Dancers from Lawn Manor Academy have brought home the title of best dancers in the South West as part of a national school dance competition the Great Big Dance Off held at the Wyvern Theatre. The dance troop of 40 pupils from across Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) from the Swindon school...
Category: General news
Victoria Art Gallery’s free upper gallery to reopen with new learning area
Victoria Art Gallery’s free-to-visit Upper Gallery will reopen to the public on 2 May, following extensive conservation work to protect the Grade II*-listed building and its collection for future generations. The reopening marks the gallery’s 125th birthday, unveiling not only a refreshed Upper Gallery but also a brand-new learning and engagement studio, The Modelling Room, and...
Garycopter’s World Record attempt for Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance
Gary MacAlister is looking to break a Guinness World Record for Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance in May – dressed as the Charity’s helicopter. The 46-year-old is aiming to claim the record for the fastest male to complete a half marathon dressed as a three-dimensional aircraft. The time to beat is two hours, eight minutes...
Bath & North Somerset Primary School Wins National Award at the Modeshift STARS Summit 2025
Chew Stoke Church School has won the National Primary School of the Year at the Modeshift National STARS Summit in recognition of their work to promote sustainable transport and active travel. Modeshift supports, inspires and champions individuals and organisations that are working to deliver interventions and strategies to improve everyday journeys. Taking place at the Royal...
Professor Ichthyosaurus offers a guide to the Petrification exhibition at the BRLSI
Hello, it’s Professor Ichthyosaurus here, your companion and guide to all things BRLSI! The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, or BRLSI for short, is a place where Science, Literature and Art come together to help people learn and smile. Grown-ups who love books, science and art can visit to watch lectures, while there are...
Bath Festivals marks 250th anniversary of Jane Austen with mystery and walking tours
Bath Festivals celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen with an evening with author Jessica Bull and a series of Austen-themed walking tours around the city where the author lived and wrote. Join Jessica Bull on Wednesday 2 April at Waterstones, Milsom Street, Bath from 7pm, when she’ll be talking about A...
Downside School announces Head Andrew Hobbs’ retirement
After seven years of dedicated leadership, Andrew Hobbs will be retiring from his role as Head of Downside School at the end of this academic year. During his tenure he has overseen significant development across all areas of school life, championed academic excellence and strengthened the school’s pastoral and boarding provision. His calm authority, individual...
Spaces available for week two of Bath Rugby Foundation’s Easter Rugby Camps
Bath Rugby Foundation is encouraging parents to sign their children up for its Easter Holiday Rugby Camps, with limited spaces remaining for the second week. Taking place at Welton Primary School, Midsomer Norton, the camps offer 5–12-year-olds the opportunity to develop their rugby skills, build confidence and enjoy team-based activities in a fun and supportive...
Royal United Hospital appeals for women to check for signs of ovarian cancer
A Wiltshire mum who was treated for ovarian cancer at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust is appealing to women to get themselves checked if they have any symptoms of the disease. Following surgery and a course of chemotherapy, Kirsty Treen, 39, from Chippenham, no longer has any visible evidence of disease, although...
Concerto!, a fun, family show, premieres at Wiltshire Music Centre
This April, audiences of all ages will be treated to the premiere of an exclusive concert at the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon, before it’s performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and at the Leeds International Piano Competition. Created by esteemed conductor Tim Redmond and world-renowned pianist Alexandra Dariescu, Concerto is an action-packed...
Lawn Manor Academy whips up a Caribbean storm for The Core
Pupils at Lawn Manor Academy in Swindon have been inspired by one of town’s top health conscious businesses and local entrepreneurs, taking part in a competition to design the latest smoothie on The Core’s menu. Founder of The Core, Kris Talikowski, visited pupils at Lawn Manor Academy as part of a career focused personal development...
Schools invited to take part in the Big Teddy Takeover for Julia’s House Children’s Hospice
Ready, teddy, go! Julia’s House Children’s Hospice is calling on people of all ages to bring their favourite soft toy into school, work or their community group for the charity’s Big Teddy Takeover. Last year, around 35 schools and groups across Wiltshire took part in the fundraising campaign to mark the national Children’s Hospice Week,...
Women to get together for Dorothy House and take on the Midnight Walk in Bath!
The Midnight Walk is returning for another year in Bath as hospices, including Dorothy House in Bradford on Avon, are facing unprecedented financial challenges across the UK. That is why the Dorothy House Hospice Care is asking the local community to come together and take on this fantastic fundraising event full of walking, talking and dancing,...
The Great Jaydini is back in Bath for magical return to Burdall’s Yard in April
The Great Jaydini’s back in Bath on 8 April at Burdall’s Yard! And when the Great Jaydini is in town, magic things start to happen! Children sit amazed and watch in wonder as handkerchiefs disappear and giant bunnies jump out of thin air, and that’s not to mention the Great Jaydini shoe clean, the Great...
Kingswood School father and son duo selected to represent Wales in hockey
A remarkable family achievement has seen father and son, James and Owen Brown, both earn spots in the Wales national hockey teams. Owen, a promising young player in the 1st XI at Kingswood, has earned a spot on the Wales U18s team. He is preparing for an exciting series against Ulster over the Easter period,...
Boys and young men asked to take part in survey to improve wellbeing services
Off The Record (OTR) Bath & North East Somerset wants to hear from boys and young men in BaNES aged 10 -25 about their experiences seeking mental health support. OTR is a mental health and wellbeing charity providing free, confidential and independent support to young people aged 10-25 across Bath and North East Somerset. The...
Free entry to Parade Gardens in Bath trialled after popular pilot event
The delights of the historic Parade Gardens in Bath will be enjoyed by visitors for free from this April, after a pilot event removing the entrance fee helped attract more than 29,000 visitors to the park. The pleasure gardens in the heart of the city are home to community events, weddings and bandstand performances and,...
From St Gregory’s to Formula 1: Alumni returns to inspire the next generation
Sixth form students at St Gregory’s Catholic College were treated to an exceptional careers talk when former student Michael Prest, now Principal Engineer – Structures at Williams F1 Racing, returned to share his experiences and extraordinary career in the world of Formula 1. Michael, who attended St Gregory’s from 2003 to 2008, shared insights from...
Downside is the top performing school for value added scores in Bath and Wells
Downside is the top performing school for value added scores in the Bath and Wells region, and has also consistently scored in the top 5% of schools across the United Kingdom, according to the latest data released by the Department of Education. Value-added (VA) performance scores provide a key measure of the impact of teaching...
Success for St Mary’s Latin and Greek students at annual competition
Eight girls from St Mary’s school in Calne recently headed off to Bryanston School in Dorset for the annual Latin and Greek Reading Competition, judged by Mr Charles Holland and Professor Llewelyn Morgan from Brasenose College, Oxford. The organisers were delighted that St Mary’s Calne entered so many students across four different categories, and it...
Wiltshire College’s new green skills centre to set new standards in sustainable construction
A new Green Skills Innovation Centre at Wiltshire College & University Centre’s Lackham campus will equip plumbers, electricians and construction companies with the sustainable expertise that will be essential for the future of the industry. With more new homes being built to environmentally friendly standards, featuring solar PV panels, solar thermal heating, air source heat...