Bath Voice June 2023

bath voice

June 2023 No. 40

INSIDE

Chemist News

Page 4

Election notes

Page 5

What’s On Pages 12-14, 23

Three

Sports News

Pages 16-17

Bath Rugby Ground

Development News

Page 20

Concerns over Cheap Street access

By

John

Wimperis, Local

Democracy Reporter: Shopkeepers on one of Bath’s most central shopping streets are preparing for disruption as the street faces closure for the rest of the year while “ring of steel” bollards are installed at the end of the road. Cheap Street will close on May 29

as work starts to replace the metal gate with electronic bollards like those finally installed on York Street — and it could take until the end of the year for the street to be open again.

But the planned work by Bath and North East Somerset Council has divided people who run businesses on

the street.

“I think they really need to review everything,” said Annette Dolan who runs local independent glassblowing studio Bath Aqua Glass. The studio’s shop has an iconic spot next to Bath Abbey with a storefront on Cheap

Continued on page 3

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Continued from page 1

Street. She said the business had bought an electric vehicle to comply with the Clean Air Zone, but were still not able to get to their shop with it, having to stop by the Guildhall on the other side of the barrier when they have deliveries.

She said: “We should be able to deliver outside our business with electric cars, and not put bollards in.”

But across the street at Miles Mann Jewellers, one member of staff said she did not have a strong opinion about replacing the temporary gates with bollards.

She said: “It’s pretty much the same thing — obviously a bit more disruptive.”

Council leader Kevin Guy promised the council would try to keep disruption to a minimum.

He said: “We are holding meetings with residents, business owners and Blue Badge holders who will be affected by the temporary closures, so they can speak to the project team.

“We will do all we can to minimise disruption and to make sure people are aware businesses are open as usual during this phase of the works.”

Another shopkeeper near where the bollards will be said: “It’s probably going to be better than it is now.”

the council should focus on fixing potholes.

The cost of installing the bollards around the city centre roads has increased dramatically as the scheme has gone on — with £3m allocated to the project by October going up to £7.4m by the time the budget was passed in February.

The bollards block off the street as part of the “city centre security zone” — which critics have dubbed the “ring of steel” — to protect the centre of the city from vehicle-based terror attacks.

are ongoing, blue badge holders and exempt vehicles will still be able to access Westgate Street and Upper Borough Walls before 10am and after 6pm, but will need to enter via Westgate Buildings.

Traffic marshals will be available to help drivers.

Bath had originally been requested by the police, but it was decided to introduce the permanent city-centre restrictions after consultation with the council.

Notes on Bath’s Cheap Street by Harry Mottram

Readers of Jane Austen’s novel Northanger Abbey may recall the difficulties that Isobella had in crossing Cheap Street - as it was still one of the main roads through the city linking London to Bristol.

Traffic would come down Bristol Road into Monmouth Street, into Cheap Street and then up the High Street into Walcot Street and on up the London Road.

Part of Hot Bath street will also be closed while bollards are also installed there. While the Cheap Street works

The measures are being brought in around Bath after a report by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office identified areas around Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths as crowded areas which should be protected from the potential for vehicle-borne terrorist attacks.

A larger threat-responsive security zone around a larger part of

She wrote: “Everybody acquainted with Bath may remember the difficulties of crossing Cheap Street at this point; it is indeed a street of so impertinent a nature, so unfortunately connected with the great London and Oxford roads, and the principal inn of the city, that a day never passes in which parties of ladies, however important their business, whether in quest of pastry, millinery, or even (as in the present case) of young men, are not detained on one side or other by carriages, horsemen, or carts.”

2 July

SUMMER PARTY All-American

But he added that he thought it was a “waste of money” and that americanmuseum.org

An artist’s impression of how the bollards will look when completed (Image: Bath and North East Somerset Council)

Chemist News: Wellsway Lloyds pharmacy is not closing.

The chemist has had a few phone calls from people worried they are closing down because of a leaflet drop last month.

It relates to Sainsbury’s Lloyds pharmacy that has closed as part of its policy of closing many of its pharmacies this year in order to cut costs and move services online - along with rival supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco who are also closing some of their chemists - a total of 252 this year.

The Pharmaceutical Journal has revealed that pharmacies at risk of shutting their doors this year could displace nearly one million prescriptions each month on to surrounding pharmacies.

The Lloyds chain has closed 259 branches since 2019.

Meanwhile the Government has introduce its Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework which will pay pharmacies to undertake a raft of services and consultations that would often be done by a GP. There remains a number of chemists in and around the city including the chain of Boots.

Enjoying the great outdoors (at school)

Head teacher David Goucher of Oldfield Park Junior School has reported on the success of an after school session of football.

He said: “A great way to spend a Friday afternoon after school watching our Palladian Trust football teams take on their counterparts from The Partnership Trust! Well done one and all and thanks to Mr Gunning as coach for organising it and Widcombe Juniors’ Mr

Dorrans for refereeing.”

The Oldfield Park Junior School teacher also posted a lovely photo of pupils from the school on Twitter captioned:

“Year 6 heading home after an adventurous day at Victoria Park.”

They do say that your school days can be the happiest days of your life - and this is evidence they are.

n NEWS

School plans: A secondary school in Bath has laid out plans to build a new block of four science and technology classrooms writes Local democracy Reporter, John Wimperis.

Oldfield School has applied for planning permission for a “municipal and utilitarian” two-storey building, to be built next to the school’s science block and dance studio.

The proposed block would have four classrooms: food technology and DT classrooms on the ground floor, and two science classrooms upstairs.

A statement submitted with the application said: “At present the school lacks sufficient facilities of the type proposed meaning that design technology, food technology and science lessons in particular are taught in classrooms not meeting those specific subject needs creating national curriculum shortfalls.

“The proposed classroom building is designed specifically to address the overcrowding and lack of facilities issues identified above. The additional classrooms will generate no additional staff/teacher places.”

Oldfield school is a mixed comprehensive secondary school with a sixth form.

Although the main complex was built from the 1950s onwards, the

school’s buildings also include Grade II Penn House, across the school field, which dates from the mid-nineteenth century.

Bath and North East Somerset Council will aim to made a decision on whether to grant planning permission by June 27.

You can view or comment on the application here: https://www.bathnes. gov.uk/webforms/planning/details. html?refval=23%2F01360%2FFUL

Entry Hill: John Wimperis Local Democracy Reporter reports: A developer is seeking consent to build a factory next to the closed golf course and currently a dog walkers’ paradise and park at Entry Hill.

Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council was approached by a local manufacturing company, which has not been publicly identified.

Entry Hill Depot site in Bath, which the company wants to buy, is owned by the council.

The manufacturer currently employs about 150 people in the city and it is believed that the new factory could create 15 new jobs.

A council report warns that the jobs could be lost to Devizes in Wiltshire if a site is not built in Bath.

The proposed purchaser is seeking consent for a 1,000 sq m factory at

Entry Hill, a 450 sq m warehouse space and an additional 450 sq m dedicated to ancillary offices, toilets, canteen and staff facilities.

Under the plans, the new space will house an area of production.

The main research and corporate office space would remain at its current site.

The council believes the new jobs could add £1.4m to the local economy, and if the sale went ahead without conditions and without putting it on the open market, the council could receive money for the site sooner. However, the report also warned that an unconditional site would mean the intended use and economic benefit could not be guaranteed.

Despite this, the company said it was “fully committed” to the factory plan. Election round-up: There has been a sea change in the politics of Bath and North East Somerset as the Conservatives saw their representation collapse to just three councillors in the May local elections.

The main gainers from their demise are the incumbent Liberal Democrat administration who added three extra wards to give them 41 councillors (with Paulton still to vote following the death of the Green

Party’s Tim Morgan) and the Labour Party who become the opposition with five councillors.

The other gainers were the Greens who are up to three councillors while the Independents held up with Bath’s June Player and Colin Blackburn comfortable winners in Westmoreland.

Notable results included the Conservative leader Vic Pritchard losing his Chew Valley seat to the Lib Dems, and the success of the Green Party’s Saskia Heijtjes and Joanna Wright who both were elected in Lambridge at the expense of the Lib Dem Mayor Rob Appleyard.

With the Lib Dems on 41 they now have a new mandate to continue their transport, social housing and social care policies led by their leader Cllr Kevin Guy.

The composition of the council is now: Liberal Democrats: 41 councillors; Labour: 5 councillors; Independents: 5 councillors; Conservatives: 3 councillors; Greens: 3 councillors.

Long term servant of Widcombe and Lyncombe Winston Duguid retired at the election as did Gerry Curran of Comb Down.

See pages 10 and 15 for more local election news.

Fashion Museum News, by John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: A government document has revealed the reasons why Bath’s bid for Levelling Up funding was turned down.

Bath and North East Somerset Council applied for £20m from the government scheme to help fund Bath Fashion Museum’s move to a new premises and to set up a new fashion collection archive at Locksbrook.

But instead of £20m, the council received two and a half A4 pages of feedback from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities explaining why the bid was turned down.

The Fashion Museum had to leave its home at the Assembly Rooms at the end of October, after the National Trust who own the building decided to use it for their own project.

The council announced a £37m project to turn the Old Post Office on New Bond Street into a new site for the museum but the future of the project was plunged into doubt after the government turned down the bid, leaving the project mostly unfunded and setting back the museum’s reopening by years.

Now the government’s

feedback been obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service through a freedom of information request.

The document reveals that the government considered the council’s plans “relatively strong” and in keeping with the aims of levelling up, but it was turned down as there was not enough data behind some parts of the plan.

Council leader Kevin Guy slammed the funding process as “deeply flawed.”

According to figures obtained by Reach Data Unit, it cost the council almost £55k to put the bid together, bringing in various external consultants. In total, councils across the country spent £23.4m on bidding for Levelling Up funding.

Although Bath and North East Somerset Council’s bid was turned down, the government feedback stated: “This was a relatively strong bid, particularly the strategic case which made clear connections between government policy and the project, including through a detailed theory of change.

“However, the value for money and deliverability cases could have been stronger, for example by expanding on the range of data

available.”

More Bath-specific data was needed, the feedback said. Decline in footfall and increasing vacancy rates in the city had been mentioned but not quantified. The bid also did not mention the number of business and learners supported.

The government said this was “a notable statistical omission.”

The feedback stated: “It would have been useful to understand how well Bath Spa University’s fashion and design courses are attended now and what changes this project expects to achieve and how many businesses are expected to access the support hub.”

The government added that there was a risk in obtaining planning permission for the Grade II listed Old Post Office. There were also concerns over whether costs could go up between the purchase of the building and the planned date for constitution to be completed in 2025.

Questions were also raised about the “more costly option” of moving the museum to the Old Post Office rather than to other cheaper locations which had been considered — but the council say it was the only suitable option.

The feedback also shows the

government had doubts over the council’s ability to secure extra funding.

The Levelling Up Fund bid would have contributed £20m towards the £37m project — almost 60% — with the remaining funding coming from a loan from the West of England Combined Authority, selling off assets, and a £5m loan at Public Works Loan Board Rates.

The government warned: “All of which will be affected by the increasingly challenging economic climate.”

Support had also been offered “informally” by the Arts Council, Historic England, and the National Heritage Lottery Fund, but the government said this should have been more clearly evidenced.

But the feedback was positive about how the bid set out the impacts the funding would have.

It stated: “The work did a good job of answering questions around skills and education, showing how the planned and on-going work of the council, Bath Spa University and Bath College would provide the links between the Fashion Museum’s collection and skills, education and training, and employment and Continued on page 7

Continued from page 6

business support. […]

“The use of the Levelling Up White Paper’s missions and capitals made clear the connection between the project’s aspirations and government’s. This was clearly demonstrated and highly detailed.”

The feedback added: “Assumptions and forecasts were well outlined, and the applicant clearly articulated how the proposal would address the problems they outline.”

Council leader Kevin Guy said: “We are committed to delivering the new Bath Fashion Museum and the Collection Centre. These will be fabulous assets for the community and will act as catalysts for regeneration and engagement.

“Grant funding is already in place to develop the full vision, business case and funding strategy. We also have an experienced delivery team in place and have already secured than iconic new home for the Fashion Museum at the Old Post Office, right in the heart of Bath.

“The Levelling Up funding decision was a disappointment, however alternative funding options have been under consideration right from the start. The process of developing the bid, and this very

positive feedback, will be invaluable for other funding applications.

“Ultimately, decisions relating to Levelling Up funding are in the hands of the Conservative government. They have created a deeply flawed funding process, which forces local authorities into competition for a narrow pot of funding and which has been criticised as using public funds for political purposes.”

While the museum does not have a home, its collection is being stored in a glove factory in Warminster at a cost of £150k a year.

The council plans to rent out the Old Post Office on short term lets to raise money for the Fashion Museum move.

Earthquake News: There is to be a CHOIRTHON on 10th June 2023 at Walcot Methodist Chapel in Bath from12noon to 10pm to raise money for the Syrian and Turkey Earthquake Appeal.

The event lives up to its name as there will be 18 choirs with more than 600 singers, coming together for the 10 hour long free concert as part of the Bath Fringe. Each singer and audience member is being asked to donate about £5 via a Justgiving link, or in the buckets at the door with the aim to raise over £5,000.

Details of the choirs taking part at https://www.bathfringe.co.uk/event/ choirthon/

The plan is to also broadcast the concert live online via website at www.finchmusic.co.uk. Tickets can be reserved at: https://Choirthon. eventbrite.co.uk. Donations can be made at: https://www.justgiving.com/ page/choirthon

Supermarket News: Lidl hopes to double the number of stores in the city with a new supermarket planned for the land next to Bath Rugby’s training ground at Lambridge on London Road.

That is assuming they can get planning permission following a consultation last month. There is a local campaign to stop the plans as the land is in effect a haven for wildlife. Lambridge Green Party councillor Joanna Wright said: “The site where Lidl are planning a superstore in Bath is home for wildlife including endangered pollinating insects, European beavers, otters, bats, birds. We know that 15% of species in the UK, one of the most nature-depleted countries, face extinction and now we want to cut down trees and remove an important habitat for so many protected species, just so Lidl can make a profit.”

The German grocery chain is part of the Schwarz Group and is in the top five supermarket groups in Europe and Britain with another store on Lower Bristol Road. The firm said the new store would create 40 jobs and will need a new pedestrian crossing at the London Road and Gloucester Road junctions.

Cleveland Pool News: Bath The Cleveland Pools Trust has won national recognition for ‘Restoration project of the Year’ at the Museums and Heritage Awards as the pools move one step closer to opening for the summer season 2023.

This recognition follows a challenging few months said a spokesperson for the pool. They said: “It follows for the winter floods and ongoing contractual negotiations but coincides with news that works to install the pontoon and Water Source Heat pump, that will heat the pool water, will start soon.

“The pontoon will enable pools’ visitors to access the site via the river and reinforces the Trust’s commitment to improving access for the community while encouraging the use of greener travel options. This work means the pools will be able to open for warm water swimming later this year.”

Bath’s Summer Carnival set to expand after ruling on controversial increase in numbers in the park event

By John Wimperis, Local

Democracy

Reporter:

More people will be allowed to attend Bath Carnival, after a licensing battle which saw nearby residents try to restrict its numbers.

The number of attendees allowed on the Sydney Gardens site will go from 3,000 to 4,750 but, as a condition, stricter rules have been put in place by Bath and North East Somerset Council about how the event is stewarded.

Carnival organisers were called up before the council in a licensing hearing on Wednesday May 18 after Pulteney Estate Residents Association objected to their application to increase the number of people allowed on site.

Ceris Humphreys, vice chair of the association which represents people on Great Pulteney Street and other roads near the carnival, lodged the objection on the grounds of public safety, prevention of harm to children, public nuisance, and prevention of crime and disorder.

Central to the residents association’s case was the claim that Sydney Gardens had been unsupervised by event stewards while the parade was taking place, something carnival organisers denied.

Ms Humphreys told the licensing subcommittee that she had gone into Sydney Gardens to look for carnival stewards to report an issue to but, despite walking around the site, had not managed to find one.

She said the entrances she used were unmanned and she had come across St Johns Ambulance personnel, a man manning a bouncy castle, and a man picking litter — the latter of whom told her all stewards were out on the parade — but nobody actually stewarding the event.

Festival coordinator Stu Matson said: “Bath Carnival takes the safety

of its patrons very seriously, And we refute the claim that there were no stewards on site at the time of the event.”

He said: “We had 15 on site at all times, of whom five were SIA [licensed security guards].”

Rob Deadman, who manages RS security which provided the personnel for the event, said: “It’s a very good event and its very well run.”

He insisted: “Everything was covered.”

His witness statement said the company provided 11 SIA staff, six of whom went out on the procession and five remained on site.

Challenged Ms Humphreys’ testimony, he said: “I just find it hard to believe that you couldn’t see eleven people within the confines of that garden with hi-viz.”

He added that Bath Rugby’s Dunnie, Tom, and Gabe had joined teams on the gates later on to help monitor the numbers with clickers.

Mr Matson said the number of people on site peaked at 2,875, a number monitored by calling the people with clickers at several points through the day.

After the marathon licensing hearing, which stretched to almost four hours including long periods of closed session in which councillors

deliberated privately, councillors decided to allow the carnival to increase their numbers.

But additional conditions were imposed to address the concerns about stewarding.

The headquarters on site will be signposted, with a plan of the site will be located at each entrance and exit; volunteers and staff on site will need to carry the details of organisers to contact if needed; and people on the gates will be contacted half hourly to log the number of people on site.

Ms Humpreys said: “We are really pleased that our concerns about the absence of meaningful monitoring of people entering and leaving have been taken into account.”

Mr Matson said he was also “really pleased.” He said: “The main thing for us is we can continue to deliver a safe event for everyone that wants to be there and remain being as inclusive as possible.”

Tim Ball, who has held the council’s cabinet portfolio for licensing, added: “The licensing committee took a balanced view […] and came to a balanced decision taking into account the residents concerns as well.”

The Bath Carnival will take place on July 8.

Picture: Rob Coles.

Essex girl Kate gone west explains Bath Mind’s work on mental health

Bath Mind: A word of caution about Bath Mind. The Westgate Street offices of the charity are above the charity shop Mind Bath - a national charity - which is a separate organisation from Bath Mind a local charity - although the two are connected but not as directly as their joint location suggests.

Kate Morton of Bath Mind explained: “Mind is a national organisation that oversees the campaigns on mental healthoffering information and advice on mental health problems and lobbies government and local authorities.

“Bath Mind provides services locally and we are an independent charity with a board of trustees with about 150 members and much of our money comes from grants from the local authority and the NHS.

“We also need to fundraise to top up through things like sponsored runners in the Bath Half Marathon in October and local events like the boules competitions and concerts.

“Fixed grants don’t increase and

so every year we make our case to various commissioners for a cost of living increase.”

Kate is an Essex girl gone west having lived and worked in London as a manager in a housing association.

She moved to Bath where she has a family of two sons and also has a sister here - but has also had to recover from a brain tumor which gave her an desire to continue in the voluntary sector - first as a trustee and volunteer and now as the CEO of Bath Mind.

“We help people in the area aged 16 plus with two big groups in particular,” she explained, “Older people who have been in many cases affected by Covid and are excluded with a lack of social contact which has affected their mental health.

“We support them within their community often through wellbeing groups.

“And we help younger people who sometimes feel lost and lonely,

as they are not connected and become depressed with social media often a negative influence.

“Then there are those diagnosed with a mental health illness.”

Kate said their free phone number works as a front door to Bath Mind - with a practitioner on the line who can speak to someone who is worried about their mental health.

“Mental health is not a stand alone condition,” she said, “it’s often related to wider problems in someone’s life such as debt, housing or homelessness, health and family

issues.”

Bath Mind works with a number of other charities and agencies including the Citizens Advice Bureau, Curo, the Community Wellbeing hub, the schools in the city, Bath University and Bath Spa University and Bath College.

The charity has a Free Phone number: 0808 1751369.

To find out more, to seek help or to help fund raise or to volunteer with Bath Mind visit https://www. bathmind.org.uk/

Harry Mottram

Kate Morton of Bath Mind in Kingsmead Square near to the offices in Westgate Street, bath

John Wimperis, Local Democracy

Reporter: Only eight percent of rapes reported to Avon & Somerset Police are leading to charges being brought — but this is double the rate last year.

Speaking at a Performance and Accountability Board meeting, Avon & Somerset Police Chief Constable Sarah Crew said it was: “not enough, we know, but a doubling nevertheless.”

In the 12 months to April, she said that the police force brought 141 rape charges, more than double the 69 brought in the period the year before.

Chief Constable Crew said: “We are now in the top quartile for positive outcome rates for rape and serious sexual offences having been previously bottom quartile, 24 months ago. And for the latest quarter’s results, so July to September 2022, on the national […] criminal justice scorecard, we had the third highest adult rape charge in the country.”

But the number of sexual offences and domestic abuse crimes recorded across the last year has gone down.

Sally Fox, director of performance and accountability at the police crime commissioner’s office said: “This could be due to proactive and preventative

work undertaken, but this decline could also be caused by loss of confidence in the police which is deterring victims from reporting.

“What are you doing to ensure that victims of these types of crimes will continue to report to Avon and Somerset police?”

Chief Constable Crew said: “Increasing trust and confidence is our top priority as an organisation. There is much work ongoing [….] about culture, leadership, transparency.

“But male violence against women and girls accounts for a quarter of all recorded crime so if we are going to increase trust and confidence we can’t do it without effectively tackling [and] addressing this area effectively.”

As well as Avon & Somerset’s chief constable, Crew is the National Police Chiefs’ Lead for Adult Sex Offences and the police force ran the pilot of a new way of tackling rape cases, Operation Sortia Bluestone, in early 2021.

The approach is now being rolled out in police forces across the country. The operation saw a specialist rape investigation team created, improved collaboration with victim support services, and a focus on perpetrator

behaviour rather than on the credibility of victims.

Nearly 2,000 Avon and Somerset Police frontline professionals have also gone through the DA [Domestic Abuse] Matters programme, delivered by Chief Inspector Sharon Baker and charity Safelives, which Chief Constable Crew said meant officers would be able to complete domestic violence risk assessments “with a full understanding of the dynamics.” Election thanks: This is from the two independent councillors Colin Blackburn and June Player in Bath.

“We would like to thank so very much the residents of Westmoreland Ward for their continued support and faith in us by re-electing us to being their Independent councillors for the next four years.

“We will continue to work for all our residents and our Ward building on our motto of Keeping it Clean Green and Friendly - Promoting Pride in our Community. Please feel free to contact us about any Council issues.” Opera News: The Widcombe Association in Association with Bath Opera will be staging Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro featuring Andrew Havers as Figaro at the Julian Slade Theatre, Prior Park College on July

21st at 7.30pm.

Gates will be open early so bring a picnic and sit on the lawn and enjoy the beautiful views.

Art News: The Widcombe Art Trail runs from on 17 - 18 June. Widcombe Art Trail is a member of Bath Open Studios, a collaborative group representing the Open Studios and Art Trails In Bath. More details at https://widcombearttrail.com/

Speeding News: Police & Crime

Commissioner Mark Shelford joined the Bloomfield Community SpeedWatch (CSW) team following completion of his Roadside Training with Bloomfield CSW Coordinator Julie Ingerfield. He will join in sessions when his schedule allows and may also visit other CSW teams across the police force area.

CSW is a partnership between the community and the police with the primary aim being to address speed related concerns through the education of road users. The program objectives are to reduce average speeds, to reduce casualties on our roads in both number & severity and to improve the lives of those within our communities through road safety.

Reading project needs more volunteers to support children

Literacy News: Joan Whitehead is on a mission to encourage children in Bath to read and to enjoy reading.

Together with a band of volunteers as the Schools Organiser for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP), part of the national charity Volunteering Matters, she supports retirees who wish to volunteer in Bath schools or schools in BANES.

Bath Voice caught up with Joan at Twerton Infants school where she explained how the scheme worked.

“I’m the school organiser of the reading scheme as there are a number of projects in Bath - the schools’ programme is only one project in Bath,” she explained,

Joan is keen to recruit more adult volunteers to go into schools to read with children as although there are now around 40 volunteers the numbers are much lower due to the Covid pandemic which led to many people dropping out.

“Adults have good reading skills and it’s important for them to share their skills to children who may not have anyone to read with them at home,” she said.

“A good volunteer needs to have empathy with children and is able to support and encourage reading to make it a pleasurable experience.”

Head teacher at Twerton Infants George Santios said: “Reading is also about the conversations around reading as some children don’t have siblings to talk to or are in a single parent family so reading may not happen at home on a regular basis.”

George also explained how valuable good volunteers were by committing to regular sessions with the children.

Volunteers build a connection with the school and improve social interaction with the children and even help out with appeals he said.

Joan’s background is in teaching

having taught in London as well as being involved in teacher training at Bath Spa University.

“When I retired I wanted to continue with encouraging literacy and reading,” she said, “most of our volunteers give two or more hours a week and volunteer for up to five years.

“We only had 15 volunteers after Covid so we have increased the numbers but there is a great need for more.

“We have several schools involved in the scheme - including St Andrews, St Saviours and Batheaston.”

So what is Joan’s favourite book? She said recently she had been reading Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain.

“It is set in the First World War and is very moving, “she said, “and it is about her experiences in Edwardian England applying to go to university and then as a nurse tending wounded soldiers.”

The novel has been serialised in the past on the BBC.

To volunteer or to find out more email schools@rsvp-west.org.uk or telephone 0117 922 4392.

School News: Oldfield Park Junior School held a Mini Marathon for pupils that raised over £800 for the school’s parents association that supports the school and the Children with Cancer charity.

And the school’s Mrs Jenner (pictured) ran in the London Marathon in April raising more than £1,200 for the cancer charity.

Pictured from left, Joan, Ava, George and Corey at Twerton Infants School

Cats and Dogs: Bath Cats and Dogs Home, has donated £500 worth of petfood to Bath Foodbank run by Genesis Trust Bath to help provide food for pets during the cost-of-living crisis.

They have supplied 108kg of dog food and 27kg of cat food to the foodbank which will be included in emergency food parcels for pet owners. The donation comes from the RSPCA Pet Food Bank Partnership which in collaboration with other charities aims to direct pet food donations to existing food banks and community groups distributing emergency food parcels. To find out more visit www.bath.foodbank.org. uk and www.bathcatsanddogshome. org.uk

Blocked voters: The new photo ID requirement introduced for the recent elections in Bath saw a total of 56 people turned away from polling stations for failing to produce a document such as a passport.

A further 85 people in Bath and North East Somerset were turned away but came back later with photo ID and so could vote.

The numbers meant 99.8% of voters did have the correct photo IDbut even so in some election contests where only a handful of votes can

mean victory for a candidate these statistics could be enough to swing a ward compared to the past.

Turnout at the election dropped slightly from the last election, with 38.95% of eligible voters turning out compared to 40.76% in 2019. Vote after death of candidate: The rescheduled local election following the death of a Green Party candidate in Paulton will take place on Thursday, June 22.

The ward will be electing two councillors to Bath and North East Somerset Council. Voters who live in the area have until June 6 to register to vote and until 5pm on June 14 to sign up for a Voter Authority Certificate if they do not have a valid ID to show at the polling station, which is now a requirement.

Applications to vote by post must reach Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on June 7.

Murder charge There has been widespread shock in Bath amongst the friends and family of 18-year-old Ben Moncrieff who was murdered in the early hours of Coronation Day (Saturday 6 May) in Southgate Street outside McDonalds.

Police said a 15-year-old male, from

south London, was been remanded to appear before Bristol Magistrates Court on 8 May charged with the murder of Ben Moncrieff and with the possession of a bladed item.

Museum of work The curator of the Museum of Bath at Work Stuart Burroughs (pictured) has been in post for three decades although the shrine to industry in Julian Street opened back in 1978. Since then not only has the city changed but so has the museum.

“Museums like this have evolved,” he explained, “they have moved from a narrow vision of manufacturing with collections of steam engines to more technical industries. It’s moved from machinery to the workers and all types of work.”

Originally named the Bath Industrial Heritage Trust the museum’s collection consisted of a reconstruction of 19th century engineering and the mineral water business. Now it covers the endeavors of the 20th century including a surprising archive of more recent times.

“I was born in Bath and my father worked as a precision engineer at Horstmann Gear. We have archives from the firm with his signature on them. It shows Bath’s changing fortunes from the highs of Roman and Georgian Bath to what I feel is now its real golden age of Bath whose fame is large,” he said.

In 1971 Bath still had a gas works processing coal from the North Somerset mines he said. Now the city has manufacturing on a different scale with many small makers such as milliners, tailors and glass makers, as well as engineering firms such as Rotork in Brassmill Lane.

The museum has regular talks and exhibitions including a reconstruction of a Bath Stone mine For more see bath-at-work.org.uk/

Ballet News. Q&A: Dyanne Whitethe dancer and actor from Seizing The Day is taking part in Bluff Your Way In

Ballet at the Mission Theatre 5-7 June.

We asked her some questions: Where do you live: Bristol

When did you first take an interest in dance: I was stunned by A Chorus Line in the west end in 1976.

What was the first ballet show your saw: Disney’s Fantasia. Favourite subject at school: Home time.

Why is dance and ballet in particular important: It’s a stunningly beautiful art form.

Tell me about the show: Various performers, some of whom can actually dance to an incredibly high standard, mixed with a few random actors who are winging it.

Worst thing about ballet: My inability to do it; for me, it’s all bluff. Something funny related to dance that has happened to you: When I was younger directors always assumed I could dance as I looked like a dancer. During rehearsals I would start centre stage and then when the choreographer realized that my dancing was at best, inadequate, I would be relegated to the back row.

Diane White

Girlguiding News: Bath Local volunteer, Fiona Coverdale, (pictured) has been named as a Coronation Champion to reflect many years of dedicated volunteering. Fiona has been a Rainbow leader with Girlguiding Bath for 35 years, as well as volunteering with Bath foodbank, Bath and Somerset North trefoil guild, and as a church warden.

The Coronation Champions Awards, launched by the Royal Voluntary Service, is all about celebrating the work of extraordinary volunteers across the UK. Only 500 volunteers from across the country have been selected. Fiona was invited to the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert as part of her prize.

She said: “I was thrilled to be chosen as a Coronation Champion. I cannot really imagine life without all my volunteering – I am currently secretary of Somerset North Trefoil; a Unit Helper with 16th Bath (Walcot) Rainbows; Girlguiding Bath GO coordinator; Girlguiding Somerset North Awards Secretary; Churchwarden at St Thomas a Becket Church, Widcombe, Bath; a member of the Bath Foodbank warehouse team and an RVS Volunteer

Responder. It is a real privilege to be honoured in this way but so many of my friends are brilliant volunteers too and I pay tribute to every one of them.”

Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the country helping to build confidence and raise their aspirations. To find out more and to join visit girlguidingbath.org.uk/ Homeless charity gig: After a recent sell-out show, The Saviour’s Collective, a group of local musicians, returns to Komedia in Westgate Street, bringing an evening of R&B,

Weekly wellbeing walks

Come and join our small and friendly walking group each Thursday. Bathscape and Bath Mind work in partnership to support people who might want to give their mental wellbeing a boost. The walk leaves at 11 every Thursday from Monksdale Road Allotments (BA2 2JD). It lasts for one hour, and is on flat, accessible routes, at the pace that suits walkers. We explore the local green spaces and notice nature whilst we walk.

For more information, call Lucy on 07816 641 745 or email info@bathscape.co.uk. Also get in touch if you’re interested in volunteering to help with the walks.

soul and chart hits to the dance floor on Friday 16 June. Doors open at 7pm. Komedia, Westgate St, Bath. The performance is in aid of Genesis Trust, a Bath-based charity offering immediate practical help to people who are homeless and vulnerable, providing long-term help and opportunities for them to rebuild their lives.

Tickets are £15. More info at www. genesistrust.org.uk

Music News: Laura Cook is a Bathbased Neurologic Music Therapist. Prior to Covid she ran a regular session for people living with Parkinson’s in Bath. However, post Covid, with no support funding, the popular sessions could not continue.

The Bath community Good

Afternoon Choir run by Grenville Jones put on a concert with the Curtain Up Theatre School, raising £1,000 to enable the sessions to begin for people living with Parkinson’s in Bath.

Saturday June 17 is the next major fundraiser. An open concert at St Michael’s in Broad Street, Bath, starting at 7pm. Singing that night will be Grenville’s WelcomeChorus Choir and members from many Good Afternoon Choirs across the West.

By Robert Coles reports on The Comb Down Coronation Picnic. With the forecast of heavy rain the Friends of Firs Field picnic was on the verge of being canceled when Archers Marques stepped in with the generous loan of a large marquee, allowing the estimated 300 picnickers to enjoy the free community event whatever the weather. Fiddle and Strum duo provided the live music, and there was a barbecue from the Mulberry Park Hub Cafe and the other caterers did brisk business all afternoon. Thanks to the Friends of Firs Field the Firs has become the outdoor community center of Combe Down. Photo of Fiddle and Strum with Matt Wheeldon of Friends of Firs Field. Photos by Rob Coles.

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n WHAT’S ON

Concert for Ukraine, the Marriage of Figaro with Bath

Opera and music by Bath’s Rising Stars at the Abbey

Theatre Picks In Bath

Sun 4 - Sat 5 Jun. Burdall’s Yard. The One and Only. The story of Marie Lloyd, who died 100 years ago. Part of the Fringe Festival.

Mon 5 Jun - Wed 7 Jun. Mission Theatre. Bluffing Your Way In Ballet. A fast-paced and irreverent history and stories and dances from the ballet greats including Isadora Duncan, Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Marie Rambert - and Darcey Bussell. There will also be a free pre-performance dance taster, offered with Alexandra Pickford, formerly of the Royal Ballet Company and English National Ballet, from 6:30 - 7:30pm. Ages 16+

Fri 9 Jun. Rondo Theatre. Celebrate Me. Polly Lamb’s comedy about a family celebrating Barbara’s 92nd birthday in a production by the Really Truly Theatre Company. Barbara is turning 92 and her birthday preparations are in full swing. The music will be vintage, the buffet won’t be beige, and the guest list is nearly complete. Dutiful Laura is buckling under the burden while her sister Michelle sips herbal tea and aligns her chakras. But behind the party

balloons and banners, Barbara and her granddaughter Sophie are planning an alternative celebration which could shake up the relationships of six women for good.

Fri, 9-Sat, 10 Jun. Burdall’s Yard. Start

Bluffing Your Way In Ballet

Beyond the tutu! An irreverant look at the history of this most dynamic of performing arts

Bluffing Your Way in Ballet comes to the Bath Fringe Festival 2023

Performed by the Seizing The Day Company

5/6/7th June 2023, 8pm

The Mission Theatre, 32 Corn Street, Bath BA1 1UF

Tickets £10 (£7 concessions) available from www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5741830 and on the door

PLUS! Free pre-performance dance taster 6.30-7pm at The Mission Theatre with Alexandra Pickford, formerly of the Royal Ballet Company. Warm up and try some moves from our show.

For more info contact Alexandra at jeanpicforddancersearcher@gmail.com

Swimming. 7.30pm with a Sat Mat. Bath Spa Theatre Society presents Start Swimming written by James Fritz.

Fri 9 Jun 2.30pm and Sat 10 jun 7.30pm. Mission Theatre. The Red Shoes. BUST present Hans Christian Anderson’s The Red Shoes, based on plays by Anna Maria Murphy, adapted by Emma Rice with music from Stu Barker. In this riotous retelling, a girl rebels against rigidity. Entrapped by this dance and social norms, can she stop, even when it matters most?

Fri 9 Jun 7:30pm, Sat 10 Jun 2:30pm. Mission Theatre. A Room With an Interview. In this student-written piece by Sophie Orford, eight lucky candidates attend a poorly constructed interview for a graduate scheme. Chaos ensues with tardy interviewers, old flings meeting again, and as everyone vies for the coveted role, romance begins to blossom in the most unlikely of places.

Sat 10 Jun-Sat 1 Jul. Theatre Royal Bath. Roman Holiday. Evening shows plus matinees on Wed and Sat. The 1953 movie with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck did much to boost tourism in post war Rome - in this production the

leads are Michael D. Xavier and Rebecca Collingwood who take the audience into the fanciful world of 1950s Italy where a youthful princess and an American journalist on a frenetic 24-hour adventure through the delights of the Italian capital featuring the music of Cole Porter to add to its romantic sparkle.

Thu 19 Jun. Rondo Theatre. The Half. Danielle Ward’s bitter sweet comedy about two female comedians reunited for a new show after not speaking to each other for years. Presented by Tread Softly Productions. As they prepare backstage to revive their comedy sketch show based on the cult gothic movie, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? their unresolved acrimonious split sees accusations spill out.

Thu 22 Jun. Ustinov Studio. Godot Was A Woman. A comic feminist and nonbinary rebuttal to Samuel Beckett’s dictate that no woman can play the characters in Waiting for Godot. 8pm.

Sat 1 Jul. Rondo Theatre. The Marriage of Figaro . 7:30pm. Bath Opera bring Mozart’s comic opera to the city following a short tour. The production is set at

Continued on page 13

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Fri 16 Jun. St Luke’s Church. A Concert of Light and Hope for Oleksandriya, Ukraine.

n WHAT’S ON

Continued from page 12

Almaviva Studios, a big budget film studio in the 1950s run by a powerful and influential producer who insists on being called “The Count”.

Sat-Sun,1-2 Jul. Egg Theatre. The Snail and The Whale. Various performance times. A play with music inspired by the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Join an adventurous young girl and her seafaring father as they re-imagine the story of a tiny snail’s incredible trip around the world.

Tue 4-Wed 5 Jul. Masonic Hall at Old Theatre Royal The Haunting of Richard the Third. 7:30pm. The eve of the Battle of Bosworth Field: Richard the Third passes an uneasy night, visited by spectres who lead him through the journey of his life. This Richard is neither the villain of Shakespeare nor the hero of romantic fiction. He is driven to tragedy by a love for his family and political circumstances. The play was premiered at the Frome Festival last year by Kairos Theatre, a local company, who are now taking the production on a short tour.

Tue 4-Sat 8 Jul. Mission Theatre. A Streetcar Named Desire. Nightly at 7:30pm with a Sat matinee. Tennessee Williams’ drama set in New Orleans - a powerful portrayal of love, lust and loneliness.

Wed 5-Sat 8 Jul. Rondo Theatre. Henry

Widcombe Arts Trail

June 17th and 18th 2023, 10.30am-5pm

Widcombe Art Trail is a member of Bath Open Studios, a collaborative group representing the Open Studios and Art Trails In Bath. Free.

So pop along and spend time visiting the artists and studios. For more info visit https:// widcombearttrail.com/

VI. 7:30pm. Rondo Theatre Company produces William Shakespeare’s trilogy of history plays (adapted by Nic Proud) in support of the Royal Osteoporosis Society. For students of the bard and for those who have not seen this classic of the canon - it’s a don’t miss.

Tue-Sat, 20-22 Jul. Kingswood Theatre, Lansdown. Oliver! With the students of Bath Theatre School who stage the musical version of the Charles Dickens’ novel with Lionel Bart’s Oliver! Theatre Picks Outside Bath

Wed 7-Sat 24 Jun. Bristol Old Vic Theatre. Anna Kareninina. Tolstoy’s story of doomed love in 19th century Russia is given an update.

Thu 22-Sat 24 Jun. Bristol Old Vic. Henry V. Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

brings the setting from Medieval England to 1980s New York in a business power struggle.

Wed 5-Thu 6 Jul. Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Sense And Sensibility. Jane Austen’s story of the Dashwood sisters is brought to the Studio in Cheltenham by Hotbuckle, in this new version by Adrian Preater.

Wed--Sat, 13-15 Jul. Tobacco Factory. The Cherry Orchard. Bristol School of Acting stage Anton Chekhov’s powerful evocation of a world on the brink of immense social change.

Pick of Diary Events in Bath

Thu 1-Sun 11 Jun. Bath Fringe. Various events with a festival of all the arts in numerous venues. Venues include: Alice Park; The Assembly Inn; The Barley Mow; Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution; The Bell; Burdall’s Yard; Chapel Arts Centre; The Edge, University of Bath; The Grapes; Green Park Brasserie; Komedia; The Little Theatre Cinema; Magdalen Chapel; The Mission Theatre; The Museum of Bath at Work; New Oriel Hall; Newark Works; Outdoor - New Bond Street / Milsom Street junction; Rondo Theatre; Roper Theatre, West Wing, Hayesfield Girls School; Secret Location in Bath; St Nicholas Church Field; St Swithins Church; St. Michael’s Church; Walcot House; Walcot Methodist Chapel; Widcombe Social

Bluff your way in Ballet

Mon 5-Wed 7 June.

The Mission Theatre, Bath

A fast-paced and irreverent way through the history of this most dynamic of performing arts, with stories and dances from the ballet greats including Isadora Duncan, Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Marie Rambert - and Darcey Bussell. Tickets at https://www. brownpapertickets.com/ event/5741830

Club. See https://www.bathfringe.co.uk/ for all the events. There really is something for everyone including children.

Wed 7 Jun. Museum of Bath at Work. Two worlds: The world of the soul and the reality of politics. Art in 1930s Germany. ‘Degenerate art’ was the derisory name given by the National Socialists to modernist art in the 1930s. The country then was marked by economic crisis, social chaos, political disintegration and the rise of the Nazi regime. Desanka Rowell’s illustrated talk will examine the Nazi promotion of culture as propaganda and the reaction of artists to the circumstances of the time. 7pm. Museum on Julian Rd, Bath BA1 2RH. Tickets £8 at the door, or reserve at chair@ bathjewishburialground.org All proceeds

Continued on page 14

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013197

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to conservation of Bath Jewish Burial Ground.

Fri 9 Jun. Bath Abbey. Bath’s Rising Stars. 7pm Dorothy House and schools from Bath host an evening of musical theatre hits. The evening is being hosted by Rev’d Philip Hawthorn, who will be overseeing performances by students from over 10 schools across the Bath area who have chosen to take part. Bath Abbey provides and exceptional setting for this event, which will feature a raffle, silent auction and a range of toe-tapping musical numbers from musicals new and old. All funds raised from the exciting evening will be donated to local charity Dorothy House Hospice. The Hospice supports patients and their families.

Sat-Sun, 10-11 Jun. The Edge, University of Bath. Bonnie and Clyde. Thrilling and sexy musical with a nontraditional score, combining blues, gospel and rockabilly music.

Sun 11 Jun. Chapel Arts. Flamenco Express. With guitar virtuoso Chris Clavo, singer Antonio El Pola, and dancer Juan Carlos Avecilla from Cadiz.

Fri 16 Jun. Komedia. The Saviours. R&B soul in aid of the Genesis Trust a Bath-based charity offering immediate practical help to people who are hungry, homeless and vulnerable, and providing long-term help and opportunities for them to rebuild their lives.

Fri 16 Jun. St Luke’s Church. A Concert of Light and Hope for Oleksandriya, Ukraine. The Silver Ring Choir of Bath are joined by beautiful young Ukrainian soloist Nicole Medin for a summer concert of light and hope. Proceeds will go to the Friends of Oleksandriya charity to provide essential medical supplies for the Children’s Hospital in Oleksandriya.

Sat-Sun17-18 Jun. Widcombe Arts Trail. It is community based organisation where a group of talented local artists display their works of art and you get the opportunity to explore the beautiful parish of Widcombe.

Tue 20-Thu 22 Jun. The Forum. 5.30pm. WWDF KS1 Dance Festival. West Wiltshire Schools Sports Partnership stage shows by young dancers to perform on

RICHARD INGHAM

(Author of Iliad, War Queen (Boudicca, Yoris, Just Holding On, Ski Whizz etc)

Will read a short selection of his poetry

At 8 o’clock on 13th June, 2023

At Chapter 22 Roots and Records, 8 Broad Street, Bath. No charge – but there will be wine and beer to buy!

See you there

the big stage. They will also be inspired by two KS3 performances from local schools with a theme of books.

Sun 25 Jun. Bath’s Jewish Cemetery

Open Day. 11am to 4pm, free. About 100 people from Bath’s 18th and 19th century Jewish community are thought to be buried in this peaceful semi-secret place behind high walls. There is a printed guide - or if you bring your smartphone you can find out about the history of the community and find online biographies for the people buried here with our online guide. The burial ground is located on Bradford Rd by the roundabout entrance to Mulberry Park, 1 Greendown Place BA2 5DD. Bus no 2 from Bath Railway Station stops close by. Free parking along Bradford Rd. Wheelchairs can come down the steps via a ramp (though the ground is uneven once inside).

Fri 30 Jun. Chapel Arts. ‘Your Song’ – a Celebration of the Songs of Elton John. Performed by singer-songwriter John Reilly and pianist and composer Lewis Nitikman. This is not a tribute, so no dressing up, no miming and no backing tracks. Just two consummate professionals celebrating amazing, timeless songs.

Sat- Sun, 1-2 Jul. 165 Newbridge Hill, Bath, BA1 3PX. Sculpture to Enhance a Garden. ‘Sculpture to Enhance a Garden’ returns for its 9th year with three amazing sculptors - Daren Greenhow, Steve Mansfield, Jacquie Primrose - who will be exhibiting their work in this Bath in Bloom gold medal winning garden. Opening in conjunction with the National Garden Scheme (NGS) which supports nursing charities this opening will also raise money for The Peggy Dodd Centre

2022

2022

The Widcombe Art Trail

Thurs 22nd June, 7.30pm. St Luke’s Church, Wellsway - The Argyle String Orchestra Summer Concert. After conducting the orchestra for 35 years, this will be Tim Robb’s final concert with the Argyle! Come and enjoy Elgar’s Serendade, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 with soloist Dennis Simons, and two pieces by Haydn, Tim’s favourite composer. Tickets £10 on the door or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/argylestring-orchestra. www.facebook.com/ ArgyleStringOrchestra

in Combe Down which supports those suffering from memory loss and their carers. Delicious homemade cakes, scones and light lunches are served. Pieces of sculpture are for sale. Entrance £5 at the gate or in advance. 07793085267. helen@ thehiddengardensofbath.co.uk

Sat 8 Jul. Bath Abbey. Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Bath Bach Choir. Matthew Brook and Southern Sinfonia. With Laura Lolita Perešivana soprano; Lotte Betts-Dean mezzo soprano; James Way tenor; Matthew Brook baritone; Marcus Sealy continuo.

Pick of Diary Events outside of Bath

Sat 1 Jul. St Pauls Carnival Bristol. Bristol’s annual celebration of African and Caribbean culture, St Pauls Carnival, returns this summer to the city’s streets under the theme of Learning from Legends.

7-9 July. Priddy Folk Festival. With a line up of bands including The Drystones and The Jeremiahs plus a free fringe festival, a children’s festival, workshops, food and drink and dance from morris sides and display dance groups and ceilidhs. Priddy is a small village with a famous green in the Mendips. Tickets/info at www. priddyfolk.org

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. Bath Society of Artists 118th Annual Exhibition. In its 118th year, this exhibition showcases the best of the region’s artistic talent through many different forms, including paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture. Many distinguished 20th-century painters have exhibited with the Society in the past, including Walter Sickert, Mary Fedden and Howard Hodgkin.Until June 24. Bath Assembly Rooms. Retrospective exhibition devoted to Jeremy Fry’s Unlimited. In 1966, Bath based inventor and entrepreneur Jeremy Fry established Unlimited as an antidote to the exclusivity of the art world by producing unlimited editions of work by some of the leading international artists of the day, including Takis, Liliane Lijn, Mary Martin, Kenneth Martin, Lygia Clark, Michael McKinnon, Susan Tebby and Mo McDermott. This bold initiative meant these artworks were accessible and affordable to the wider public and, although short-lived, the project was a huge success. Until June 6. 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.

Widcombe Art Trail

17th and Sunday 18th June

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June

It’s nine venues in Widcombe within walking range of each other.

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June

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 stepped out, as well as our world-renowned folk art, quilt and map collections. The Exhibition Gallery has a rotating programme of temporary exhibitions showcasing different links to American culture such as dinosaurs, photography, fashion, American music, history and travel. As part of an exciting new partnership with the Saatchi Gallery, the American Museum & Gardens presents America in Crisis in our Exhibition Gallery from 11 March to 4 July 2023. America in Crisis brings together 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. Experience events close-up, with incredible photography capturing different perspectives during tumultuous times, and get involved with the interactive, immersive displays exploring image classification and consumption.

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).

Burdell’s Yard. Vivid by Melissa Wraxall. Until 24 June. Art exhibition. Free. Exhibition Picks outside Bath Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queens Road. The art of Japanese

Continued on page 23

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s new cabinet

Member for Neighbourhood Services

• Councillor Matt McCabe (Bathavon South) Cabinet Member for Built Environment & Sustainable Development

By Harry Mottram:

Following their sweeping victory in the May local elections the new Liberal Democrat run council announced their leader and cabinet members, for Bath & North East Somerset.

Councillor Guy (pictured centre) was appointed as council leader at the Annual Meeting on Thursday May 25, while the other posts are as follows:

• Councillor Sarah Warren (Bathavon North) Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel

• Councillor Dave Wood (Mendip) Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Council Priorities and Delivery

• Councillor Mark Elliott (Lansdown) Cabinet Member for Resources

By Robert Coles: Bath Festival started in the traditional manner on the evening of Friday 12th May with the Party in the City. With more than 120 performances it may well have been the largest such event. Many genres of music were featured in over 30 venues, including restaurants and bars, open spaces, museums, art galleries and churches. Last year it was said to have attracted 20,000 people and there was no reason to believe this year there were any less. The only problem was getting around to the gigs. Perhaps next year we could have the free use of electric scooters!

(Photo by Rob Coles.)

The Bath Festival 2023 focused on the theme of Opening Up for its celebration of music and books from 12 – 21 May. Organisers said it had been highly successful.

Founded in 1948, Bath Festivals is a charity that inspires and connects different people and communities through music and book festivals and a year-round programme of outreach and creative learning projects turning Bath into one of the top three festival cities in the UK.

By Robert Coles: A soon to be published book detailing the case of a black WW2 GI billeted locally who was accused of rape, a Capital offence under US Law. Thanks to the efforts of Councillor Sam Day, and Jack Allen who raised a petition, the GI’s life was saved. Sam Day, became the first Labour Party Mayor of Bath. Little, however, is known about Jack except that he had a cafe at the bottom of Holloway and may have had a tea stall on the Broad Quay at the north end of the Old Bridge. The author has asked if any readers can remember Jack or perhaps knows of any living relative that may have memories.

Sam and Jack and their actions that saved a life deserve to be remembered. The Author Kate Werren may be contacted by email kate_werran@hotmail.com.

• Councillor Paul Roper (Kingsmead) Cabinet Member for Economic & Cultural Sustainable Development

• Councillor Alison Born (Widcombe and Lyncombe) Cabinet Member for Adult Services

• Councillor Paul May (Publow with Whitchurch) Cabinet Member for Children’s Services

• Councillor Manda Rigby (Bathwick) Cabinet Member for Highways

• Councillor Tim Ball (Twerton) Cabinet

The following cabinet project leads, who will provide support to cabinet members, have also been appointed as follows:

• Leader and Built Environment & Sustainable Development: Councillor Deborah Collins (Widcombe and Lyncombe)

• Council Priorities and Delivery and Highways: Councillor Lucy Hodge (Lansdown)

• Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel: Councillor Oli Henman (Walcot)

• Highways: Councillor Joel Hirst (Odd Down)

In addition to the cabinet roles the Annual Meeting appointed a new Chair of the Council, Councillor Sarah Moore (Twerton).

The Vice-Chair of Council is Councillor Karen Walker (Peasedown).

By Robert Coles: Stothert’s Crane 1. Peter Dunn and Arthur Feltham of the Quarry Crane Group who restored the oldest surviving Stothert and Pitts Crane which will be officially handed over to the City at Newark Works (South Quays) at 11am on Tuesday 20th June. The crane is back to exactly where it was built in 1864.

Stothert & Pitt was a British engineering company founded in 1855 in Bath, although its origins can be traced back to 1785 when George Stothert ran an ironmongers in the city. The firm was known for constructing cranes and even was involved in tank production in WW2.

Robert Maxwell’s Hollis Group bought it in 1986 but that enterprise failed and despite attempts to keep it going it closed in 1989. The old site is part of the New Quays.

n SPORTS NEWS IN BRIEF

Bath Cricket: Bath Cricket Club was founded in 1859 and the Men’s 1st XI compete in the West of England Premier League (WEPL) with these fixtures coming up:

• Sat 10 Jun. Home V Bristol. 12:30pm. WEPL.

• Sat 17 Jun. Away V Lansdown

12:30pm, WEPL.

• Sat 24 Jun Home V Bedminster

12:30pm. WEPL

• Sat 1 Jul. Away V Taunton Deane. 12:30pm. WEPL

• Sat 8 Jul. Away V Frocester. 12:30pm WEPL

Somerset County Cricket: Bathonians traditionally support Somerset whose home ground is in Taunton. The First Class County team have the following fixtures this month:

• Fri 2 Jun (VB) Home V Middlesex.

• Sun 4 Jun (VB) Home V Essex Eagles.

• Wed 7 Jun (VB) Away V Hampshire Hawks.

• Fri 9 Jun (VB) Away V Gloucestershire.

• Sun 11 Jun (LVICC) Away V Essex

• Fri 16 Jun (VB) Home V Surrey

• Mon 19 Jun (VB) Away V Essex

• Wed 21 June (VB) Away V

Glamorgan

• Sun 25 Jun (LVICC) Home V Nottinghamshire

• Fri 30 June (VB) Away V Surrey

• Sun 2 July(VB) Home V Kent

• Mon 10 Jul (LVICC) Home V Hampshire Croquet: Bath Croquet Club are offering sessions for beginners on the Recreation Ground located behind the rugby ground.

Taster Session – Sat 10th June am, plus 2 follow-up sessions on 17th and 24th June.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity; please contact Hester for more details: (email: hester2210@btinternet.com or mobile: 07470-822444)

Bear Flat Cricket Club: Established in 1982, the Bears are in Division 1 of the Wiltshire County Cricket

n MESSAGE FROM AVON & SOMERSET PCC

Stand with us against knife crime

IN May I attended the first ever Avon and Somerset Police Outstanding Policing Awards, a remarkable opportunity to honour the outstanding achievements of the men and women who dedicate their lives to keeping our communities safe.

May also marked the start of Operation Sceptre, a national targeted initiative to reduce knife-related violence, increase public safety and engage communities in the fight against knife crime.

Proactively tackling knife crime is central to my police and crime plan, and I would encourage people to safely discard any weapons or knives they may carry in the ‘weapons surrender bins’ installed by Avon and Somerset Police.

The bins are in areas where we know they are needed, and offer people a safe and anonymous way of getting rid of a weapon. If you know someone who carries a weapon, please encourage them to surrender it. You can find your nearest bin in the crime prevention advice section of the police website.

Avon and Somerset Police and partners already carry out a large range of activities to raise awareness of and combat knife crime, and the Violence Reduction Units’ work is at the heart of this, delivering talks to young people in schools, running Blunt Truth workshops in partnership with the NHS and hosting pop-up information stands.

While we have seen a reduction in street-based knife crime across Avon and Somerset, more still needs to be done to ensure people feel safe in their communities. Let’s raise awareness, educate, and stand against knife crime.

As the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ national fraud lead, I also welcome the publication of the government’s long-awaited strategy, setting out how it plans to tackle fraud and bring more offenders to justice.

This strategy, and the accompanying Economic Crime Plan, is an important step forward. I fully support the Government’s three-pillar approach to stop, block, pursue, and

to educate the public.

I have been able to have a direct impact on two important areas within the strategy, which will ensure there is national central coordination of prevention and awareness messaging, and ensure banks are delaying and doing extra due diligence checks on large BACS payments out of accounts that could be fraudulent.

However, the strategy does not recognise some fundamental challenges, including the highly complex landscape of investigating fraud, which needs to be fully supported.

I am calling for more to be done to recognise this crime’s significant impact and harm on victims. Fraud can leave lasting mental and physical trauma, with some victims taking their own lives.

Finally, I am pleased to say that the Commissioner’s Crime Prevention Fund grant has opened for applications.

This grant, set up by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in partnership with Somerset

Bath Croquet Club have some followup sessions on 17th and 24th June down on the Rec in one the city’s most beautiful spots

League on Saturdays,with a home ground at The Glasshouse Academy, Bradford Road, Combe Down, Bath; there’s also games in Division 7 Blue of the Somerset Monmouth League on Saturdays, home ground the Ken Willcox Ground, Peasedown St John, Bath; and friendlies against clubs based in Somerset/Wiltshire on Sundays; and T20 games against clubs based in Somerset/Wiltshire midweek;

With Police and Crime Commissioner Mark

Shelford

Community Foundation and Quartet Community Foundation, aims to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour through community projects and activities.

Community groups previously awarded this grant have delivered some fantastic crime-reducing initiatives and activities.

I implore local organisations to apply for this worthwhile funding, to reduce anti-social behaviour and make our communities safe.

plus they participation in the Somerset Knock Out cup.

• Sat, June 3. Swindon Nalgo Home

• Sat, Jun 10 Malmesbury - Away

• Sat, Jun 17 Marlborough - Home

• Sat, Jun 24 Calne - Home

• Sat, Jul 1 Chippenham - Away

• Sat, Jul 8 Trowbridge - Away

Bath Wanderers Women Cricket Club: the team will take part in the West of England Premier Cricket League this season with games:

• Sun 11 June Home V Royal Wootton Bassett.

• Sun 2 Jul Home V Taunton

• Sun 16 Jul Home V Devizes

Team Bath Netball: The Bath University based Blue & Golds play:

• Fri 2 Jun Away Loughborough

Lightning v Team Bath Netball;.

Swimming: Based at Bath Leisure Centre and established in 1899, Bath Dolphin Swimming Club (BDSC) is one of the oldest swimming clubs in the South West Region. They provide competitive swimming opportunities for young swimmers through to a masters swimming group.

As a holder of the Swim England quality accreditation, Swim Mark, they offer a year round competitive swim team with high quality coaching and technique instruction for all ages and abilities. Bike Bath: The annual cycling event has been put off this year until 2024.

Cycling: Bath Cycling Club welcomes new members of all ages and abilities - visit https://www. bathcc.net/

Athletics: Team bath Athletics Club is based at the University of Bath Sports Training Village and is open to all abilities and ages from 7 upwards. Sports include track and field, road and trail running, endurance and cross country. Club nights are Tuesdays and Thursdays 6pm -8pm.To join and for details

visit https://teambathac.org/

Tennis: Bloomfield Tennis Club was founded in 1927 and is located at 98 Wellsway, Bath. The club welcomes new members. To join visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/ BloomfieldTennisClub

Tennis 2: Bath Tennis Club is at Park Lane, Weston, and bills itself at a friendly club. The club has a number of membership categories ranging from pay as you go to full membership. For details visit www. bathtc.co.uk

Modern Pentathlon: The UIPM Modern Pentathlon Championships take place at the University of Bath, Pentathlon GB’s National Training Centre, from 19th to 28th August.

They are the first to be staged in Britain since 2009 and will be contested in the new, actionpacked 90-minute format.

Spectators will watch the fencing, horse-riding and laser run live from their seats in an outdoor arena at the Team Bath Sports Training Village, while the swimming section – taking place in the University’s Olympic-sized pool – will be broadcast via a large video screen in the stadium.

discover the five pentathlon disciplines. There will also be a family day on Tuesday 22nd August with every ticket costing just £5. Daily tickets are £5, with entry to Pentathlon Finals Day on Sunday 27th August – when both the men’s and women’s champions will be crowned – priced from £15 for adults and £5 concessions. Tickets and info at www.wch23.org

Bath City FC. AWAY game. Tuesday 4 July, 2023. KO 7.45pm. Friendly. Odd Down FC. AWAY game. Friday 14 July, 2023. KO 7.30pm.

Equestrian Sports: Bath Racecourse Meetings on 9th June and Ladies Day on 17th June.

Eventing: The Festival of British Eventing takes place at Gatcombe Park, home of HRH The Princess Royal and her family. Fri 4 – Sun 6 Aug.

Lansdown Cricket Club: Obit for Len Bee. 1945-2023, By Scott Longstaff. It was with great sadness today that we learned of the sad but peaceful passing of Len Beel, a true great of Combe Park. Some memories of Len.

Born in Herefordshir, Len played professional football for Shrewsbury Town and Birmingham City in the1960s and for Somerset CC against Warwickshire in a Sunday League at Edgbaston

He joined forces with Hallam Moseley and formed a formidable combination in pre-league days and the team of Lansdown team in 1970.

Len captained Lansdown’s First XI in 1978 coming in 5th place in the League and again in 1979 this time in 6th place. He was a member of the League winning team of 1980and played for the 2nd XI in 1981 and 1982. He was amongst the pantheon of the best of ‘Lansdown men’.

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Bath hosts the Modern Pentathlon this summer at the University of Bath with families welcome

n REVIEW

Review: Guys and Dolls at Theatre

Royal Bath: Big set piece song and dance numbers, snappy lines, fabulous costumes and famous songs: Guys and Dolls has it all. Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society’s (BODS) production delivered Frank Loesser’s musical story of saints and sinners with panache and energy –with many memorable highlights. George Miles as Nicely-Nicely Johnson wouldn’t be out of place on Broadway as he sang Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat, with superb movement in an ensemble sequence brilliantly directed by choreographer Annette Wilsher.

Set in Times Square and the surrounding back streets of 1930s New York, the story centres on two sets of lovers who on the face of it are ill-suited. High-roller Sky Masterson, who falls in love with saintly mission worker Sarah Brown, and charmingly dodgy Nathan Detroit, is the love interest of long-suffering sex pot Miss Adelaide at the Hot Box Club. Rather than romance Nathan’s main aim is to set up an illegal crap game featuring betting on throwing dice. Suffice it to say gambling and saving souls at the mission are at the heart of a complex plot which bring the ill-matched

couples together.

Sinners Sky Masterton (Finn Tickel) and Nathan Detroit (Grant McCotter) along with desperate to be married (and finally spend time in the kitchen having tried out all the other rooms)

Miss Adelaide (Jane Knowles) were all superb – as was sassy Sally Ally saint Sarah Brown (Charlotte Hunter). With so many solo performances including Sarah and Sky singing I’ll Know, Nathan and Adelaide with Sue Me and Sky and Sarah’s song to end Act One I’ve Never Been in Love Before – these were of a standard that would grace any West End theatre.

Director Steve Blackmore created a big West End style production that included stunning sets and period costumes – and with James Finbow’s musical direction made this a stunning night of musical theatre of the highest quality. The show’s famous songs such as Guys and Dolls, Fugue for Tinhorns, Havana, Luck Be a Lady and Take Back Your Mink didn’t disappoint in a show that is packed with fabulous numbers.

Pip Knowles as Benny Southstreet, Paul Hobbs as Harry the Horse, and larger than life Big Jule played by Dave Key-Pugh gave excellent performances in the story of gamblers who end up saving Sarah Brown’s Christian Mission

– via a bet of course. Charlotte Hunter had the tricky role of Sarah Brown managing to combine a repressed sexuality with her straight-laced credentials – and what a voice. Finn Tickel as the protagonist Sky Masterson convinced as the scheming lover in pursuit of Sarah Brown – and their midnight flight to Havana produced one of the shows stand out visuals with the Ensemble. The other unlikely couple completed the story with Grant McCotter’s crap game organiser Nathan Detroit who is wonderfully evasive to the Miss Adelaide demands to end their 14-year engagement and get hitched.

The Mission’s General Matilda played with a breezy confidence by Barbara Ingledew and Chris Born as the wise Arvide Abernathy brought the mission’s mission to recruit sinners to life with their New Yorker vowels –without a Bathonian accent to be heard. And they were given strong support from the band of Jacqui Cook, Christine Cope, Bradley Gill, Emma Jones, Annabel Latham, Julia Padfield, Maisie Poskitt and Kirsty Small.

Pip Knowles was outstanding as Benny Southstreet, while Paul Hobbs enjoyed himself as Harry The Horse and enjoyably roguish Matthew

Graham as Rusty Charlie completed the gang of scheming small time gamblers. They were pursued by cop Lieutenant Brannigan played by Paul Cullen who was given the hopeless task of trying to catch the gamblers breaking the law.

The Hot Box Girls caught the eye with their crisp movement, glamour and costumes featuring Madeleine Woolgar, Frances James, Nicci Morgan, Natalie Warren, Kate Lodite, Abi Burgess, Megan Padfield and Sarena Matheson. While Huw Morgan (Joey Biltmore), Tim Conroy, Rich Howman, Ahad Khan, Huw Morgan and Robin Noad completed the Guys.

No BODS production is complete without the orchestra directed here by James Finbow, with a full complement of Bebbie Guy, Emily Pieczko, Dorottya Etheridge, Jeremy Morgan, Trudy Monday, Sue Lawson, Emma Powell, Berry Diver, Jonny Haygreen, Mike Daniels, Doug Wells, Luke Norland, Ashley Skerrett and Alex Kemp. Without them the musical theatre production cannot happen – but unseen these musicians created the wonderful backdrop to a highly enjoyable show.

Harry Mottram

The show ran in May.

Saltford branch: 01225 873535

Frome branch: 01373 463888

Charity News: On Tuesday 16 May, The Princess of Wales (pictured above with Dame Kelly Holmes) visited the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust a youth development charity in Bath to meet the young people that the charity supports.

The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust was set up in 2008 by double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes.

It supports retired athletes as they transition from sport, and uses their skills and experience to transform the lives of

disadvantaged young people through mentoring programmes.

Q&A with Silent Faces Theatre: Questions to Josie Underwood, Jack Wakely and Cordelia Stevenson of Silent Faces Theatre who will perform Godot was a Woman at the Ustinov Theatre on June 22.

The play takes issue with Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot which the playwright dictated must only be performed by men.

What was your first theatre experience?

JW: Panto at the Plymouth Theatre Royal, though I also have a childhood

memory of being taken to see Chess and being bored out of my mind. Who takes a kid to see Chess?!

JU: My dad was a brilliant am-dram actor, so the first theatre experience was also Panto. I remember playing a mini-version of my dad in Panto, after he got pushed into a washing machine and shrunk.

What do you like about Bath?

JW: I love the architecture in Bath, it’s an absolutely beautiful city to wander.

JU: My partner is from Bath so I have had the delight of spending a lot of time here. It is definitely one of the UK’s prettiest cities.

What is your favourite play?

JU: This changes for me all the time. Recently, I have loved Hungry by Chris Bush and Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder by Jon Brittain, and historically Gecko’s Institute and DV8’s Can We Talk About This have stuck in my mind. Anything that makes me laugh and/or think.

JW: I still think about Wise Children by Emma Rice a lot - that was one of those shows you see and go, “oh! This was made for me!” I felt similarly about Tatterdamelion by Flabbergast Theatre, which I walked out of and immediately exploded

Join u3a in Bath 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 450,000 of us in the UK and 1,300 in Bath. We are in “u3a in Bath” and our members are all retired or semi-retired. We take part in a range of educational or recreational activities. See the complete list of over 100 interest groups on our website u3ainbath.uk

Come and join us

You can join us by going to our website www.u3ainbath.uk and completing the online application form or you can download the application form from the website and send it to Membership Secretary, u3a in Bath, PO Box 4040, Bath BA1 0EJ. You can also join in person at one of our monthly talks at The Pavilion. Membership fee is only £15 per person per year.

into tears because I was so overwhelmed by how much I loved it.

What are your thoughts on Waiting for Godot as a play?

JW: Honestly, I think it’s a very smart, well-written piece of theatre and there’s no denying the impact it has had on the theatrical canon.

JU: It feels like a rite of passage for any theatre student.

Personally, I prefer Beckett’s really pedantic short plays, like Act Without Words, because it is just all pure clown, but the rhythm and playfulness of Godot is brilliant. Why should Beckett be challenged over all male productions of Godot?

JW: As we say in the show, this is a play about human existence and where the characters’ genders really aren’t integral to the story. Saying only men can perform a play like this just continues this insidious idea of man - specifically cis white man - as the default.

JU: Because the gender of the characters is irrelevant. This show is about the existential question of life, why are we here?

There really is no valid argument that anything about this question is gendered.

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.

Talks take place at:

The Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bath BA2 4EU

Upcoming Talks are:

4 May 2023

1 June 2023

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

The History and Archaeology of The North Somerset Coalfield By Shane

Gould

1 June 2023

6 July 2023

Witch Finder of the West Country Joseph Glanvill (1636-1680)

THE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE NORTH SOMERSET COALFIELD by Shane Gould

By Tony McAleavy

6 July 2023

7 September 2023

Bristol Port: Past, present & future

WITCH FINDER OF THE WEST COUNTRY : JOSEPH GLANVILL (1636 – 1680) byTony McAleavy

By John Chaplin

Twinning News: Visitors from Bath’s Dutch twin city of Alkmaar joined the Mayor of Bath and members of the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association (pictured) to unveil a new commemorative stone in the city centre, marking 75 years of the link between the two communities.

The engraved stone, a duplicate of one laid in the Netherlands last year, has been placed in the pavement next to the Alkmaar Garden in the Orange Grove, near the Guildhall.

The stone was formally unveiled by the Mayor, Cllr Rob Appleyard, and the President of the Rotary Club of Alkmaar, Jan Roobeek on 12th May. The two cities’ Rotary Clubs were instrumental in forging the link between the two cities at the end of the Second World War.

Rugby Ground News: Bath Rugby have published outline plans on Coronation day of their hopes to develop the ground.

That decision was confirmed when the court also refused an application seeking to appeal the ruling from February 2022 meaning it was all systems go to a redevelopment.

The reason for the delays and the many plans for redevelopment over the years is due to the status of the ground. The Recreation Ground is owned and operated by Bath Recreation Ltd, an independent charity who under the original agreement kept the Rec open for all to use – meaning in the summer the East Stand was removed to give access to the public and return the park to closer to its original size. Bath Rugby pay rent to the charity giving them an income but they would like to created a permanent east stand and improve the rest of the stadium.

Bath Rugby state on their website: “Stadium for Bath is about delivering a new home for Bath Rugby, regenerating the riverside in the heart of Bath, and the creation of wider sporting and community benefits – building a special place that everyone can enjoy, a beacon in the heart of the city.

“We want to ensure that The Recreation Ground continues to be a place for play, a place to come

together, a place for passion that integrates and connects to the city. Our vision is to create world-class facilities for elite men’s and women’s rugby, an outstanding fan experience, drive community and sporting participation and deliver a regenerated riverside that everyone can enjoy while contributing to the cultural and economic vitality of the city.”

The club talk about creating world class facilities with an 18,000 capacity stadium with new hospitality facilities for fans and a place for the Bath Rugby Foundation. Importantly some of the issues that have snarled past plans are that the new stands will be lower in height, there will be no under pitch car park and the community would be able to use the pitch.

Eyebrows might be raised about the plans by the club that the development ‘needs to be environmentally sustainable’ but a brief reading of the scheme suggests much thought has gone into the proposals. Now the club are asking for feedback via the website or at the public consultations held in May. For more details visit the club’s website at https://www.bathrugby. com/stadium-for-bath/ t

Untrue claims: Cllr Manda Rigby has responded to a report that BANES didn’t consult with the ambulance service over the Upper Bristol Road cycle way. She said: “Incorrect claims are being made that Bath & North East Somerset Council did not consult with the South West Ambulance Service Trust on road schemes – specifically the Upper Bristol Road cycle scheme and the Southlands through-traffic restriction trial, which form part of our Liveable Neighbourhood programme. These claims are untrue but are being widely shared on social media and through other outlets.”

The ambulance service had given an incorrect statement to a member of the public who asked if they had been contacted by BANES over the scheme. They have apologised for the error to BANES and to the member of the public as BANES had consulted with them and they had no objections to the scheme.

n BATH LIBRARY BOOK REVIEWS AND NEWS

This month the Library book review will be highlighting local authors from Bath and North East Somerset area.

Adult Fiction

Expiry Date – Rachel Ward

Rachel Ward is well known for her Young Adults books, however she has also started these delightful detective novels featuring Ant and Bea, friends who work at a local supermarket in the town of Kingsleigh. This is the third book in the series and begins with Julie, Bea’s favourite customer, not coming into the shop for a while. Bea suspects foul play, particularly around Julie’s abusive husband.

There are also major roadworks happening in Kingsleigh and when a body is discovered, Bea fears the worst – however this body is fifteen years old so it cannot be Julie but who is the dead girl? This discovery sets Ant and

Bea onto the case and it proves to be a very personal one. Bea’s late father is seen as a suspect and she must try to clear his name and Ant’s family problems escalate as they try to solve the mystery.

This is a perfectly paced story, with intrigue and humour. I like the setting in a small town and that the investigators are two shop workers –Ant and Bea are a great paring.

Closing the distance – Jeff Dowson

Jeff Dowson is another local author, this time from Bristol and this book is the first of the Jack Shepherd thrillers. This is a gritty thriller and I particularly like the way the author uses Bristol locations for the story.

Jack Shepherd, a Bristol private eye, is employed by Deborah Thorne to find a missing person, she then promptly disappears. A body then is recovered

Loft Boarding & Insulation

from the Severn Estuary who happens to be Deborah’s therapist and most bizarrely a former client of Jacks. The case gets odder when a well-known villain re surfaces looking for Deborah. Things turn very sinister very quickly and Jack finds himself in conflict with the local police and a Superintendent Harvey Butler whose methods of crime solving are very different from Jacks. A great read, tense with local connections, and Jack Shepherd definitely puts TV’s Shoestring in his place!

Adult NonFiction

Always in the dark – Diane Harding

This is a very moving tale of uncovering family secrets and scandal. In 2006 the author’s step-mother Connie, died and this was a catalyst that moved her to write about the story of her family.

When in 2003 her own mother, Blanche passed away she left her daughter a treasure trove of thoughts, letters and diaries of her marriage - their early life as a family in Cape Town in South Africa, the move back to Britain when her father got a job at the Cadbury factory in Keynsham; and the shadow of mental illness.

However as the author goes through the box her mother has left her she realises that she needs to tie all the strands of her childhood together and go in search of the truth about her parent’s marriage and their life together. Diane’s has written a wellresearched book, there are some lovely pictures of her parents – my particular favourite her christening picture – but also some hurtful revelations which make the story even more poignant. A very thoughtful read.

Children’s Fiction

Dick King-Smith lived locally and was a great supporter of local Libraries

- Babe the sheep-pig is his most famous story, however you can try:

My animal friends

– Dick King-Smith

This delightful book beings with Dick King-Smith telling us about some his animal friends, including Dodo the

dachshund and Frank the rabbit who were his companions when he was a boy. In this book h has written about 30 stories about some amazing animals. There is Lazy Ben who is a very large Aberdeen Angus Bull who, has is name suggests, very lazy. Vicky the whippet who was very brave during the war and Molly a beautiful and of course intelligent pig.

The Twin Giants – Dick KingSmith

Lottavim and Normus were two, very large twin Giants. Growing up they did everything together

– play, sleep even getting sick at the same time. But they had one difference, Lottavim liked meat, Normus liked vegetables. As they grew up they decided that they needed wives – they travelled across all six mountains to find the right person - number 7 was there lucky number - could they be lucky at mountain number 7 and find the right person for each of them? Read on to see what adventures are in store for the twins.

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

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.

n WHAT’S ON

Continued from page 15

porcelain. The exhibition examines how Japan became the global leading makers of porcelain between 1640 and 1680. Until 30 July 2023. The Cave Art of Lascaux: a Virtual Reality Experience at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. Step back in time 21,000 years and visit the incredible Stone Age cave art of Lascaux in immersive 3D. Until 10 Sept 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.