Bathwick produced film “Of Oozies and Elephants” will be at the Little Cinema Bath on Monday 24th March at 18.15 (there will be a Q & A with Director Suzanne Campbell-Jones and Editor Simon Campbell-Jones after the screening)

After its early sell out at the Bath Film Festival and winning the Audience Award we urge you to book early to be assured of seeing this fascinating film about the timber elephants of Myanmar (Burma).

Oozies is Burmese for head-riders, the men who log the forests of Myanmar with elephants. Controversially the film reveals that selective logging with elephants is saving the largest remaining forests in South East Asia forests from destruction and could save all Asian elephants – wild and captive – from total extinction.

A group of scientists, led by ‘elephant lady’ Khyne U Mar, travel through this recently opened country where elephants are loved and valued. Their investigations involve weighing, measuring, blood testing and semen sampling – quite a feat with such huge animals – as they look for reasons why too many baby elephants do not survive to adulthood. There are plenty of surprises.

Telephone bookings 0871 902 5735 Website for bookings http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/The_Little/film/Of_Oozies_And_Elephants/

Reverend Peter Edwards was yesterday welcomed to Bathwick as the new parish priest. The united benefice covers St Mary’s and St John’s churches.

The service in St John’s included licensing by the Bishop of Taunton and installation by the Archdeacon of Bath. Children from St Mary’s Primary and local councillors also took part in the ceremony.

Father Peter has been a vicar for five years in Bridport, on the Dorset coast. Many of his former parishioners traveled up to Bath for his installation, helping to fill the church. Prior to his calling, Peter Edwards worked in finance, including as a consultant for a large accountancy firm. He is married and has three sons at school.

Bathwick’s previous parish priest, Father David Prothero, is now chaplain of the Magdalen Chapel on Holloway.

Father Peter Edwards is to be appointed the new priest for the parish of St Mary’s and St John’s, Bathwick.

The news is in the latest edition of the Bathwick Parish magazine, which announces his licensing in St John’s on 4th September. Peter Edwards and his family are expected to move into the rectory in August.

Best wishes to Father Edwards and his new congregations.

It is a cruel irony that global warming is leaving Britain colder this last month; climate change is diverting the jet stream. However, the sun has reached Bath at last, and I was able to walk up Bathwick Hill without a coat today.

It is appropriate, then, to mark the occasion with a view taken from my balcony, of the city in sunshine, continuing my intermittent series of good things about Bathwick. Sadly it seems that the Glum Councillors blog, from which this series springs, is no longer updated.

Walking down to the station at 7:30am I was still before the sunrise. Nonetheless, the moon was big and bright in the sky and an early dawn light was beginning to colour the horizon. I couldn’t resist stopping for a photo to add to my occassional series, good things about Bathwick. You can click on the picture for a larger version. Search for ‘good things about Bathwick’ in the search box of the right hand column to see the rest of the series. Fortunately I still caught the train on time.

It’s been a pretty varied spring, but every so often the weather improves and you get moments like these.

Continuing my occassional series of jolly photographs, here’s Bathwick Meadows in the spring sun.

Rector of St Mary the Virgin, Rev David Prothero, will be leaving Bathwick this year.

He writes in the Bathwick Parish News that he will give his last service at St Mary’s on 6th May, and will move out of the Rectory shortly after. However, he is not moving far, he will become the Chaplain of St Mary Magdalen on Holloway. A new parish priest for Bathwick is likely to be appointed in 2013.

Nicholas Coombes and David Martin thank Rev Prothero for his years of service to our community and wish him well in the future.

For those of you who tire of exhautively detailed pothole reports, we have an attractive picture of Bathwick in the evening.

Living halfway up Bathwick Hill, I have the perfect combination of a good view but without too far to walk when I head into town. Thus, every morning on my way to work I have the city spread before me. Previously it has been lit with newly risen sunlight, but recently I find myself at work before the sun has cleared Claverton Down.

This morning was particularly picturesque, however, with the mist hanging in the bowl of the city. In the foreground St Mary’s tower was set against the vapour which hid Camden and lower Lansdown, while in the background Lansdown and St Stephens were above the cloud level.

I understand that today was a fine Autumn day, but working 9-6 I never actually saw the sun. Walking home it had recently set, resulting in the pink and purple clouds pictured. Clearly the scene photographed was not that of walking up the hill, but arriving home I brought out my camera to look back and illustrate this evening’s article.

If you visited this website hoping for street furniture surveys, but instead found the dull half of a romantic novel, normal service will be resumed shortly.

This seems to be the time of year for AGMs.

Last week I was pleased to be invited to the Sydney Buildings Householders’ Association (punctuation derrived from www.sydneybuildings.org.uk) meeting at which accounts werre approved and a new committee elected. We also had quite a discussion about the proposed student accomodation and use of the tow path, both of which were very useful for me and hopefully the householders too. At one point I suggested a community clearup session along the canal; I am still working on that one but hope to be organised before it gets too cold.

The Bathwick and Widcombe Liberal Democrat Association had our AGM last week also. The local association is mainly working on social activities and fundraising right now, having recently established themselves. Our annual Summer garden party and post Christmas drinks are quickly establishing themselves a fine reputation, with other events invented regularly! Joining the Liberal Democrats is an excellent way of supporting the work that Armand and I do in Bathwick and that of Don Foster, our MP. As our many new members are finding out, it’s also a satisfying and enjoyable way to meet like-minded people; have a look at http://libdems.org.uk/get_involved.

Finally, it is the constituency party’s AGM on Friday, a slightly more formal affair of accounts and elections. Generally it attracts the more dedicated party members; plus councillors, who are expected to make the effort!