Big Bath Sleep-Out: At Home

Avoid the irony, sadly this year Bathโ€™s annual big sleep-out event in Alice Park cannot be for obvious reasons. But homelessness during a lockdown is no joke. Julian House and Bath Boules Charitable Trust lay down a more local gauntlet, inviting you to join in with a sleep-out in your garden, on your balcony or your kitchen floor, sticking to your household/social bubble.

Itโ€™s okay, calm down, itโ€™s not until 5th March, when hopefully weather will be more clement, a reality homeless donโ€™t get. So, to stand up against homelessness, challenge yourself to sleep out for just one night at home and help raise vital funds and awareness for men and women forced to do so every night.

Last year they provided life-changing support to over 1,400 vulnerable individuals who were experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness across Bath, Bristol, and the South West. Itโ€™s a grim realisation, that without support like this, the life expectancy of a long-term homeless person is just 45 years. By sleeping out, you can change that.

On top of everyday challenges, the on-going impact of Coronavirus has had a devastating effect on the men, women, and children in care. Collectively you can help provide the lifesaving services and support they so desperately need right now.

More details here



The Makers Exchange; DOCA Call to the Creative

Thimbles on standby, Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts are calling all creative craftspeople and makers to their new project, The Makers Exchange. Itโ€™s a new craft market celebrating the South Westโ€™s most skilled makers, and it will take place at the historic Devizes Corn Exchange on the 23rd and 24th Mayโ€ฆ.. The event offers visitors theโ€ฆ

Frome Celebrates the Life of Phil Moakes with Fundraiser at The Cheese & Grain

Fromeโ€™s Cheese & Grain will host a celebration of the life of local music promoter Phil Moakes, who sadly passed away last July, aged just 66โ€ฆ Party at the End of the World will be on Sunday 10th May and will be a special event in celebration of Philโ€™s life, alongside his family and friends.โ€ฆ

All Together Ooky; Addams Family Musical with Devizes Musical Theatre

Whether you’ve a bizarre inclination to meet the Addams Family in the flesh and figure this might be your closest opportunity, you couldn’t think of anything worse, or you’ve absolutely no opinion on the matter whatsoever, Devizes Musical Theatre’s Addams Family Musical is a must-see! Invited to the dress rehearsal yesterday, The Addams Family Musicalโ€ฆ

Katie Hopkins to Reopen Devizes Cinema in May

Picturedrone, the new owners of the old Palace Cinema in Devizes announced today that the cinema will have a grand reopening as early as May, and media personality turned controversial comedian Katie Hopkins has accepted an invitation to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated establishmentโ€ฆ. May is set to be an exciting time inโ€ฆ

Harmony Asia Can Do This

Itโ€™s a question Iโ€™ve asked Chippenham singer-songwriter Harmony Asia on each rare occasion I catch her for a chat; if sheโ€™s planning to capture a slice of her wonderful performances on record. I guess I will have to find a new request now, but judging by her debut single released today, I Could Do This,โ€ฆ

A Year into a Lib Dem Wiltshire Council; Chatting with Ben Reed

Itโ€™s a Friday, just polishing off a big boy breakfast at New Society. Got the window seat; I ponder how beautiful Devizes Market Place looks from up here, and how we often take it for granted. Thereโ€™s Ben Reed, Wiltshire Councillor for Devizes North, waving at me from below; heโ€™s coming up for carrot cake,โ€ฆ

Battle of Bishop’s Cannings Ends in Devizes Defeat

David slew Goliath with a sling and a stone. Bishop’s Cannings Parish Council used evidence, against a group of Devizes Town councillorsโ€™ more circumstantial land grab pitch, at Wiltshire Councilโ€™s Community Governance Review, and just like David, triumphantlyโ€ฆ.. More war of words than any military action, though the latter would’ve made a better scoop forโ€ฆ

How it Feels for a Bluebeard!

The first time I heard the name Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours, I presumed their sound might be folk or blues inspired. Judging a book by its cover, because while this Wiltshire collective’s debut single How it Feels might pertain such elements, I was pleasantly surprised to find it also jumping with feelgood soul…. Takenโ€ฆ

7 Hills to Trowbridgeโ€™s Old Town Hall

To clear up any confusion, Trowbridgeโ€™s old town hall is no longer the town hall, but The Old Town Hall. I have no idea, nor care to know if there’s a new town hall; that’s irrelevant. Whilst still owned by the council, it was refurbished and reopened as a charity funded arts centre and culturalโ€ฆ