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The Bathford Bulletin

The Monthly Magazine for the Parish of BathfordMay 2013

www.thebathfordbulletin.org

We are always looking for interesting or unusual pictures of the village; particularlyany that capture a distinct character of the village or are from an unusual vantage

point. Please send your submissions to: enquiries@thebathfordbulletin.org

Twinning Association Antics­ read the full story on page 6

Photo from Ara Krikorian

St. Swithun’s Church BathfordRev Jane Burgess ­ Telephone: 858325email: jane@stswithunsbathford.co.uk

Churchwardens: Alison Millar 851095 Joy Craine 858613Readers: Gerry Miller 858402 Michael Craine 858613

Gill Gilbert 858927 Dennis Pearson 858293Everyone is warmly welcome!We have the following groups for children during our Sunday Services:Crèche (0­3); Children’s Church (3­10); Rock Solid Youth Group (11+).Our 14+ youth group, 'Rock on Saturday', meets three times each month.For details please ring Michael Craine.

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Sundays 8:15am Holy Communion10:00am First Sunday ­ Family Service

2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday ­ Holy Communion3rd Sunday ­ Morning Worship

Evening Service 6:30pm First Sunday ­ Holy Communion3rd Sunday ­ Evening Prayer

Other Sunday evenings at Bathampton or Batheaston ­ please check website andnotice board for times and venues.Mondays ­ Thursdays 9:00 ­ 9:30am Prayer Time in ChurchMondays 2:00pm 2nd Monday – Service in Community RoomWednesdays 2:30pm Holy Communion each first Wednesday at

Shockerwick House.House Groups Details from the Churchwardens or Notices.Visit www.stswithunsbathford.co.uk for up to date details of all events and services.

The rest of the time the children weremostly to be found practising theirsnooker or having fun in the indoor pool.On reflection, one of the most enjoyableaspects of the weekend for me, and Iknow for others too, was the opportunityfor all the generations to come togetherand really get to know one another. Theyoungest amongst us was Maria, aged8, and the eldest was Joyce, aged 90. Atthe evening entertainment on Saturdaynight they both treated us to wonderfulperformances, along with a host of othertalented people representing all thedifferent age groups.This was just one example of how muchwe enjoyed each other’s company. Itgenuinely felt like we were all part ofone big family – just as God intended usto be. I left the weekend with an innerand an outer glow (thank you sun!) andsome treasured memories of the specialtime we shared together. Can’t wait forthe next weekend away in 2015!Michelle Williams

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From St Swithun’s weekend atSidmouth....“Oh we do like to be beside theseaside....!” That was certainly true inearly April, when 86 of us from St.Swithun’s headed off to the SidholmeHotel, in Sidmouth, for our ChurchFamily Weekend. The idea was thatinstead of grabbing rushedconversations over coffee after theSunday service, we would have time torelax and get to know one another better– forming new friendships andstrengthening old ones as well.And what a fine time we had together!The hotel was beautiful, with lovelygardens and plenty of terraces to sit andenjoy a cup of coffee or chat together.The food was delicious and extremelyplentiful (we have the waistlines to proveit!). The mums amongst us were heardto comment how nice it was to be servedfor a change and not have to do thewashing up.The weekend was full of highlights for usall, including the two wonderful talksgiven by Andy Piggott (Archdeacon ofBath) on the subject of God thegardener and Jesus the true vine. Wealso had the opportunity to get to knowhis lovely wife Ruth. I particularlyenjoyed the moment when Ruth ownedup to being a massive ‘Take That’ fanduring the question and answer session,which was ably compered by our veryown ‘Richard and Judy’ (aka Jane andCharles).On the Saturday, we were blessed withthe sunniest day of the year so far,which God obviously planned to coincidewith our trip to the beach.Whilst the children romped around andpaddled in the sea, the grown­ups sat inthe sun eating ice creams and gettingburnt noses. A perfect afternoon!

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK12 ­ 18 MayChristian Aid's vision is to bring an endto poverty around the world, by tacklingits root causes as well its effects. Wehelp people of all faiths and none. Wecurrently work through 578 partnerorganisations in 48 countries, providingurgent, practical and effectiveassistance, giving communities thesupport and skills to find their ownsolutions. No money is given togovernments.The Christian Aid Launch Service willbe held in Walcot Methodist Church onSunday 12 May at 6:30pm.If you would like to help with thecollection please contact Martin on858047.

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BATHFORD FILM CLUBThe next meeting of the Film Club will beon Monday 27 May (Bank Holiday) at2:00pm in St. Swithun’s Church.The film will be Emma ­ an adaptation ofJane Austen’s novel, and a witty andromantic comedy, starring GwynethPaltrow.Do come along and join us for anenjoyable afternoon’s entertainment,followed by tea and cakes.Transport available if required; contactRobert Wolsey on 01225 851390.

QUIZ NIGHTSA big ‘Thank You‘ to all who attended theQuiz Night in support of Bathford CricketClub in April. Over £650 was raisedtowards the Club’s Pavilion fund and agood time was enjoyed by all!This was my last Quiz Night of the winter‘season’ and I would like to thankeveryone who has attended the QuizNights over the last six months andhelped to raise approx. £4000 for villageorganisations through the winter.The next Quiz Night will be held on20 September so put the date into yourdiary now! Have a great summer.Stan Cherry

MONKTON FARLEIGHGARDEN FETETo be held once again in the grounds ofThe Manor, Monkton Farleigh, onSaturday 8 June from 2:00­5:00pm.Come and join us, have fun and relaxwhilst enjoying the spectacular viewsacross the countryside.Teas, Pimm's, archery, steam train,goats in harness, silver band, bouncycastle and much more...Everyone welcome.

Year 5 News!The air was filled with excitement as thechildren arrived back at school after theirEaster break. The children in Year 5 and6 were eagerly anticipating their journeyto the PGL Centre in Swindon where theywould stay until the end of the week.After saying a cheery goodbye to mumsand dads, a pile of rucksacks and cases,sleeping bags and duvets were stowedsafely into the coach and off they went!The centre provided comfortablebedrooms, plenty of hot food and a rangeof fantastic activities to keep everyonebusy and happy. The children were ableto test their skills at quad biking, raftbuilding, canoeing and trampolining toname but a few! They displayedenthusiasm, good humour andproficiency as they experienced eachtask in turn. The leaders at the centrewere superb and encouraged thechildren to do their very best. It wasnoted how well behaved the childrenwere and how brilliantly they encouragedand supported one another. However, itwas not just the children who werechallenged! The staff were invited to joinin and did so with great enthusiasm,much to the joy of the children.By the end of the week the children wereexhausted and returned to school tiredbut happy. Everyone had tales to tell andshared their experiences with youngermembers of the school in a specialassembly. The overwhelming feeling wasthat everyone would love to do it againbecause it brought such a terrific senseof fun and friendship.

PARISH COUNCIL NEWS01225 859007

clerk@bathford.netwww.bathford.net

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Bath in BloomBathford has been invited to participatein the Bath in Bloom Competition 2013.Anybody interested in entering will findfurther details on the Community Shopnoticeboard. Alternatively, phone AlysonJabelman, Business Support andInformation Officer at BANES on 01225396628.Date of Next MeetingThe next meeting will be held onMonday 20 May 2013 at 7:00pm in theParish Office.Parishioners are reminded that allParish Council meetings are open to thepublic and residents are welcome toattend as observers or to bring mattersof concern to the attention of the Councilin the first five minutes of the meeting.

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING15 April 2013Thank you to the parishioners whoattended the Annual Parish Meeting.The attendance sheet was signed by 30people and the Parish Council is gratefulfor your support.In addition to the review of the ParishCouncil’s work, the meeting wasaddressed on the following topics: QE2Fields in Trust, Cllr Stan Cherry;Cleansing, Roland Russell; Dog ControlOrders, Joanna Brain; Snow WardenScheme, Cllr David Le Lohe; SchoolReview, Matt Stone, Headmaster ofBathford Primary School; FinancialSummary, Cllr Susan Barclay.Following the coffee break parishionersraised questions on a number ofsubjects ranging from village signage tothe latest on the Tyndale site. TheParish Council would like to thank thespeakers for their valued contributions.The draft minutes of the meeting will beavailable on the Bathford Parish Councilwebsite by the end of May 2013.Neighbourhood WatchWith effect from 1 April 2013 the role ofNeighbourhood Watch Co­Ordinator hasbeen taken over by Samuel Pearce­Kearney.

Contact details: Jon Cooper, Clerk.01225 859007 clerk@bathford.netwww.bathford.net

In aid ofHope and Homes for Children

PIMMS, PAELLA AND PUDin Bathford Parish Hall

Friday 10th May at 7:30pmTickets: £10

For tickets and full details contactKeith & Julia Masdin

(858042; kmasdin@toucansurf.com)

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Twinning Week at HigherWiscombeWhen it was suggested we might wantto spend a week in Devon in March witha party made up of visitors fromArtannes and Bathford I did ask myself:Why? What will we do? What if theweather is bad? Can I share a housewith all these people for seven days andseven nights? And then I asked myself:Why not? And that is why I foundmyself driving down to Devon onewintry Friday night.We bumped down the dark farm trackas the light faded and there in the valleywas a small group of stone buildings,lights blazing a welcome. We dived intothe house which was as warm as toast,well appointed and really comfortableand settled down to await the arrival ofthe last few friends with a glass ofsomething delicious in hand ­ the startof seven days of pure pleasure.Amazingly Devon and Dorset are notcompletely closed in March and offeredus a varied selection of things to do.The walkers in the group found no endof muddy paths to slide along, coastalpaths to climb as well as woodland andmoorland. The meanderers had atreasure trove of villages to see, withchurches and art galleries as well as allthat the seafronts had to offer ­ gentlebut windblown walks, cafés, wonderfulviews and even a penny arcade ­ alloffering culture and entertainment.Then there were the pubs and cafésthat filled the gap between breakfastand our evening meal.And when the weather failed at the endof the week the sights and shops ofExeter were less than an hour awayand were much enjoyed.

Catering was one of the highlights of thebreak. Alternate evenings wereallocated to each group.The French brought a selection of winesand cheeses and a variety of otherdelights that included what appeared tobe hundreds of quails' eggs to tempt usand we responded with the best of localfood we could offer from gammon tosausages to Squab Pie. Everyonecontributed to the delights of the eveningmeal. And we were spoilt by fresh breadbeing made by one of our party includinga British Brioche which really impressedthe French!There were so many things on the go ­music, games, watching a lot of rugby, afilm and more. The French even had usdressing up with paper plates andsinging a comic French song, like crazyrabbits! (see cover photo). Cleverly thelast day didn't peter out, as a truly madand very challenging Quiz was preparedfor us. It was a week of activity,happiness and laughter with the best offriends.Judy Marris

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Exciting News from BathfordCommunity CaféOwing to the increasing success of thecafé a new member of staff, Vicky Drewhas joined the team. This means thatwe will soon be able to open on Sundaymornings for our popular breakfasts.So, when you come in to collect yourSunday papers you can sit down to adelicious cooked breakfast or indulge ina croissant and coffee and read thembefore heading home.We have Wi­Fi, so bring along your iPador laptop if you want to catch up onemails or do a little surfing on theinternet.Don't forget Audrey will continue to offerbreakfast every day, as well as usualsnacks and sandwiches.Check the menu board for home­cookedlunch specials served on Tuesdays,Wednesdays and Fridays.Fresh, home­baked cakes are servedevery day too.New opening hours from Sunday 5 MayThe cafe will be open seven days aweek as follows:9am ­ 2.30pm Monday ­ Saturday9am ­ 12.30pm SundayWe look forward to welcoming you verysoon.

Bathford Village Shop and CaféANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGTuesday 14 May, 7:15 for 7:30pmin the British LegionThis is an important meeting. Please tryand attend. There are exciting plans forthe shop and café. The views and ideasof our members are always needed.There will be a Question Box in the shopand Kevin and the crew will try, at themeeting, to provide answers to queries(and even grumbles!)Our constitution states that onlymembers may attend the AGM so doplease join. Enquire in the shop, whereforms and information will be available.Also important is the ongoing need fornew volunteers. It isn’t a chore andthere are lots of different tasks ­ not justserving at the till. We all enjoy helping ina really friendly environment.Membership of the Committee is anotherway to contribute and is very interesting.Please mark your diaries and come tothe AGM for a stimulating and sociablediscussion and a glass of wine.Jeanette Kremer

Remember the CookeryDemonstrations are still going

strong in the Café. The next one ison 7 May ­ Nice but not so

Naughty ­ all about low fat cookery.7pm ­ 8:30pm.

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BEE OUR FRIENDS THIS YEARWe all know the last couple of yearshaven’t exactly been brimming withwarm, sunny weather, but surely one ofthe great pleasures of the spring is thebuzzing of bees on blossom. Bees are afamiliar sight in our gardens andcountryside, but did you know that theyare vital for production of many staplefoods? As pollinators, they are crucial tothe cropping of a large number ofspecies of fruits, vegetables and nuts.In fact, it’s estimated that bees areresponsible for one in every threemouthfuls of food that we eat.But all is not well. There has been adramatic and worrying decline in beenumbers in many parts of the world overthe past two decades. There is no singlecause, but a parasite called the varroamite, certain pesticides, bad weatherand loss of habitat are all thought to playa part.The impact on us could be devastatingtoo – it is estimated that it would cost UKfarmers £1.8 billion a year to pollinatecrops if bees didn’t do the work for us,leading to further rises in food costs.The good news is that we can all dosomething to help. Friends of the Earthfor example is running a ‘Bee Cause’campaign to raise awareness of theissues, and give suggestions forpractical steps we can take in ourhomes, gardens and when shopping.

For example:­• Buy local honey to support ourbeekeepers• Grow bee­friendly plants such aschives, lavender, rosemary, crocus,beans, hawthorn, or plant a smallwildflower area in your garden• Provide shelter for ‘solitary’ bees bycreating or buying bee ‘hotels’ madefrom hollow stems such as bamboo• When visiting the garden centre ornursery to buy plants, look out for theRHS ‘Perfect for Pollinators’ labelsFor lots more information and ideas, visitwww.foe.co.uk/bees or http://beekind.bumblebeeconservation.org/

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PARISH HALL MANAGEMENTCOMMITTEE MEETINGThursday 23 May 2013 at 7:30pm in theParish Hall.Regular user reps are invited to attend.

BATHFORD VILLAGE CHOIRRehearsals are every Thursdayevening at 7:45pm in the Parish Rooms.

FOUNDATION FITNESSThe Bath Rugby Foundation has recentlydeveloped a fitness programme aimed atcreating accessible fitness opportunitiesfor all community groups, and in Bathfordwill be focusing on the maturecommunity.The first session is scheduled forMonday 3 June, from 11:00am ­ 12noon at the Community Rooms,Mountain Wood but in advance of that,there will be an introductory meeting at11:00am on Monday 20 May, also in theCommunity Rooms, when Sophie Gover,the fitness trainer, will explain the formatof these exercise sessions.The cost per session is £3 per personand all proceeds will support localdisabled or socially and economicallydeprived children, impacting positively oneducational achievements and socialinteraction.For further information, please contactAnn Melville on 859294 or Sophie Goverdirect on 07843 643112.

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Diary of Events ­ May 2013

PLEASE NOTEThe deadline for receiving copy for the June 2013 Bulletin is 16 May 2013.

Please email them to: enquiries@thebathfordbulletin.orgor put them into the Bulletin Box in the Bathford Village Shop