic Adiemus and the Fulltone Orchestra. The Fulltone Orchestra and a massed choir. Music from Vangelis, Hans Zimmer and John Williams.

Sat 18 Mar. Burdall’s Yard. Sober

Sundays. The band will release their new new single ‘Rabbit Hole’ at Burdall’s Yard.

Sat 18 Mar. St Luke’s Church, Hatfield Road, Bath BA2 2BD. Cappella Nova: Fly

Me To The Moon concert. 7:30pm In aid of 5k Your Way, a community-based initiative for those living with and beyond cancer and their families and friends.

Sun 19 Mar. Burdall’s Yard. Plucky Devils from 2pm. An impromptu performance group for guitarists (and lutenists), open to pluckers of all ages and stages. Led by Burdall’s Yard’s resident musician (and incorrigible punster) Sam Brown.

Mon 20-Tue 21 Mar. The Forum. The Dance Umbrella. Bath & North East Somerset School Sport Partnership. The showcase for schools’ dance, and it provides children with meaningful and enjoyable learning experiences outside of the classroom. The Dance Umbrella brings together young people from across the local area in a celebration of dance and movement.

Wed 22 Mar Widcombe Social Club. Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham, Scottish folk duo.

Thu 23 Mar. Holburne Museum. Gardeners Question Time. A panel of expert gardeners and landscape designers will field questions from the audience.

Fri 24 Mar. Burdall’s Yard. The Dunwells. folksy rocky sound that was a sell out last time they played the yard.

Sat 25 Mar. St Stephen’s Church, Lansdown. Coronation Concert: HandelHaydn-Mozart. Bath Cantata Group. King Charles III will be crowned on 6 May. Bath Cantata Group looks back to previous coronations in this concert performing Handel’s Coronation Anthems, composed

for George II in 1727 and Mozart’s Coronation Mass, composed for Francis II in 1792 as Holy Roman Emperor. Haydn’s joyful Trumpet Concerto in Eb completes our programme with soloist Eliza Talman.

Sat 25 Mar. Christchurch. Bath Tub Orchestra in collaboration with Ramshackle Orchestra. The orchestra is a mixed ability orchestra that plays all kinds of music from pop songs, jazz, blues, film soundtracks and classical favourites.

Thu 30 Mar. Holburne Museum. Galliarde Ensemble Concert. An Enlightened Heart project highlights the music and performing traditions of women in the eighteenth-century. With the inclusion of new pieces for early instruments commissioned by group members from young female composers Jenni Pinnock and Rebecca Rowe. The quartet features the young recorder player Kate Allsop who recently completed her graduate studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire gaining a first and winning the course prize. Kate is joined by the seasoned performers Sara Stowe (harpsichordist and singer), Ibi Azziz (viol) and Matthew Spring (lutes and viols).

Wed 5 Apr. Bath Abbey. St. John Passion

– J.S. Bach. The Abbey Girls and Lay Clerks perform alongside baroque specialists Rejouissance. As we move through Holy Week towards Good Friday come and hear one of the most moving Christian works ever written by one of the greatest composers who ever lived. The Abbey Girls and Lay Clerks perform alongside baroque

MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

£15 increase will help to close the funding gap

THANK you to those of you who completed my precept survey and shared their thoughts about my proposal to increase the policing part of the council tax by £15 a year for the average band D household.

A couple of weeks ago, the Police and Crime Panel supported this proposal to increase the precept.

This funding will help reduce the impact of Avon and Somerset Police’s funding gap, but will still leave a projected deficit of £3.4 million in the year 2023/24 and £7.10 million in the year 2024/25.

Inflationary increases, combined with limited additional funding from central Government, have left a funding gap that, without the precept increase, would have resulted in significant cuts to police staff and services.

know that many households are facing difficult financial circumstances. However, as

your PCC, it would have been irresponsible not to address the policing service’s funding gap and help reduce this deficit while I had the opportunity.

We will be using the £3.4 million reserve funding to address the shortfall so that the chief constable has capacity to develop a sensible savings programme while still delivering an effective, efficient and legitimate service.

Moving on, I want to touch on the brilliant work that Avon and Somerset Police’s fraud and cyber protection team do protecting and preventing people falling victim to fraud.

The fraud and cyber protect officers provide training, advice and guidance to individuals and businesses across Avon and Somerset and, in innovative ways, make sure to get prevention messages to people who need to know them.

specialists Rejouissance. Featuring Ruairi Bowen as Evangelist

Pick of Diary Events outside of Bath

Tue 7 Mar. Clifton Conservation Centre. Dormice talk. Journey through a year in the life of this endearing, endangered inhabitant of Leigh Woods and see how it is faring in and around Bristol.

Wed 8 Mar. Wesley’s New Room, Bristol. Talk: Who was John Wesley? From speaking out against the slave trade to improving prison conditions and empowering women, John Wesley is little-known in Bristol. However, his story of childhood drama lost loves and commitment to social justice is worth discovering.

Sat 11 Mar. St James Priory, Bristol. Easter by Candlelight. Exultate Singers returns to the medieval church of St James Priory to perform a feast of beautiful Renaissance and Baroque choral music from Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Sun 19 Mar. Trinity Centre Bristol. St Patrick’s Parade and Street Party. The parade will depart form Trinity at 12.30pm heading through Old Market and along Castle Park before finishing with a huge party in and around St Nicholas Street. Free. Exhibition Picks in Bath American Museum, Bath. Claverton. The Museum features collections from the United States where you can visit room sets that recreate periods of American history giving the feeling that someone has just

Continued on page 23

Lyncombe Hill Fields: The volunteers who have been busy creating a new community green space in the sloping fields above Widcombe have had a reception with the Mayor of Bath Cllr Rob Appleyard in recognition of their efforts.

Writing in the newsletter for the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields

Anita Breeze penned: “With small green shoots indicating that Spring

is in the air the Directors have taken the opportunity to review the pace of the intensive work we and our volunteers have been involved in over the past two years creating our Wild Hilltop Paradise.

“With no other major projects currently proposed after the Sapling Nursery sited in the East Field has been planted, we’re expecting to move towards a period of sustainable consolidation

with the aim of achieving a long-lasting legacy for and from our fields. You will continue to see our merry band of volunteers beavering away in the fields ensuring our Vision ‘Our Wild Hilltop Paradise’ is kept alive.”

She also announced she would be stepping down as a director of the community interest company at the end of May but would remain as the Site Leader with the Maintenance Team.

And she announced that Ruth Herrlinger will take over editing the newsletter that keeps everyone informed of development and in particular with its photos that are a seasonal record of the fields with its wildlife, flora and fauna.

For details of the Friends visit friendsoflyncombehillfields.co.uk/

Tufa Field: The Tufa Field Blogger has spelt out the views of the campaign group who wish to preserve the field as a green space off English Combe Lane.

A number of plans have been put forward over the years to build on the sloping field.

Writing on the group’s website the blogger published a letter presented to the Council in January.

In it the writer gave this view: “There is much awareness of the

vital role urban green spaces play in the health and well-being of the city and its population.

“Green spaces are now universally recognised a being not only ecologically important both in terms of biodiversity and mitigating climate change but also a significant asset for people’s mental health and connection to the natural world that sustains us.”

Currently there are plans to construct homes for adults with learning difficulties and or autism on part of the field.

Bees: Metro Mayor Dan Norris has £500,000 of funding for projects that support bees and bee keeping. Schools, volunteer and community groups, sports clubs, faith groups and other bee-loving groups can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £100,000. Applicants must show how they will expand and protect bee habitats.

The closing date for applications is 19 April 2023.

To apply visit: https://www. westofengland-ca.gov.uk/ what-we-do/environment/ bee-and-pollinator-capital/ bee-bold-pollinator-fund/

Fraud is so vast and there’s so much to consider when tackling this crime. Sadly, a high proportion of fraud victims are repeat victims. By providing extra support to these residents, the aim is to prevent future crimes. We need to continue to raise awareness about the different types of fraud and what to do if you’re targeted, to ensure everyone is resilient and resistant to scammers’ methods.

I also want to acknowledge the ongoing work of Avon and Somerset Police officers in keeping our roads safe. Last December, officers took part in Operation Tonic, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s winter drink and drug driving operation.

The force has recently published the results from this week of action, which reveal that between November 21 and December 31, 346 drink and drug drive arrests were made.

To advertise, contact Erica on erica@bathvoice.co.uk or call 07402 441485

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FREE SKILLS SUPPORT?

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford

I am shocked at the number of people who, despite warnings from the police, got behind the wheel under the influence. There is no excuse to drink and drive at any time of the year - by doing so, you’re putting your own life and others’ at risk.

Please do tell Avon and Somerset Police if you suspect drink/drug driving is happening, and help us keep our roads safe.

Workforce for the Future provides free tailored, in-depth support to help you ensure your employees have access to the skills, training and support that your business needs to thrive.

Our expert partners, who span a range of industries, will work with you to help identify these ongoing skills needs and deliver the necessary training to help you invest in your current and future workforce.

The volunteers of Lyncombe Hill Fields had a reception with the Mayor in his parlour

n SPORTS NEWS IN BRIEF

Football: Bath City FC play in the Vanarama League South, the sixth tier of the English league system.

This month the team play at home in the league against Hemel Hempstead on March 7 in the evening , and Dulwich Hamlet a week later on the 14th - again an evening KO. Next up is St Albans on the 18th - plus a local derby against Taunton on April 7th.

The Romans go on the road to Dover on the 4th, Worthing on the 18th and Welling on the 25th.

At the time of going to press the team were mid table and hopefully a good run in to the business end of the season could see them in the top of the table.

Blue, Black and Whites: Bath Rugby play at The Rec in the Gallagher Premiership. The Gallagher Premiership league awards 4 point for a win, 2 points for a draw, plus1 point will be awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or less and to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.

Home games this month are again in short supply with only a clash against Exeter on Sunday 26th.

They will be hoping to over turn their recent results against the Chiefs with a home win.

Away games at Leicester on the 4th and Northampton on the 10th.

Nick Varney as its new Non-Executive Chairman at Bath Rugby. Varney is a long-standing supporter of the club and previously was CEO of Merlin Entertainments until last year. Nick said: “This is a pivotal time for Bath Rugby, and for rugby more widely. I look forward to working with everyone at the club as we look to grasp the opportunities before us. Having supported this proud club for many years, am honoured and excited to have this opportunity to help realise Bath’s potential both on and off the pitch.”

• At the time of going to press former Bath rugby player Levi Davis was still missing in Spain. He was last seen in Barcelona on 29th October. His family have spent time in Spain searching for him while the media have speculated about where he went.

• Brummy and former Worcester

player Ollie Lawrence (pictured) who joined Bath after the liquidation of the Warriors last year was made man of the match in the Six Nation’s clash at Twickenham of England v Italy last month. England ran out winners with Ollie making a massive contribution to the team’s battling performance.

Bath Ladies Rugby: The 1st XV play Hove at home on the 19th March.

Saracens Rugby: Bath Saracens are an amateur rugby club competing in the Counties 3 Tribute Dorset & Wilts Central.

Bath Saracens play away this month against Warminster IIs on March 4th.

American Football: for fans of the sport Bath has its own team in the Killer Bees based at the University.

The Killer Bees have been a University club for 25 years with many former players going on to play for senior American Football teams across the UK and even the GB American Football team.

Home fixtures this season are against For details of how to join the team or simply to watch the games visit www.thesubath.com/

AmericanFootball

Solicitors: Local solicitors, Mogers Drewett made a donation of £1,000 to food banks in Bath, Sherborne, and Wells. The money was raised by staff who sold raffle tickets in December 2022.

Paperchase: The stationery chain Paperchase has collapsed into administraton.

The stationery chain with a store in Milsom Street is being run by insolvency practitioners Begbies Traynor. Nationally the firm has 1,000 staff and 100 branches. It is also a concern for the centre of Bath where stores such as Debenhams have closed in recent times.

Although no buyers have come forward to take on the high street stores Tesco have bought the brand name and intellectual property. That will mean the supermarket will use the name and stock to rebrand their own inhouse stationery ranges.

Founded by two art students in 1968 the firm grew to employ 1,500 staff and more than 100 stores. But as it grew so did the problems as shopping habits changed.

W H Smith came to its rescue in 1985 and in 1996 it became Paperchase Products after a

management buyout before in 2004 Borders took control.

Three years late they sold a stake to Risk Capital for £10 m. There were more problems in 2009 when Borders collapsed but HMV and Waterstones were amongst stores to offer Paperchase concessions in their shops in 2010 following a management buyout with Primary Capital Partners taking over the business.

Since then Primera Capital through a legal entity, Aspen Phoenix Newco Limited, acquired the stationery chain but they clearly have found it hard to turn the business around.

Train lines: The firm VolkerFitzpatrick has been appointed by Network Rail to

Care

Founded in 1968 Paperchase grew into a large chain of stationery stores with a range of gift cards and paper products.

Bath is set to lose its branch in Milsom Street.

deliver a new rail link between Portishead and Bristol, as part of the UK Government’s Restoring Your Railway (RYR) scheme.

The firm will also build stations in Pill and Portishead further down river from Bath, under a £6.14 million contract.

Until 1981 it was possible to take trains from bath to Portishead - that was when the line closed to passengers.

The line from Mangotsfield to Bath ending in Greenpark Station closed in 1966 - as whether former branch lines may reopen is open to question - although a group have continued to champion a tram network in the city to relieve traffic congestion. See https://bathtrams. uk/for details.

Coffee gone: The Can’t Dance Coffee, shop at Bath Spa station has closed.

The Bristol based firm has branches in Bristol and Westonsuper-Mare and blamed the closure in a drop in sales due to engineering works and strikes that cut footfall.

On a rough count there are around 40 coffee shops and cafes in central Bath.

Pies in Bath: the chain pit outfit Pieminster has opened an outlet in Westgate Street.

The chain began in Bristol in 2003 when Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon began the venture. Since then they have opened 16 shops across the country. Avon Street: Bath Quays North covers the former car and coach park on Avon Street.

You may have noticed work the multi--storey car park has gone leaving a building site - and much reduced parking space in the area left.

When completed, the site will offer a blend of office space, retail, residential spaces and a business hotel.

Bath Voice: the monthly newspaper now has a website with more news at https://bathvoice.co.uk/

Care

Care in your own home

Many

Care

Care in your own home

Care

Featherbed

Photo: Google Maps

Astronomy, music and Hanover: Bath’s Germanic connections

Back in the day: from paper rounds and one penny bus fares

By Harry Mottram:

Voters in Bath will I’m sure know that their MP was not born in the city but in Hanover, Germany.

Born as Wera Benedicta von Reden in 1960, Wera Hobhouse is not the only Bath resident with connections with Germany or indeed the Lower Saxony city.

Musician and astronomer William Herschel arrived in the city in 1766 taking up the post of organist at the Octagon Chapel and was joined by his sister Caroline six years later living in New King Street.

The house they shared is of course the home of the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and they were visited by their brothers Dietrich, Alexander and Jakob who along with Caroline were also gifted musicians. Today he and Caroline are best known as astronomers with the distinction of discovering the planet of Uranus and their work on double stars after having built their own reflective telescope.

Another celebrated German speaker and native of Austria who

didn’t visit the city but is commemorated with a statue in Parade Gardens is that of Wolfgang Madeus Mozart. It was commissioned by the City of Bath under the terms of the Purnell Trust which fulfilled the wish of Mrs Purnell who inspired the annual Mozartfest.

Today there is the Bath German Society who are speakers of the language and have their own website and Facebook sites.

Also Bath has its own twin town of Braunschweig - a happy partnership that began in the 1950s and was established in 1971. There is much information about the society on their website.

Returning to the German city of Hanover we should not forget our own Royal Family are descended from the House of Hanover when Hanoverian George I became king after his mother Queen Anne died in 1714. Descending from George are the late Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria who both visited the city on occasion.

Saltford branch: 01225 873535

Frome branch: 01373 463888

By Rob Coles: lived at the bottom end of Shakespeare Avenue from 1949-55, it would have been during the end of that period that I would have pushed my Hercules bike up Holloway, it was said that you needed to be Hercules to lift it!

Boys from the City of Bath school were banned from riding their bikes down the avenues as it was considered too steep and dangerous. Going to school in Bath it was down in the morning, up and down lunch time and finally up at tea time.

The two fellow sufferers pushing our bikes were Michael Shearn, of Shearn’s the builders’ merchants and Tony Ridout whose parents had a fish and chip shop in Kingsmead Square, Tony I think became a projectionist in the Little Theatre.

The child bus fare from the Bear Flat to town was think a 1d so it was it worth pushing a bike up the hill but a 1d was a 1d, four times a day and you probably had enough for scallops.

At that time my “playground” was

the bomb sites of the Bear Flat and in front and back of Bruton Avenue leading to the backs of Beechen Cliff Road and the steps down to Holloway opposite the Newsagents’ Shops.

I have a vague memory of thinking at the age of twelve of so that the lady who ran the shop, or it may have been her daughter, was rather glamorous.

I remember that the Cormacks lived at the bottom of Beechen Cliff Road and the Gales with a son called David at the top of the terrace.

The Cormack’s had two shops Nos 3 and 4 Hayes Place, believe one was where the papers were sorted, certainly on a Sunday morning and the other where they were sold. On Saturday tea time would be sent to the shop for the Pink’un with the football results. While we waited for the papers to be delivered, thrown out of the Chronicle Van, we would watch television through the window of Bourton’s radio shop next to the Bear Inn. A small shaky black and white picture and of course being

outside we could hear no sound.

When was about 14, I did an occasional Sunday newspaper round for Cormack’s for 2/6d. Sundays were not as heavy then but you still had to do the round in two halves.

At the bottom of Holloway Wilton’s, the paper shop, had pin up books in the window so the lads had something to look at while waiting for the trains to pass.

Beyond Magdalen Avenue on a bomb site on the left with what looked like a triangular tunnel. Only recently learned that these triangular culverts were drains at Fullers Earth level for water from the hill to drain to prevent the land slipping.

The big new water main from Chew Valley lake was I believe routed down Holloway. There were certainly water works off Holloway below Carlton Road behind a high wall with advertising hoardings, I heard the water rushing as I lent on the handlebars of my bike.

am glad that you recalled Frump’s, scallops and scrumps. The

owner of the fish and chip shop was Frank Meredith. also remember him as being rather rotund with a white apron. think his wife also served in the shop. Within a few hundred yards there were three more fish and chip shops, one in Wells Road and two in Claverton Street.

Widcombe must have lived on fish and chips and there were more than twenty fried fish shops in Bath in 1952.

My Grandfather lived at one point off the bottom of Holloway and his son (my father) who died very soon after I was born was, I am told in St Marks Choir. was a baby during the Bath Blitz and according to my grandfather my family including me were reported dead, think of course was wrong!

• If you have memories from back in the day do email the editor Harry Mottram at harryfmottream@gmail.com - with a photo of back then if you have one.

• This article was wrongly attributed in December.

Caroline Herschel.

Queen Victoria

Wera Hobhouse

William Herschel. Old pics: Wikipedia

Farm News: Former High Sheriff of Somerset appointed Chair of Trustees at Bath City Farm

Bathonian Thomas Sheppard (pictured), the 2022 High Sheriff of Somerset, has been appointed Chair of Trustees at Bath City Farm for a year.

The role involves leading the group of Trustees who support Bath City Farm and its charity, whilst supporting the Farm Director Brendan Tate Wistreich to achieve the key strategic aims for the Farm in 2023.

Thomas Sheppard is a solicitor who has been actively involved with charities and not-for-profit organisations throughout his working life. Usually as a Trustee and Chair, Thomas has followed his interests, including arts-based charities such as Bath Festivals, Bath Theatre Trust, and the Armolfini in Bristol. Also, health care organisations such as Dorothy House Hospice Care, the Royal United Hospital NHS Trust, and the mental health charity RICE.

Thomas is the Chair of the Bath Preservation Trust, a campaigning and heritage charity which also runs museums with the Beckford Tower Trust and Herschel Museum of Astronomy.

School News: On Friday 27th of January, Bath MP, Wera Hobhouse visited Beechen Cliff School in Bear Flat to speak with 6th Form students and Year 11 Prefects (pictured).

The students asked questions about Mrs Hobhouse’s day to day activities in Parliament, her role in the Upskirting Bill and what it means to be an opposition MP.

Both sessions harboured discussion about the topics on the A-level politics syllabus, which gave

the students a first hand account of how UK Parliamentary Democracy operates.

The Bath MP then met with the school’s new headteacher, Mr T Markall.

Bloomfield Green: On Saturday 18 February, it will be100 years since the Bath Corporation bought agricultural land that now makes up Bloomfield Green and the Bloomfield Allotments for public use.

Last month the day was marked with the planting of a Cedar of Lebanon, tree - chosen by local residents as the Centenary Tree. Children planted snowdrops to brighten the area around it and in the wild garden. The Mayor of Bath attended the celebration.

Bloomfield Green was used for allotments during WWII, and only just survived two controversial plans in the years after the War. The Abercrombie Plan in the late 1940s and the Buchanan Plan of the 1960s that would have either turned the Green into a school and community centre, or driven a road through it to link Wellsway with the Lower Bristol Road.

Over the last thirty years, the Green developed into Bloomfield Open Space, and the Bloomfield Green in 2015. The Green now benefits from many mature trees and play equipment supplied by B&NES.

The Friends are working with B&NES Tree Officers to plant new trees, to replace those that are coming to the end of their lives, with trees chosen for their environmental benefits and their tolerance of climate changes expected in future years.

The Friends of Bloomfield Green was set up in 2014. The Green has won Green Flag Awards every year since 2016, and the Friends achieved the second highest level in the RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood competition in 2022.

In June 2016, the Friends staged the first Gathering on the Green, a Sunday afternoon village fete style family day. This year’s will be on Sunday 11 June. The Friends have just produced a timeline style history of the Green.

For younger readers

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BOOK REVIEWS AND NEWS

Adult Fiction

The Honjin Murders – Seishi Yokomizo

Seishi Yokomizo was one of Japan’s most famous and bestselling authors – very much in the same vein as Agatha Christie. In fact, this novel was written in the 1930s and is a classic mystery – a real puzzle, full of red herrings and dubious characters.

Set in the winter of 1937, the Ichiyanagi family are preparing for the wedding of their eldest son - Kenzo. A middle-aged professor who has found a partner late in life, so the wedding party is small. However, in the nearby village of Okamura a sinister three-fingered man has been spotted asking the way to the Ichiyanagi house. Then on the night of the wedding, the family and guests are woken by a terrible scream and eerie music. Murder has come to the house and a bloody samurai sword is thrust

into the snow outside.

With all classic murder mysteries there is an eccentric but brilliant detective asked to investigate and here is it Kosuke Kindaichi – a rather scruffy young man with a slight stammer. Can he solve this very complex murder?

For fans of classic detective stories this is a real treat but also for those new to the genre this is an author I will definitely go back to as the stories are so ingenious.

Adult Non-Fiction

Feed your family for under a family – Mitch Lane

Sadly, this book is right on trend – budget cooking. It is written by the TikTok cook Mealsbymitch, suggesting 80 great recipes and practical cooking solutions for a tight budget. No experience, expensive gadgets or obscure items required. Choose from halloumi tacos with salsa, a brilliant cheap roast chicken dinner

and spicy noodle soup. Easy Air Fryer – Susanna Unsworth

In recent months an Air Fryer has become the most sort after kitchen gadget this winter and there have been plenty of recipe books for the Air Fryer and this book describes 75 delicious, healthy and low-effort meals. There are also tips on how to make the most of your Air-Fryer so whole chicken; spinach and ricotta lasagne and my personal favourite, salted caramel cupcakes, can be cooked to perfection.

Children’s Fiction

Two lovely children’s classics: The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett

Written in 1911 this is an enduring story that has been popular for years. The story revolves around Mary Lennox who is sent to Misselthwaite Manor – in a rather gloomy Yorkshire after losing both her parents in India due to illness. When she arrives at the Manor, she is very rude and stubborn but slowly, after learning of the tragedies of the house her approach softens. So, when her strict Uncle is away from home, she explores the Manor further and comes across a beautiful but faded walled garden that is always locked.

She also hears sobbing from rooms and meets the sickly Colin. So, with the help of Martha, the chambermaid; local boy Dickon and even Colin, Mary explores the walled the garden and a lovely transformation occurs at

Misselthwaite Manor. A charming story. The Famous Five: Five go to Smuggler’s top – Enid Blyton

The famous five are: Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog and they go on amazing adventures during their school holiday. Staying with their Uncle Quentin they go exploring the surrounding area and in this story, they explore Smuggler’s Top with secret hiding places and underground tunnels. And who is sending mysterious signals out to sea? A ripping tale!

Library News

Storytime: Thursday at 11am is Storytime at Keynsham Library – term time only and for 0-4 years. Come along, with a cushion and listen to some fantastic new stories.

As here’s always so much going on in all our libraries, and it’s all free, so drop in and see what’s on offer. For families with children, sing along at Baby Bounce and Rhyme, or get comfy whilst listening to stories at our everpopular Storytime.

For adults, we’ve got book clubs, writing classes, and much more throughout the year. Joining the library costs nothing, so pop in or visit www. librarieswest.org.uk to also access thousands of eBooks, eMagazines, Audiobooks, and a wealth of other resources! Our ‘Virtual Library’ has loads going on, including the latest library news, competitions, book reviews and, all our digital offers. Search ‘Bath and North East Somerset Libraries’ on social media or visit bathneslibraries. wordpress.com

Moorland Road Community Library (pictured)

Tues 10-4pm, Thurs & Fri 10-1pm and Sat 10-1pm. Email for more info at Moorlandroadcommunitylibrary@ gmail.com And visit https://www. moorlandroadcommunitylibrary.com/ to find out how to volunteer and much more.

stepped out, as well as our world-renowned folk art, quilt and map collections. The Exhibition Gallery features America in Crisis from 11 March to 4 July 2023. Take the rare opportunity to see this major American photography exhibition with over 80 works from 39 top American photographers, exploring social change in the US through the lens of a diverse group of artists from the 1960s till today.

Museum of Bath at Work. Julian Rd, Bath BA1 2RH. A Visual Record of a City at Work exhibition continues with photos and videos. Enter the world of working Bath through a series of authentically reconstructed workplaces, workshops and display galleries. Two thousand years of working life are on display from a Victorian ironmongers and engineering works, a soft drinks making factory and even a Bath Stone mine working, all on show in a former Real Tennis court, dating from 1777. Displays in two galleries: Landscapes and Livelihoods and Knowing Your Place.

Victoria Art Gallery. Capturing Life: A Century of the New English Art Club This exhibition will combine work by current New English Art Club members alongside a core of over 30 paintings by illustrious past members. You’ll have the chance to see major pieces by John Singer Sargent, Philip Wilson Steer, Gwen John, Walter Sickert, Stanley Spencer and Winifred Nicholson. Until 11 April.

Holburne Museum. Illustrating the World of Woodcuts in the Age of Durer. This is a rare opportunity to view the complete set of woodcuts known as The Great Passion, produced by the most famed artist of the German Renaissance, Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). Until 23 April; Alberta Whittle: Dipping below a waxing moon, the dance claims us for release: newly commissioned sculptures. Until May 8 2023.

Herschel Museum of Astronomy. Commemorating 200 years since the death of William Herschel. Star Viewfinders. Come and make a star viewfinder and take part in the National Star Count. Find out how light pollution can affect our views of the constellations and see how many stars you can spot from your back garden. Drop in activity. Free with museum entry. Activity will run daily in the gallery from Saturday February 11th.

Museum of East Asian Art. Revolution, Propaganda, Art: Printmaking in Modern China. Continues to 3 June 2023. The exhibition showcases a series of prints selected from Muban Educational Trust’s collection of over 6,000 and tells the story of China’s twentieth-century wars, revolution and rejuvenation. The exhibition explores artistic trends, political movements and technical developments in modern Chinese printmaking. The works presented mark several significant anniversaries in China’s modern history, including the May Fourth Movement (1919), the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (1921), and Lu Xun’s seminal printmaking class, which symbolises the origin of the Modern Woodcut Movement (1931).

Exhibition Picks outside Bath Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queens Road. The art of Japanese porcelain. The exhibition examines how Japan became the global leading makers of porcelain between 1640 and 1680. Until 30 July 2023. We Were Everywhere: World war experiences from pre-Partition India. This exhibition explores the experience of Indians and Pakistanis during the world wars and the partition of India. Until 5 March 2023. Sweet Patootee Arts: Turning Point. A series of four short films by Sweet Patootee Arts inspired by oral histories about the Black Caribbean experience after WWI. Until 5 March 2023. Stonehenge Visitor Centre. Circles of Stone: Stonehenge and Prehistoric Japan is a new exhibition celebrating the rich culture of prehistoric Japan. Through a number of exquisite objects, some seen for the first time outside of Japan, the exhibition tells the story of Japanese settlements and stone circles of the middle and late Jomon periods, roughly the same time when Stonehenge was built and used. Until 20 August 2023.

Do you have an event you would like to be included in the next edition - email Erica at erica@bathvoice.co.uk or call her on 07402 441485.