Issuu

LE SUMMER STARTS

Un Grand Merci to our Daily Headline Sponsors

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

Welcome to the Bath Boules 2025

Bonjour, mes amis!

Ah oui, un grand bienvenue to the fantastique Bath Boules!

A massif merci beaucoup to each and every one of you for making this much-loved event possible.

The Bath Boules brings our community closer together for a funfilled boules festival which raises great sums for local charities, over £785,000 to date. The funds are distributed via the Bath Boules Trust each year (see more about how it’s helped multiple causes on P6-8).

Everything from your team place, to raffle tickets, drinks from the bar and food from the stalls on site contribute – so don’t hold back!

We hope you enjoy the four fantastique days of playing, laughing, eating, drinking and fundraising.

We have once again received an overwhelming amount of support from our Sponsors. It’s magnifique to see the local Bath business community come together for this very special event to support local charities.

This year’s Headline Sponsors are: Bardacious, Bath Spa University, Sub 13 and Watches of Bath.

Our Big Boules Sponsors are: Bath Life, Digital Wonderlab, Emberwood, Francis Hotel, Gadby, The Great Wine Co, Hamptons, Life Media UK and Onfinity and Vio Offices. And we have 15 Little Boules Sponsors too. Thank you all.

This is such a great and vital institution of our city. It’s truly an event that encapsulates the spirit of Bath. This most French of sports played out in the most English of settings: it’s the perfect way to celebrate summer… and don’t forget, the money raised over this weekend goes to local charities. So, please enjoy having fun while doing good.

À votre santé!

The Bath Boules team

Bath Boules App

The Bath Boules app is back!

This has been developed by notre besties at Digital Wonderlab and Rocketmakers!

The app is essential to use this weekend, keep track of who you’re playing when and how you’re scoring as well as find out key updates throughout the day. Search Bath Boules on your app platform to download.

Boules t-shirts!

• Two Bath Boules T-Shirts designs available

• £24 per T-Shirt

• Available at the registration desk

• Sizes S/M/L

Bath Boules history

The first boules tournament in Queen Square, Bath took place in the late 1980s as a one-day affair involving independent restaurant staff from across the city.

The brainchild of Jean Pierre Auge of Le Beaujolais Restaurant in Chapel Row and Philip Addis of Great Western Wine Company it was immediately popular, and in just a few years the event had more than doubled in size.

By 1989 the tournament had expanded over two days to include local individuals and businesses with 128 teams competing for the now famous Boules Trophies and the weekend was launched with the infamous party in the square on the Friday evening.

Support came from far and wide and local celebrity Miles Kington of Franglais fame led a team which at various times included Terry Jones, Joanna Lumley and Michael Palin ensuring the annual tournament became a must on Bath’s busy events map.

As it continued to go from strength-to-strength Philip and Jean Pierre established a charitable trust to distribute money raised amongst local charities ensuring that much of the money raised through participation and sponsorship was benefitting those most in need in the Bath area.

When the Beaujolais closed after many years and Philip sold Great Western Wine Company, a new era began and the event was licensed by the charity to others to run with profits continuing to be distributed to local causes via the charity.

First up was Portico Designs Bath in 2006 with MediaClash taking over in 2014.

Over the past 30 or so years, not only has money been raised for some terrific causes, a great deal of fun has been had by all. It’s the trustees’ aim that this will continue for many years to come.

Bring your creativity and curiosity to BSU and we’ll give you the confidence to succeed.

From potters to writers; conservationists to sports scientists; influencers to change-makers; creative professionals and professional creatives. We’ll help you develop your next big idea. It’s your passion, your determination, your originality.

Explore what life is like at BSU at bathspa.ac.uk

Bath Boules & Charity

The Bath Boules is a much-loved local institution, a French game that brings together the people of Bath, the businesses – and of course our charities. It’s terrific for socialising, with Bath’s finest spending time together in oh-so-gentle competition.

Every year the Bath Boules raises thousands of pounds for local charities which are then distributed to a wide range of local causes.

The charitable objectives of the Bath Boules Trust are to spend locally, selecting Bath-based charities for grants from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand. The final amount raised depends on the generosity of our sponsors, partners and attendees, and how much we are all able to raise through event tickets, raffles, food and drink.

If you work for a charity who would benefit from funds from this year’s event, visit bathboules.com/charity to apply.

The charity is administered by its Trustees: Celia Mead, David Gledhill, George Samios, Lizzie Heffer, Nicole Howse and Philip Addis.

Supporting local charities

Here are the causes that grants have gone to over the years:

1st Impressions (Bath)

5x5x5=creativity

Action For Children

Action on Hearing

Loss South West

Age UK

B&NES Age Concern

Bath & District Tapes for the Handicapped and Blind

Bath 18+ Gateway Club

Bath Abbey Footprint

Bath and North East

Somerset Carers Centre

Bath and North East

Somerset Dementia Action Alliance

Bath and North East

Somerset Fund

Bath and West Society for the Blind

Bath Area Play Project

Bath Cats & Dogs Home

Bath Child Contact Centre

Bath City Farm

Bath Ethnic Minority

Senior Citizen’s Association

Bath Festival

Bath Gateway

Out & About

Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases

Bath Institute of Medical Engineering

Bath Mencap and Gateway Sports Club

Bath Mind

Bath Myeloma Group

Bath PR School

Bath Preservation Trust

Bath Repair Café

Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution

Bath Rugby Foundation

Bath Sports Centre

Bath Stroke

Support Group

Bath Transport

Bluebell Care Trust

Children’s Hospice

South West

Chiltern Music Therapy

Citizens Advice Bureau

CLIC

Corsham Physically Handicapped

Cruse Bereavement Care

CTO Christmas

Designability for Bath

Developing Health & Independence

Diabetes UK

Dorothy House FareShare

First Response

National HCE

First Steps Bath

Focus Counselling

Forever Friends

Fosseway Breakfast Club

Freewheelers EUS

Friends of Hillview

Friends of Margaret Coates Unit

Friends of Samaritans

Gateway Sports Club & Bath Mencap

Genesis Trust

GIST Cancer UK

Golden Oldies

Great Western Air

Ambulance

Gympanzees

Headway (Bath)

Home Farm Trust

Hope House Centre

Jamie’s Farm

Jessie Mays Children’s Hospice at Home

John Paul 11 School

Julian House

Lifetime Cancer Trust

McMillan Cancer Relief

Mentoring Plus

National Osteoporosis Society

Nova Sports and Coaching

NSPCC

Off The Record

Off the Road

Open Christmas

Parkinson’s Disease Society

Peggy Dodd Centre

Radio Bath

Research Unit for the Care of Older People

RICE

RNID Poolemead

RUH Charitable Trust

RUH Neo Natal Clinic

S Budd

Salvation Army

Samaritans of Bath and District

SARAS

School Kit Project

Southside Family

Project Bath

SPA

Sporting Family Change

St John’s Ambulance

St Martins Garden School

St Nicholas School

Stepping Stones

Stratton House MHA

Supporting Family Change

SWALLOW

Teenage Cancer

TFC

The Big Issue Foundation

The Community Bus

The Egg Appeal

The Grant Appeal

The Hive Peasedown

St John

The Holburne Museum

Theatre Royal Bath

Three Way School

Time2Share

Trauma Breakthrough

Trauma Recovery Centre

Tree of Hope

Voices For Life We Get It Together We Hear You

Wellow Riding for The Disabled

Weston Day Club for the Elderly Woodworks Project

Working in the Support of the Handicapped WRVS

YMCA

Young Carers

Development Trust

Youth Connect

South West

The Boules event has been raising money for Bath Charitable causes since the 90’s Well over £785,000 raised and donated so far. Over 200 charities have been supported – many on multiple occasions.

Without our event sponsors the Bath Boules would not be able to make such a great contribution to Bath’s charities. To these companies with a conscious and ﬂair for French fun, we salute you

Daily Headliners Un trés grand merci

BARDACIOUS

is a fun, Mexican inspired premium restaurant serving fresh & healthy small plates and signature dishes along with drinks & cocktails from its Agaveria. bardacious.co.uk | @bardaciousuk

Big Boules

BATH SPA UNIVERSITY

is where creative minds meet with education and research across arts, science and business, and aims to be a leading educational institution in creativity, culture and enterprise. bathspa.ac.uk | @bathspauni

BATH LIFE is the leading media brand in the city with many events as well as the magazine. It has been a supporter of the Bath Boules for many years and as the Official Media Partner, Bath Life will be covering the event extensively. mediaclash. co.uk | @bathlifemag

SUB 13 is an award-winning cocktail bar. Big city style in an intimate venue. Sweeping leather booths and subtle lighting attract a sophisticated, vibrant crowd. Head there after a long day of play at the Boules! sub13.net | @sub13bar

WATCHES OF BATH specialises in pre-owned luxury timepieces, specialising in Rolex but also able to offer other luxury brands such as Tudor, Omega, Patek Philippe, Panerai and many more. watchesofbath.com | @watchesofbath

DIGITAL WONDERLAB helps organisations see new digital possibilities, crafts experiences that exceed expectations, and delivers results using the best technologies. digitalwonderlab.com | @digiwonderlab

EMBERWOOD is a British brasserie inspired by the warmth of the open hearth, bringing together seasonal ingredients, local provenance, and a passion for honest cooking. emberwoodbath.com | @emberwoodbath

THE FRANCIS HOTEL is located right on Queen Square. For stays, super dining experiences or just popping in, our doors are always open. francishotel.com | @francishotelbath

GADBY is an expert in occupational psychology and executive coaching and is regarded as one of the UK’s best quality leadership consulting firms. It helps both public and private companies identify and develop leadership talent. gadby.co.uk

THE GREAT WINE CO is a wine merchant that specializes in sourcing distinctive, handcrafted wines from independent winemakers around the world. greatwine.co.uk | @thegreatwineco

HAMPTONS matches people with property that’s right for them, locally, nationally and internationally. hamptons.co.uk | @hamptons1869

LIFE MEDIA UK was born when founders Sunjay and William serendipitously collaborated on an awardwinning documentary back in 2011 and saw a gaping hole in the market for a video production company with a marketing lens. lifemediauk.com | @lifemedia_uk

ONFINITY provides customer service focused IT support, cloud services and IT solutions for businesses, charities, schools and more. onfinity.co.uk | @onfinityltd

VIO OFFICES is a local, independent business providing gorgeous selfcontained serviced office suites overlooking the beautiful Queen Square. viooffices.com

Little Boules Sponsors

We would like to thank everyone for making this event possible. It’s superb how so many Bath businesses have got involved this year.

Thank you to the Boules founders and trustees for starting this great event. Thank you to all our rafﬂe prize donors for generously supplying the prizes and to all those who have helped with the organising. Thank you to all our sponsors for helping to elevate this great event to even greater heights.

And of course, thank you to you for coming!

High-Impact Video on Tap

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01225 220155 digitalwonderlab.com hello@digitalwonderlab.com

At Digital Wonderlab, we don’t sit on the sidelines - we make change happen. With over 20 years of award-winning expertise, our strategic planning, engaging user experiences, dynamic websites, robust mobile apps and cutting-edge AI-powered solutions drive real results for your business.

Raffle! Step right up

There is a grand raffle draw each day of the Bath Boules tournament at 4pm. We’ve got some incredible prizes for you. And the best bit? It’s all for charity!

How can you get your hands on these lovely prizes? Easy. It’s £3 per ticket or £10 per strip from the information tent or Le Staff wandering around, pay via contactless and listen out at the obelisk in the centre of the Square at 4pm to see if you’ve won!

PRIZES:

Two vouchers from the Barre Fitness Studio

Afternoon Tea for two from Bath Abbey Hotel

A complimentary mid-week stay for up to four guests in a central Bath property including chilled Prosecco on arrival from Bath Luxury Rentals

Wine and branded frisbees from Battens Solicitors

One voucher for a game and one drink per person from Boom Battle Bar

Dinner for two with a bottle of wine from Brasserie Beau – Hotel Indigo Bath

£60 voucher from Comptoir & Cuisine

Four ball voucher at Cumberwell Park from Cumberwell Park

Four Eat a Pitta Vouchers from Eat a Pitta

A voucher for a meal for two from Emberwood

Family ticket to the Jane Austen Centre

Two auditorium tickets for Krater Club from Komedia

A voucher for a makeup workshop from Little Lab

Two prizes of Monuskin products from Monuskin

£10 voucher from Mr B’s Emporium

Voucher for two adults and up to four children entry from No.1 Royal Crescent

Voucher for paddleboard/kayak for two from Original Wild

Gift from Portman

Signed Bath Rugby Shirt from RWK Goodman

Two jars of Tangiers Honey per day from Tangiers Farm Honey

Test drive from Tesla

Two 2-hour spa sessions from Thermae Bath Spa

Five class passes from Toniq Gym

A voucher for a facial from The Townhouse Clinic

Two tickets to Wake The Tiger

Two bottles of fizz from Wraxall Builders

The Rules of Boules

TEAMS: To play, a team will require three players, six boules and one jack. The same three players must play throughout one game. Different players may be used for different games but those players may only represent one team.

THE BASICS: Teams take it in turns to throw their boules toward the jack. The aim is to place your boules nearer the jack than your opponents, which may be achieved by either knocking your opponent’s boules away or by ‘nudging the jack’.

ORDER OF PLAY: During a game, players from opposing teams do not play alternately as is sometimes assumed. A player or team continues to throw until they gain the advantage. It is up to the ‘throwing’ team whether a team member throws all their boules consecutively or they alternate shots within the team.

HOW TO WIN: The winning team scores as many points as it has boules better places than the best boule of the losing team. A new ‘end’ is then started with the jack being thrown by the winners of the previous end. The winners of the previous end must go first. The game is repeated until a team scores nine points. The finals are played to 11. The winner of each game must give the final score to the leaderboard tent.

TOURNAMENT PROGRESSION: The tournament begins with all teams split into groups. The teams within each group play each other. The top two teams in each group that will qualify for the Round of 16. The winners in each of these games will then go on to the quarter finals.

‘IN PLAY’ AND ‘OUT OF PLAY’: Boules that hit or bounce against the side of the pistes are still in play. If the boules rest on the side of the pistes, they are taken out. If a boule hits or rests against the back sleeper, the boule is out. If the jack ball is knocked out of play, the end must be played again.

TIMING: Please keep to schedule as far as possible. Games should typically last 25 minutes and the organisers may sometimes have to truncate some very slow-running games. and the organisers may sometimes have to truncate some very slow-running games.

Twin towns

The official twinning agreement (“le Jumelage” French translation) between the two cities of Bath and Aix-en-Provence in the South of France was signed in 1977 and has remained active ever since.

Although there’s a 1400 kilometer distance between the cities, they have much in common and have shared many cultural exchanges over the years, leading to close friendships and mutual understanding.

Both are ancient Roman cities: Bath Aquae Sulis and Aix Aquae Sextiae, and both feature natural thermal spa waters.

Bath and Aix have become world renowned tourist hotspots, with celebrations and festivals taking place throughout the year.

With Pétanque being a national sport of France, it’s fitting that The Bath-Aix Twinning Association is pleased to be playing a part in the grand Bath Boules Festival.

The Pétanque connection is one of the strongest and longest of the twinning activities, consolidated by many visits to Aix by the Bath Grand Cru Club where les Boulistes de Grande Bretagne are treated as celebrities.

There are many other cultural exchanges happening as part of a very active and busy programme.

For those who’d like to become involved, details of the Bath-Aix Twinning Association are available at the boules office, or from any of the tournament referees over the weekend.

Awdry All-Stars

Genesis Life Projects

Living Map

RBC Brewin Dolphin Team 1

Townhouse Clinic

Woohouse and Law Team One

Zest Sales & Lettings: THE A TEAM

Alex Oliver Associates

EIP

Jack Of All Trades

JAS Building Services

MUD

RBC Brewin Dolphin Team 2

RUHX légendes

Whitby Wood

Aequus - Team A

Bath Spa UniversityTeam One

and

Zest

& Lettings:

Aequus - Team B

Bath Spa University - Team Two

Bevan Brittan

Cobb Farr

CSquared

Floresco Media

SWBF 2

The Slide Guys

AJ - Attinger Jack

Alex Oliver Associates

Dorothy House Hospice

Inspecs Limited

Macgregor Smith

The Marcom Marvels

RWK Goodman Inquests

Beachrock

Deloitte

Dorothy House Hospice

Impact Elite

La Charité RUHX

MEA Construction Consultants

WINdsor Hill Boulers

Zahara Systems

Bath Boules Life

Chippenham Golf Centre

Designaboulilty

Genesis Trust

Maven SWIF-ties

Pageticker

Wraxall Builders

groups

#SnipeInTheCitay

Boules Eye

Boules Frites

Coupe Perdrix

Gym Girls Two

Loose Cannon

Sub13 - Team One

Bath League De Petanque

Boom Battle Bar

Ilsleys Petanque Club

Le Royal Croissant

Redwood Marketing

Schwartz Bros

Sub13 - Team Two

Amiaboule Architects

Bath Pizza Co

I’m a Bouliever

Les Boules Du Chien

The Olive Tree

The Posse

se7en

Boulangerie

Great Wine Co

Gym Girls One

Media Solutions

Newable Carpentry

Ou est les boules

The Walcot Group

Claverton Villagers

The Clinicals

Harington Club

Old skoolers

Trestlemania

Watts Moving

BBC1

Gather

Grass-fed and Boule-bred

Hidden Woods

Hideout

Holy Guacabouley

Schedule

Boules schedule:

9.00: Team arrival and registration – Boules tent

9:15: Briefing for the day – Le Stage

9:30: Start of first games – Boules pistes

17.00: Quarter-finals begin – Boules pistes

17.30: Semi-finals begin – Boules pistes

18.00: Final begins – Boules pistes

19:30: Winners announced! – Piste of the daily Headline Sponsor

Plus:

9:30: Raffle tickets on sale – Boules tent and Le Staff roaming

10:00: Le Bar open – Bar tent

10:00: Street food stalls open – Street food area

16:00: Raffle prize draw and fancy-dress winner revealed – Le Stage

Times and locations of your individual games are provided separately when you enter the event and via the app.you enter the event and via the app.

With thanks to our photographers

• Adam James Photography

• Faith Wright Photography

• Life Media UK

• Narrated Frames

Le Stage Friday:

• David Toya

• DJ50 Three

• Drew - The Star

Shaped Pegs

• Henry Sampson

Le Stage Saturday:

• DJ50 Three

• Henry Sampson

• Mike Walsh

• Orchestra of Everything

• The Roaring Noughties

Check out these great performers and so much more on Le Stage

Le Stage Sunday:

• Abigail Ellen

• David Toya

• DJ50 Three

• Paper Jam

Other entertainers:

• Bath Artists’ Studios Workshops

• Caricatures by Shikas Sketch Book & David Chaudoir

• I can and I am bus

Street Food at the Boules

Check out the Boules Street Food stands for a great selection of food and drink. Please make sure that you support them, prodigiously. All present will be donating a proportion of their sales to local charities via the Bath Boules Trust – meaning that every bite, glass or pint will contribute to local Bath charities.

All teams will receive vouchers to exchange at any of these stalls in return for a meal.

Please note: we request that you do not bring your own food and drink, since this deprives the traders of revenue and therefore the Boules and its charities of funding. Thanks!

ON THE MENU:

THE APERO BAR is a stylish, fully-equipped converted horsebox bar on wheels, ready to bring the vibrant flavours of Aperol Spritz to any event. @aperobar | theaperobar.com

BARDACIOUS is a fun, Mexican inspired premium restaurant serving fresh & healthy small plates and signature dishes along with drinks & cocktails from its Agaveria. bardacious.co.uk | @bardaciousuk

THE CHOUX BOX is a modern patisserie reinventing the classic French choux bun with bold flavours and a playful twist. Tradition meets creativity in every bite. www.thechouxboxpatisserie.com | @thechouxboxpatisserie

DOS DEDOS is an authentic Mexican cantina, specialising in over 100 mezcals and tequilas, authentic tacos and Mexican street eats. @dos_dedos_bath | dosdedos.co.uk

GURU CHEF specialises in vegan and vegetarian food as well as chicken dishes, offering a variety of international selections including wraps, quesadillas and as dessert French crepes. @guruchefuk

SLICE ONE offering piping hot, made-to-order pizzas. Flavour led, offering taste of authentic wood-fired pizza www.sliceone.uk | @sliceone

VELI’CIOUS offers your classic favourits with a twist, specialising in home-made gourmet burgers, using only fresh, locally sourced ingredients. www.velicious.one | @velicious20