Drumming project

A Percussion and Drumming Project for 13 to 17 year-olds is going to take place at Culverhay School, offering the chance to learn simple and complex rhythms and techniques. Drumming can be performed in its own right or as part of a group of musicians. You can join any time, just telephone 01225 473284.

Twerton boules team

The White Horse Pub at Shophouse Road has a boules piste in its rear garden, and has entered a team into a pub league with matches to be played at Queen Square in Bath. The first games are with The Bird in Hand Pub at Saltford and The Lock Keeper Pub at Keynsham.

If you would like to join the team you can come and practice at The White Horse on Sundays from 6.30pm. A boules set that you can use is kept behind the bar.

Courses & workshops

Here are some free courses by the Community Learning Service:

Credit crunch - develop the number skills and confidence to cut through the jargon and deals when shopping for food, paying the bills or balancing the weekly income. Dates to be confirmed for March. Telephone 01225 3968346.

Move on with your English - a 10 week course held at Culverhay School. The course will help you become a better speller with an opportunity to gain a qualification in English (Level 1 & 2). It starts on 29th April from 7pm to 9pm. Telephone 01225 396834 or 01225 473284.

Move on with your Maths - a 10 week course held at Culverhay School. Improve your maths skills and confidence in using numbers with an opportunity to gain a qualification in Maths (Level 1 & 2). It starts on 28th April, 7pm to 9pm. Telephone 01225 396834 or 01225 473284.

Computers for Beginners - for those who need a beginner's guide to using a computer. Courses are regularly run across the Bath area. To book a place telephone 01225 3968346.

Joe, 27/02/09

The development of local play areas has started again after the wintry weather, with a fort-style lookout post and cable run being constructed at the Brickfields (pictured below) and a swing being installed at Pennyquick Park. The plans have chopped and changed a bit as the original blueprints cost more than the budget allowed.

Woodhouse Park (at Redland Park) has already had a giant wooden spider built, and there are plans for fencing around the play area.

Improvements at the Brickfields will include a bike track, a fort-style lookout post, planting around the play area and a cable run.

At Pennyquick Park there will be a new swing and the copse will be developed to create better visibility for children playing. A picnic area is planned as well as a bike track.

Somer Housing has secured some funding to restore the play area in Roundhill Park and The Children's Society has been awarded money to spend on Hillcrest Field. On 14th March from 11am to 2p,m there will be a consultation in the field to get the views of residents as to how the field should be managed etc.

Joe, 26/02/09

On Sunday a team of litter picking Bath City Farm enthusiasts descended on the farm, determined to rid it of all the litter that builds up over the year. Equipped with grabber sticks and refuse sacks, we filled at least a dozen bags to be taken away. When people put cans and bottles in the hedgerows these objects become hard to retrieve, so please use the litter bins.

Litter pickers: Roland and Gerry

We also found larger items on the farm such as an old speaker and a couple of tyres. And how did that Homebase trolley with no wheels find its way onto the site? Two strong men were needed to carry it to the rubbish collection point. When the work was finished we enjoyed the views over the farm with homemade soup, carrot cake and mugs of tea.

Joe, 23/02/09

Last Thursday there was a Half-Term Pancake Training event for children at Bath City Farm. Adam from the Community Play Rangers cooked the pancakes with the children on an outdoor stove. Then the kids were challenged to complete an obstacle course while carring a pancake on a plate! They had to go through a net tunnel, over a see-saw and in and out of the cones.

The fastest person to do the obstacle course was Aiden, who reached the finishing line in an incredible 19 seconds. The youngest to do it was a boy called Kaden who is two years old.

Find out about weekly play sessions that the Play Ranger organise here. Adam said that the number of children attending the sessions is picking up again after the winter.

Joe, 19/02/09

A table top sale was held at Rose Cottage in Twerton High Street yesterday, in aid of the ABC Toddler Group that meets there on Mondays from 10am to 11.30am. Quite a lot of items were sold, including a play tent, books, soft toys, dolls and candles, and there will be another similar sale some time in the summer.

Caroline, Mark and Heidi organised the sale, which was held on Thursday to attract people making their way to Twerton Market. While in the High Street I took the chance to see the new charity shop. The shop raises funds for the Genesis Trust which does a lot of work with homeless and disadvantaged people in Bath.

In this the first week of opening, a number of local residents have visited the shop and made some significant donations to its cause. Shop Manager Bridget said, "It's great to have a charity shop helping people of Bath, and a lot of people missed the old charity shop that was here before."

Joe, 19/02/09

On Thursday the grocery retailer Lidl held an open day at Twerton Village Hall, for people to sample and view some of the produce it will be selling if granted planning permission to turn the old Herman Miller building into a store.

Staff explained to me how Lidl operates. Because the firm sells only a limited range of brands it is able to offer low prices on many items. For example it might sell only one brand of cornflakes, which means that this product can be bought in bulk and the discount passed on to customers. The narrow range of products means the store is less likely to harm other local retailers.

Some local people already travel to Lidl stores in Brislington and Trowbridge. Having a store in Twerton would mean they don't have to make that journey.

Joe, 19/02/09

A new Saturday Club for children aged 8 to 13 has opened for a second week at Bath City Farm. Led by Twerton Councillor Gerry Curran and Kilda from the Community Play Rangers, the focus is on having fun while learning to care for animals and nature.

Yesterday the children fed the two pigs on the farm Molly and Bertie. They also let out the chickens and ducks to roam in their paddock - something that cannot be done when no staff are present in case a fox is about. A nature inspection of the farm's ponds discovered some frog spawn in one of them.

Left: goats at the farm; right: frog spawn in one of the ponds

Some ideas for activities at the club are starting to unfold. It was found that the children liked playing with water at the pond, although wellies are needed for that. And the kids may design a treasure trail with clues around the farm.

The club is funded for 8 weeks to see if it draws enough children to continue. So if your kids get bored at weekends, now is the time to get them involved. The club is open on Saturdays from 10am to 12 noon. Telephone Bath City Farm on 01225 481269.

Joe, 16/02/09

Lidl

The Lidl grocery retailer has submitted a planning application to build a store on the site of the Herman Miller Building on the Lower Bristol Road.

Two open days have been arranged so you can sample some of the products that Lidl sells. One will be on Thursday 19th February from 10am to 5pm, at Twerton Village Hall. The other will be on Wednesday 25th February from 10am to 5pm at the Guildhall.

Weather

The snow has all melted and there doesn't seem to be any more snowy weather conditions forecast for this area. In fact it's all looking a lot like the photo of The Hollow below, sent in by Mr John Rawlings of Whiteway.

The snowfall produced some suprising effects like this other photo sent in by John here.

Dentist

The ADP dental surgery at Walwyn Close, Twerton, offers NHS treatment but still needs more patients. Some people are contacting St Michael's Practice instead, which is unable to offer NHS treatment. The number to ring for ADP is 01225 339882.

Table top sale

A table top sale will be held on 19th January from 11am to about 3.30pm, outside Rose Cottage at Twerton High Street. There will be children's toys for sale and the proceeds will be going towards the ABC Toddler Group.

Tea and Dance

Starting on 10th March, Tea and Dance mornings for people aged over 60 will take place at the Carrswood Day Centre opposite Cleeve Green, every Tuesday from 10.15am to 11.45am. Price: £1. This service is provided by Somer Housing in partnership with Bath International Dance Festival. For more information telephone 01225 339342.

Joe, 14/02/09