Artannes Visits Bathford
1 - 6 July 2010
If you have read the Bathford Bulletin and find this a bit repetitive then I offer my apologies! However, you will find more detail and information than it was possible to include in the Bulletin item.

Our 26 guests will arrive during the late afternoon of Thursday 1 July. They will be formally greeted at a short welcoming meeting in the Parish Hall at about 5.00pm and thereafter join their hosts for dinner. From the morning of Friday 2 July, they will embark on a programme of visits and other activities designed to entertain them.

There will be several opportunities for you to meet our guests and details are given in this Newsletter.

Finally, please book your places at any of these events by Friday 18 June at the latest.

If you need any more information, do not hesitate to ring me.

Best wishes,
Tony

Friday 2 July - Barn Dance
Join us in the Parish Hall from 7.30pm for another of these popular events. Wine and beer will be available. Get your tickets - £.8.00 or £6.00 for children under 16 - from the Village Shop or from Tony Woodcock on 859132.

The price includes a Fish & Chip Supper followed by Strawberries & Cream.

Saturday 3 July - Bathford & Artannes Pandemonium Pentathlon
Kick off - 3.00pm on the Primary School Field (Parish Hall if wet). This fun event has been designed by Kevin Marris who writes:

In celebration of eight years of achievement for the Twinning Association we intend to hold an event to rival South Africa's World Cup. The Bathford Olympics is intended to provide an alternative for people who are slightly less than enthusiastic about football. However in the interest of international relations we will restrict the occasion to one event - the Pentathlon. This event has been specially conceived to provide fun for all ages, requiring more luck than skill, very little brain power, and a sense of humour rather than athletic prowess.

There are five activities which stem from the spirit of the Olympics, but seem to have diverged a little en route from Ancient Greece to Bathford: Archery, Discus, Shot, Putting, and Steeplechase.

These events will be team activities, each team consisting of mixed ages, mixed genders, and mixed nationalities.

However, this is England with its unpredictable weather, so these activities have been modified to be played indoors if necessary. You will therefore accept that some licence has been taken with the interpretation of the games involved.

The event should take up less than 3 hours of your weekend. If you are interested in taking part, please contact Kevin Marris on 859353, or Maureen Breeze on 852444 for more details.

Sunday 4 July - Open Gardens
From 2.00pm, you will be able to visit an interesting selection of gardens in various locations. We are most grateful to the owners of the gardens for their generosity in making them available. In any order which you like, you will be able to enjoy the gardens of the Pristons in Kingsdown, Liz Townsend in the High Street, the Jacks in Titan Barrow and Susan Watkins in Manor Drive. After that you can see the gardens of the Breezes and the Chambers in Warleigh. Also in Warleigh, the Parrs have offered us access to Warleigh Weir through their garden.

In some of the gardens there will be musical entertainment.

Tea and cakes will be available at three locations, which will be shown on your ticket. It is most important that you only have tea at the place designated on your ticket. Otherwise our catering arrangements will go awry!

Tickets covering all the gardens and including tea will be £3.00 (Children under 16 £2.00). They will be available from Colin Priston (743499) or Tony Woodcock (859132).

Please note that entry will be by ticket only, and numbers will be limited for this event so book early to avoid disappointment!

Monday 5 July - A Day in Oxford
A coach has been hired to take our visitors from Artannes, along with some of their hosts. to Oxford where they will visit colleges and other places of interest. Time will be available for those requiring a little retail therapy!

We shall leave Bathford at 8.30am and return at approximately 6.00pm. It is expected that there will be about 10 spare places on the coach for anyone interested in joining us.

The cost will be £9.50 and it's first come, first served. Anyone wishing to go should contact John Lees on 859508 by 18 June.

Monday 5 July - American Supper
This will be the closing event of the visit at which we will bid farewell to our guests. It will take place in the Parish Hall from 8:00pm.

There will be no charge for entry but those attending are asked to bring a food contribution and a bottle of suitable tipple! However, please reserve places for this event by ringing Anne or Tony Woodcock on 859132 and let them know what food contribution you will bring, e.g., sweet or savoury etc.

Please note that drinks at this event will be on a 'Bring Your Own' basis.