Diary Of Events - March 2008Mondays University Of The 3rd Age – Art & Craft Workshop

2pm – 4:15pm. Parish Hall. Contact Liz Whitfield - 858862.Tuesdays Bathford Link 10:30 – 11:30am. Community Room, M. Wood.

Toddler Workshop - Music, Movement, Dance, Drama 9:45 –10:45am. Parish Hall. Tel: 01225 852889 for more info.

Box Womens Institute 2nd Tuesday of the month. 2:30pm. Selwyn Hall, Box.

Wednesdays Bathford Baby & Toddler Group 10am – 12pm. Parish Hall.Thursdays Hope & Homes For Children 10:30am – 12pm. Parish Hall.

Keep Fit Class 7:30pm – 8:30pm. Parish Hall. Cost £4.00.

Sat 1st Bathford RBL – The Johnny Desmond Duo – Popular DuoPerfect for dancers – 8:30pm - 11:30pm – Entry £3.00 – Raffle.

Weds 5th St Swithun's Church – Village Lunch – Everyone Welcome!Bathford Parish Hall – 12:30pm – 2:00pm.

Fri 7th Women's World Day Of PrayerAll Welcome! Service at St. John's Church, Batheaston. 2.15 pm

Sat 8th Bathford Youth Theatre Ensemble – Free Workshop.Please register to take part. Bathford RBL – 10:00am – 12:00pm

Weds 12th St Swithun's Church – Village Lunch – Everyone Welcome!Bathford Parish Hall – 12:30pm – 2:00pm.

Sat 15th Hope & Homes – Supper & Entertainment Bathford Parish Hall -7pm - £7 – 858042Brightest Heavens: An Anthology of Operatic HighlightsSt John's Church, Batheaston. 7:30pm. £7.00. 859320 or 852124

Bathford RBL – St Patrick's Celebration - Red Baron RoadshowDisco. Irish Stew. 8:30pm – 11:30pm. £5.00 food £3.00 without.

Thurs 20th Bathford Parish Hall Management Committee MeetingFor representatives of all regular users. Parish Hall. 8:00pm.

Sat 22nd Bathford RBL – Easter Dance - Davie J – Rock 'n' Roll KeyboardPerfect for dancers. 8:30pm – 11:30pm. £5.00 food £3.00 without.

Fri 28th Bathford RBL – Quiz Night – 8:30pm - £2.00 – Food £1.50Sat 29th Bathford RBL – Sam – The Legion's Favorite Keyboard Player

Perfect for dancers! 8:30pm – 11:30pm. Raffle. Entry £3.00.Mon 31st The Bathford Society - “Down The Garden Path”

Parish Hall. Coffee from 7:30pm. Talk starts at 8pm.

Dear Readers,

Welcome to our third issue of the new look Bathford Bulletin. We would like to take this opportunity to explain who is involved with the bulletin and to see who would like to be involved in the near future.At this time the group producing the Bulletin consists of :Editorial Team: Luke Emmett, Steve Chilcott & Ian Plain .Distribution: Martin Wright and volunteers. Before producing our first January Bulletin, Ian and Luke visited the Bathford Society's archive to look at older editions of the Bulletin and to see how it has progressed over the 100+ years of its existence. It was interesting to see it progress from a Church Newsletter, through to a four page community newsletter (sponsored by members of the village in the 50s) until it was partially funded by the Parish Council and Church in 1992 and then expanded to the 8 page edition in 2006.It has always contained items of interest to those in the community and has been free to all members within the parish.It is important at this time that we clear up a few rumours which have been circulating the village.

Firstly - there were rumours that we would be charging people to submit items into the bulletin. This is not true! The bulletin has always contained free submissions by members of the community and it is our intention to give free editorial for as long as possible. Advertising. There was talk of having the bulletin paid for with adverts to cover production costs. The Parish Council has agreed to fund the bulletin for the next two years, which will allow us to take it to the next stage and get it professionally printed and stapled so, at the present time, there is no need for advertising to cover costs. We do though envisage producing a directory that will be funded by adverts.We are keen to hear your views and opinions on having adverts in the Bulletin.This is your bulletin and we would like to hear your feedback and any help you can offer with its production.If you have any comments, ideas or complaints then email them to clerk@bathford.net, drop them in the Bulletin Box at Bathford Village Shop or post them to Bathford Bulletin c/o Bathford Parish Council, The Post Office, 54 Bathford Hill, Bathford, Bath, BA1 7SN.Best Wishes

The Bathford Bulletin Group.

The deadine for receiving copy for the April 2008 Bulletin is 15th March.Please drop your items into the Bulletin Box in the Bathford Village Shop or you

can email items to: enquiries@thebathfordbulletin.org or post enquiries to: Bathford Bulletin c/o Bathford Parish Council, Bathford Post Office, 54

Bathford Hill, Bathford, Bath BA1 7SN www.thebathfordbulletin.org

The Bathford BulletinMarch 2008

The Monthly Magazine For The Parish Of Bathford For Over 100 Years

St. Swithun’s Church BathfordThe Reverend Tim Ling. 858325.The Vicarage, 27 Church Street, Bathfordling.tim@tiscali.co.uk | www.stswithunsbathford.co.uk

Churchwardens: Gill Miller 858402 Fenella Avison 851154Readers: 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 (0-3); Children’s Church (3-10); Rock Solid Youth Group (10+).Sundays

8:15am Holy Communion10:00am First Sunday - Family Sunday

2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday - Holy Communion3rd Sunday - Morning Worship (No Communion)

6:30pm First Sunday - Holy CommunionOther Sundays Evensong

Mondays9:15-9:45am Prayer Time In Church2:00pm 2nd Monday – Service In The Community Room

Wednesdays2:30pm Holy Communion each 1st Weds after Church Family Service

House Groups Details from the Vicar, Churchwarden or Notices.From The Parish RegisterBaptisms, Weddings and Funerals are by arrangement with the VicarFunerals Roy Wilkes 18th January, 2008

The Old Chapel – High Street BathfordPastor - Paul Ivory.

01225 761954 and 07989 400606familyivory@blueyonder.co.uk

First Sunday of each month: 6pm-8pm Outreach Service, with a Guest SpeakerSecond Sunday of each month: 10:30am-noon Family ServiceSundays (except 2nd Sunday): 6:00-7:45pm Evening ServiceTuesday: 10:00am-noon Coffee drop-in

Help-line: Anyone needing help may telephone the Pastor. The Chapel is evangelical in outlook & charismatic in worship.

Prayers are offered for the sick.

Bathford Cricket ClubBathford Cricket Club will be holding a Quiz Night in the Parish Hall on Friday April 25th.The event is to raise funding for new equipment for youth cricket. Further details will follow in the April bulletin.Stan Cherry

Bathford Cricket Club will be starting indoor cricket nets on Thursday 6th

March commencing at 6.00pm until 7.00pm.The club will run 2 nets for seniors and 1 net for juniors.If you are interested in attending please contact Paul Merrett 01225 852513.Paul MerrettFor Bathford Cricket Club

India “ASHA” Dog Calendar DrawYour kind donations raised £349 for the children in the slums of Delhi, for which we are extremely grateful.The winning date drawn was 17th April, and was won by David Ingram, of Fairfield Park.Many thanks for your help and kind support.Trevor and Yvonne Francis

The Bathford SocietyThe talk on Monday 31st March will be:"Down the Garden Path".The speaker is Linda Hall, Freelance surveyor of historic buildings and lecturer.The venue is the Parish Hall as usual and starts at 8 pm – coffee from 7:30pm.David HowellsThe Bathford Society

Bathford Link NewsAt the Link AGM last November, it was suggested that the trips arranged by the organisers of the Tuesday Coffee Mornings should be more widely advertised as there were other people in the village, outside of Mountain Wood, who would like to take part. The Link Management Committee considered this matter at their last meeting and concluded there was no simple method by which they might contact all persons who might wish to take part - especially as these outings were not planned by a seasonal programme in advance.However, such issues were discussed and worked out at the weekly Coffee Mornings and, if any interested parties would endeavour to attend these events from time to time, they would be suitably informed.The outings as described above are only able to accommodate able bodied people but Link feels that there could be others, including wheelchair users, who would welcome an afternoon out in the summer months. We would be willing to consider setting up a trial event of this sort, to visit a suitable venue for afternoon tea, etc. Transport would be arranged through the usual volunteer drivers.Anyone interested in taking part should contact either Marion Wilkinson – 851473 or myself, so that we can assess the level of interest.Tony Woodcock – 859132

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Friends of Bathford School - UpdateSince September there have been various fundraising activities that have been run in order to help the School towards its £17,000 target for the completion of the new classrooms. The money that has been raised, along with unspent money from last year in the FOBS account, means that we can now allocate £12,500 towards the building project. A further £1000 approx has also been raised by FOBS in conjunction with Bathford School Charitable Trust with the 'Adopt a brick' initiative which will also go towards the building fund. There are more fundraising activities planned for 2008. We have a brand new Dyson vacuum cleaner worth over £250 to be won. It will be raffled on the 4th

April at 3.15pm in the School. Tickets are £1 each and available from the Shop.Thank you for all your supportThe FOBS Team.

The Allotment Scarecrow CompetitionOver the last few years the allotments have been running a scarecrow competition, which has proved to be very successful and great fun.It has gradually developed into four classes, a Wurzle Gummidge permanent scarecrow, one for the adults and one for children and a Speciality Class for both adults and children where anything goes, but is removed once we have all seen and admired it, say 10-14 days after.Whilst we have not specifically advertised it, it has become common knowledge in the village and we get lots of visitors who come up to see what we have been up to for the week after the judging.

We have decided this year to invite anyone who lives in the village and is interested, to build their own scarecrow and erect it on an area of the allotments which we have set aside for the purpose.The judging will take place on Saturday morning 19th April 2008.The only conditions are that you let Martin Wright or Mike Smith know of your intentions and whether it is a child or an adult and that it is removed by 14 days after the event.Ring 859454 or 858047.Martin Wright & Mike Smith

Hope And Homes For ChildrenThursdays 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th March from 10.30 to 12 noon - Coffee & Book Sales in the Parish Hall. In aid of Hope and Homes for Children.

Saturday 15th March in the Parish Hall at 7 p.m. Supper and entertainment. Tickets: £7 in aid of Hope and Homes for Children. Contact 858042.

Future news: please would you note in your diaries that, once again, Hope and Homes for Children will be organising a music weekend, which will involve all-day entertainment and events on Saturday 21st June, preceded by a piano recital at St. John the Baptist Church, Batheaston on Friday 20th June.Full details will be available shortly. Please contact Keith & Julia Masdin on 858042.Keith & Julia Masdin

Letter From The Reverend Tim LingVicar At St Swithun's Church

Dear FriendsThere is a surprising moment right at the very end of the film, ‘A Bug’s Life’ (you can see the level of high culture that exists in our house). The camera pans out and out and you see that the world of the ants in which the whole film has been played out is actually a tiny part of an area of scrub land in a park by a road on the outskirts of a major city with sky scrapers stretching away to the horizon. Only now do you see that there is so much more than their little world; only now do you gain the perspective to make sense of all that has happened.

The resurrection of Jesus is like the camera panning out and showing us that there is so much more to life than just this life. If this life is all there is, then it is frankly impossible to make any sense of so much of the pain and injustice that so many people experience.The resurrection of Jesus enables us to gain perspective on all that we experience in this life. The resurrection of Jesus is the light of the world to come breaking in to this world enabling us to see more clearly. The resurrection of Jesus offers a challenge to those for whom this life ‘works’ and who have ended up thinking that this life is all there is. The resurrection of Jesus offers comfort to those for whom this life does not ‘work’, who have known little but illness or sadness or disappointment for years and years. The resurrection of Jesus shows us the

life of the world to come - a life in which people with resurrected bodies like his will finally enjoy life in all its fullness and in which there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. The resurrection of Jesus shows us that we are not foolish to think in this way.

The apostle Paul, who so knew what it was to suffer, once wrote these words: ‘For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.’ It is the resurrection of Jesus that shows us what we hope for and that can guarantee that our hoping will not be in vain.

Happy Easter!

* * *

On Good Friday, 21st March, from 9.30am to 11am we will be holding a ‘Children’s Activity Morning’.All children from Reception to Year 6 are warmly welcome to come along and explore the meaning of Easter through craft activities, games and songs. After this anyone who wants to is welcome to join us for the walk up Little Solsbury.

Tim LingVicar At St Swithun's

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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS852486, 859007

clerk@bathford.net www.bathford.net

Annual Parish Meeting (APM) A Date For Your DiaryThe Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Monday 21st April 2008 in the Parish Rooms, Church Street at 7.30pm. Parishioners are invited to propose any matters for discussion at the APM. Please notify the Clerk in writing by post or email if there are issues that you would like to see discussed.

Neighbourhood Speed WatchThe police have invited Bathford to participate in the Neighbourhood Speed Watch programme. Under this initiative, civilian volunteers could stand at the side of the road and monitor the speed of vehicles passing through the village. Any drivers found breaking the speed limit would receive a warning about their speed. The equipment would be provided by the parish council and full training would be given. If you would be willing to volunteer to use a speed camera as part of this scheme then please contact the Clerk. If there is sufficient interest then the parish council will look further into joining this scheme.

Better Bath Forum - This is a new initiative in Bath to promote public discussion of important local issues. The first meeting will take place on 10th

March at 6pm for 6.30pm in St Michael's Church, Broad Street, Bath and will be on the subject of Expansion in Bath - how can it be managed without spoiling the city? A second meeting on 15th

April, same time and venue will discuss Traffic and Pollution - safeguarding our environment. Further details can be

obtained from the Forum website www.betterbath.org.uk.

Bath Half Marathon - The Bath Half Marathon will start from Great Pultney Street at 11am on Sunday 16th March. Widespread road closures and parking suspensions will operate on the entire half marathon course route and on venue streets adjacent to Great Pultney Street. More information about the road closures can be obtained from B&NES website www.bathnes.gov.uk, by calling 01225 422255 or emailing traffic@runninghigh.co.uk.

Illegal Use Of Birdcage Walk By Horses - Would riders please note that Birdcage Walk is a designated public footpath and is not a lawful route for horses. Riders are asked not to take their horses on to Birdcage Walk, but use the roadways instead.

Allotments Talk - B&NES are organising a programme of talks to celebrate the centenary of the 1908 Small Holdings and Allotments Act. The first talk entitled The Future of Allotments: Lessons from Japan will be given by Dr Richard Wiltshire on Thursday 13th March 2008 at 6.30pm at the University of Bath room 8 West 1.1. See the poster on the shop notice board for further details or contact the Clerk.

New Affordable Houses In Mountain Wood - The parish council has been advised by B&NES that information about these houses will become available on line in August 2008. Only then, and not before, can applicants express an interest directly to B&NES at Social and Housing Services, PO Box 3343, Bath, BA1 2HZ. Tel: 01225 396118 (Queries can be made on this telephonenumber at any time). The decisions rest

with Somer Housing, but the parish council has made it clear that it would like these houses to be let to applicants with an existing local connection. A reminder of this information will be published in future Bulletins.

Hot News! B&NES have announced that the No 1 pinch point will be removed and replaced by flashing signs. (Starting two weeks).

Date Of Next Meeting - Monday 17th

March at 7.30pm in the Parish Office, Bathford Hill.Ruth HoldingClerk, Bathford Parish CouncilBrightest Heavens:An Anthology of Operatic Highlightsby Johann Strauss, Verdi, Mozart and other composers. 7.30pm on Saturday 15th March 2008 at St John's Church, Batheaston. Tickets £7 via 01225 859320 / 852124 or RichardAHathway@Aol.Com.Proceeds in aid of Dorothy House.Relive the glories of 19th Century Italy, with stirring choruses by Verdi. Waltz to the best loved tunes from Die Fledermaus! Savour the subtle delights of Mozart, and a pantheon of other composers. Presented with the usual Opera Piccola panache, this programme will be accompanied by international pianist Maria Garcia.Richard Hathway

Bridge CottageDaphne and Jack Mackay are retiring this year so Bridge Cottage will not be opening at Easter.Thank you to all who have supported the B & B over the years.Daphne and Jack Mackay

Women's World Day of PrayerA service prepared by Christian Women of Guyana. Theme : God's Wisdom Provides New Understanding.Speaker : Reverend Alison Fry. Friday 7th March. Service at St. John's Church, Batheaston at 2.15 p.m. All Welcome - Men, Women and Young People.Barbara Jack

Thank You To John FlemingI would like to thank John Fleming, the Tenants Representative for all the help to tenants during the recent installation of Gas Central Heating in the Sheltered Bungalows at Mountain Wood.Thank you.J. Follon

Box Women's InstituteA very warm welcome to our monthly meetings in the Selwyn Hall, Box. Second Tuesday of the month 2:30pm.11th March is our AGM and Fairtrade Stall. It's not all Jam & Jerusalem, come and try us we're a friendly bunch 868911 for more info.We are having a coffee morning at Box Methodist Church on Saturday 15th

March from 10am to 12 noon. There will be a cake and Easter biscuit stall and all are welcome.Anne Haworth

Bathford BulletinThank you to Jean Law for delivering the bulletin for nearly 30 years.Martin Wright

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