Cityist October.qxp_Layout 1 22/09/2016 10:59 Page 1
ist
THE CITY THE BUZZ
Bake
The Fabulous Baker Brothers, otherwise known as Tom and Henry Herbert, have put their might behind this month’s Ted’s Big Bake Off challenge, which is encouraging us all to bake to raise funds for the Royal United Hospital. Between Monday 17 and Friday 21 October, friends, family and colleagues are being urged to magic up a meringue, bake some biscuits, cook a cake or even levitate a homemade loaf into life then ask people to give a little as they sit down to enjoy it. Last year’s Ted challenge raised in excess of £20,000 but more is needed if the people of Bath and the surrounding area are to get our much-needed new cancer care unit at the hospital. Sign up at foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk and raise some dough for this good cause.
Sign up
Now is a good time to pick a great cause and sign up to run in the Bath Half Marathon on 12 March 2017, while raising money for charity. One of the local charities with places for runners is the Greenhill House care home for disabled people, based in Timsbury and run by Leonard Cheshire Disability. Even if you’ve never run for more than a bus there’s time to train and be ready to tackle that 13.1 mile course in the spring. Visit: leonardcheshire.org/bathhalf or text Run to 80878 for more information.
Book of the month Dyslexia Rules KO by Annette Dolan, published in paperback by Pegasus, £7.99 Annette Dolan is one of Bath’s most prominent businesswomen. Creative, intelligent, articulate, funny, warm and hard-working – but how many of us knew that she has endured a lifelong battle with dyslexia? A battle which from her early days left her in dread of having to produce any written work, for fear that her mistakes would be picked up by others. This biography tells her story, from learning to be a
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OCTOber 2016
My BATH
We ask Christine Snow, founder of Bath-based charity Kerala Crafts what she’ll be doing this month
Christine, right, receiving her south west Fairtrade award from beauty entrepreneur Liz Earle
What brought you to Bath? I was born and brought up in Bath and have been fortunate to have remained in our beautiful city all of my life. What are you reading? I’m just about to start reading The Fishing Fleet by Anne De Courcy, recommended by a friend. This novel tells the story of husband-hunting in the Raj based on unpublished memoirs, letters and diaries, which will surely bring this forgotten era vividly to life. What are you listening to? I rely on good old Classic FM or playing CDs. I enjoy listening to choral music and classical music but for easy listening, my choice is Michael Bublé and I also love a bit of gypsy swing. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? One regular favourite is The Hop Pole on the Upper Bristol Road. I like the food and the atmosphere and my husband enjoys the choice of real ales. Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? The Tunnel Tour of the Roman Baths (26 October) and its hidden history sounds intriguing. I remember in the 70’s dressing up in a toga and bathing in the Roman Bath during a Roman Rendevouz. I will be popping into Bath Abbey for the Methodist Modern Art Collection. Our beautiful Bath Abbey is hosting an exhibition of 32 paintings from 6 – 30 October. What are your hobbies and interests? I enjoy cooking and sewing. I’ve recently completed a patchwork quilt for my seventh grandchild, so will give sewing a little rest for now. I’m working my way through Rick Stein’s India, which is a fantastic book – with gorgeous illustrations and chatty recipe intros. Made all the more special, because I managed to discover his favoured ‘bungalow on the lagoon’ on my last visit to Kerala, which was his kitchen base
for the series. I have scoured the streets of Bath for fresh curry leaves, but to no avail. What outdoor activity will you be enjoying? I’m venturing out of Bath for this – because for years I’ve been planning on visiting the Westonbirt Arboretum and this month is the ‘peak leaf-peeping time’ so the website says, which promises to be spectacular. Theatre or cinema, which will it be? I’m planning to see Felicity Kendal at the Theatre Royal in A Room with a View. I loved the Merchant Ivory film adaptation in 1985. Felicity is a Patron of Kerala Crafts and I met her on her last visit to the theatre. Stepping Out at the theatre is also beckoning. What project are you working on? I’m back to fundraising again. A few years ago I was raising funds to build a replacement orphanage for the girls in Kerala we support – mission accomplished. Now I’m trying to raise funds for improvements to the small workshop in Ponnani, Kerala, India. The ladies make our fair trade knickers and PJ’s and this Malabar project has gone from strength to strength. As a self-help project this is exactly what we hoped for. To keep up with the sales demand, a re-arrangement of the existing premises is planned. Stitching jobs are highly sought after and daily requests are received from women seeking work. The impact of these improvements will enable the project to be sustainable and will mean more marginalised women can be employed. Much of the work consists of stitching garments brought in by local women, and although the manufacturing for Kerala Crafts is a bonus, it is more significant in terms of fiscal value. We are looking forward to highlighting the Fair Trade Breaks Poverty campaign during Anti-Poverty Week, 16 – 22 October as we seek to do our bit for the underprivileged. Visit: keralacrafts.co.uk. n
good fighter at school, to finally building her own successful business, Bath Aqua Glass and finding happiness with her family and husband Adrian. The last chapter is devoted to Annette’s tips for others who have dyslexia and are determined to succeed. It is told in an easy chatty style, filled with honest admissions about her life and yet optimistic that she can also move onwards and upwards. Annette is also passionate about changing the education system so that all barriers for dyslexics are removed and dyslexia to be considered part of neurodiversity. She believes
that Prime Minister Theresa May should be addressing this issue on the back of her grammar school campaign. Meet Annette and hear more about her campaign at Waterstones bookshop, Milsom Street on Thursday 27 October from 6.30 – 8pm. GMc
We’re following @findanotherbath – an art project and a book that explores the alternative, often ignored side of Bath. Watch this one, we think it’s a creative movement that’s going to be a grower