It’s full steam ahead for this year’s Royal Bath and West Show and visitors can get right on track for it aboard their very own special steam train.

Steam Dreams, the company which organises trips on steam trains around the country, has organised an extra special day out for its customers to visit the Royal Bath & West Show at The Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset on its opening day, Wednesday, May 30th.

Passengers will embark at London’s Victoria on the morning of the show and be whisked down through Reading, Newbury and Westbury, passing the famous White Horse,  aboard the Sir Lamiel steam locomotive to Cranmore, where they can choose between a coach trip to the beautiful city of Wells or a trip to the Show – the biggest agricultural show in England. Passengers may also be picked up and set down at Clapham Junction, Staines,  Ascot or Reading.  So, sit back, relax and let the train take the strain and enjoy the romance of 1950s carriages and the beautifully restored steam locomotive.

Fares from London range from £149 for premier dining, £160 for a Family Ticket, £80 for First Class and £62.50 Standard, plus an extra £25 for the trip to the Show.  Joan Bird, Reservations Manger for Steam Dreams, is confident there will be an enthusiastic response to the offer.

“People come from all over the country to enjoy our Cathedral Express trips throughout the year and during the summer we get many tourists from all over the world. It’s not just for steam train enthusiasts. I am sure it will be an amazing day out for everyone, ” she said.

This year’s Bath and West highlights include the Dog Show – bigger and better than ever before – which will be a Premier Open Show with selected Best of Breeds qualifying for Crufts 2008.

Main ring action includes the Army Air Corps Blue Eagle Helicopter Display Team and the Band of the Royal Signals. There are extra show-jumping classes, fast and furious scurry-driving, the Inter Hunt Relay is back, plus a special pageant is being staged to mark the 60th anniversary of the British Horse Society.

And the daredevil Human Cannonball - David Smith Junior, “The Bullet” from Missouri - will be fired over 100 feet high in the air to land in the main ring! He will don his safety helmet, slide down the barrel of his cannon, begin a nail-biting countdown and then be fired high into the air into a distant landing net. Smith (30), and his father - David Smith Senior - have thrilled audiences worldwide with their breath-taking performances. This will be David Junior’s first ever appearance in the UK.

Also flying high will be French ornithologist Christian Moullec who held the crowds spellbound at last year’s Show with his incredible display of geese flying in formation behind his microlight and who makes a welcome return.

Last year’s popular Sustainability Area has been expanded into an exciting new Eco-Zone, focussing on wind, solar, biomass, biofuel, construction and green consumables - and there is also a sustainable transport challenge and parade featuring vehicles which derive their power from renewable energy.

Canoeing, the Heavy Horse Centre, the action-packed Imagineering Fair, the wild wolves, Wookey Hole’s dinosaurs and the Orkneys are also all back by public demand, and with over 1000 tradestands, the popular art exhibition, the biggest display of alpacas outside Peru, the very best of food and drink on offer and over 2,000 of the country’s finest livestock on parade, the show, sponsored by EDF Energy, is not to be missed.
   
And well as enjoying an action-packed day at the Show the Steam Dream visitors can enjoy an extra trip round the Show – aboard the Bath & West’s very own railway!

For further details about the exciting  offer contact Steam Dreams on 01483  209888 or e-mail info@steamdreams.co.uk or visit the websites www.steamdreams.co.uk  or www.bathandwest.com

The challenge has been thrown down to inventive designers across the country to come up with vehicles for the future which will help drive the way forward towards a greener future.

Show organisers are hoping for a huge turn-out of entries in the new Sustainable Transport Class at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show which takes place at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, from May 30th to June 2nd and is sponsored by EDF Energy.

Already the new competition has got the green light from innovative creators across the country – entries to date include a wide variety of vehicles from a solar-powered wheelchair and a solar auto-rickshaw, to a fuel cell boat, and a solar-powered boat.

And former Formula One World Champion Grand Prix racing driver Jody Scheckter – who is exhibiting his range of buffalo meat and ice-creams made from buffalo milk from his organic farming business Laverstoke Park -will be among the judges.

Also at the Show BBC Somerset Sound will be unveiling its brand new Sustainability Bus and launching its BBC Somerset Challenge aimed to encourage listeners and show visitors alike to take up the challenge to go greener, to change their way of lives and help save “Planet Somerset.”

The BBC is joining forces with commercial station Orchard fm to launch the Challenge which aims to turn the county carbon zero – either by encouraging people to cycle to work, or re-cycle more rubbish or change to eco-friendly lightbulbs or just look at and re-think their whole way of life.

It is the first challenge of its kind in the country and the first time a commercial station has linked up with a BBC station. Radio chiefs have high hopes that the Challenge will attract support from nearly 1/4million people – over half the county’s population.

The 32 seater bus has had the seats taken out and has been converted into a broadcasting studio, a public area and an area with work stations for staff.


The new Sustainable Transport Class will be one of the highlights of the four day Show - which is again sponsored by EDF Energy. The vehicles will all be demonstrating their capabilities in the Eco-Zone – the special area, sponsored by EDF Energy and supported by the Renewable Energy Foundation, focussing on sustainable and greener living, and where an Advice Centre manned by experts in all fields will provide information about the practical steps visitors can take to reduce carbon emissions and help save the planet.

The sustainable transport vehicles will also parade in the Main Ring on the opening day, Wednesday, May 30th at the Show which is heralded as the biggest and best in England and features four days of action-packed fun for all the family.

The unique sustainability area made its debut at the Royal Bath & West Show last year, and received immense support from a broad range of businesses and interest from the 163,000 visitors who attended.

The new ‘Eco-Zone’ has been created as a result and is set to be a strong attraction. Designed to cover a broad spectrum of issues, the Zone will feature six key areas: Wind, Solar and Geothermal; Biomass and Biogas and Co-firing; Biofuel and Clean Transport; Green Consumables and Recycling; Construction Industry and Energy Saving.

The aim of the new sustainable transport competition is to demonstrate innovation and technical progress in the design of working vehicles.

Batteries or other power storage systems can be charged on or off the vehicles provided that the electricity or power is derived from renewable energy resources

No power from fossil or nuclear fuels is allowed and all entrants will be asked to submit a list of the origins of their fuel sources.

Vehicles can be designed for use on land, sea or air, there are no limits on wheel numbers or dimensions and all land vehicles must possess adequate brakes. Water borne and air vehicles may be shown on trailers.

All vehicles must be driven by a motor that derives its power from renewable energy. The vehicles can be constructed of any form of material but consideration will be given to those entries using recyclable materials in their construction.

For further details and entry forms for the competition please contact Paul Hooper, Administrator, at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 6QN  (tel. 01749 822 200).

The entry fee for the class is £10 and entitles each applicant to two free tickets to the Show.

There’s a chance to win a fabulous fun buggy, a luxury hotel break, a magnificent Mulberry handbag and a host more super prizes in this year’s Royal Bath & West of England Society’s Grand Charity Prize Draw.

Tickets, price £1 each, are now on sale for the Prize Draw which will take place at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show and will once again raise thousands of pounds for Children’s Hospice South West and renewable energy projects.

Last year’s Draw saw an eco-friendly car donated by Noel Edmonds and a champion cheese raise thousands of pounds for Children’s Hospice South West and renewable energy projects - thanks to the generosity of the Show’s visitors and supporters.

The champion cheese was a 25 kilo traditional cheddar made by Keen’s Cheddar of Wincanton, which was later donated for auction at the show and was bought by Longmans Cheese Sales Ltd from North Cadbury, raising £425 for Children’s Hospice South West.

At the same time the Show’s Grand Draw for tickets for a QPOD car, kindly donated by TV star Noel Edmonds raised nearly £7,000 to be shared by two of the TV star’s favourite causes - the much-needed new children’s hospice for the South West and renewable energy projects in the region.

Noel Edmonds, himself a farmer and passionately concerned about sustainability and the environment, is chairman of the Renewable Energy Foundation. He hopes to visit the Show this year and give his support to the Eco-Zone which will focus on sustainable and greener living with an Advice Centre on how to help reduce carbon emissions and safeguard the planet.

The host of the hit Channel 4 show “Deal Or No Deal” is also patron of what was the South West’s only children’s hospice, Little Bridge House near Barnstaple, which was built 10 years ago and supports over 200 sick children and their families each year with respite care and help. 

And he is supporting the £15 million “Babe’s Big Appeal” for Children’s Hospice South West, the new hospice at Charlton Farm on the Tyntesfield  Estate at Wraxall near Bristol, which will double the provision of care and respite available in the region when it opens to families later this month (April 2007) . More than 1000 children in the region currently face life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses.

The state of the art new hospice, which will cost £3 million a year to run, will provide tender loving care for sick children and support for their families. There will be individually designed children’s bedrooms, rooms for parents and siblings to stay in too, a Jacuzzi with special hoists, and round the clock care by staff. Other facilities include a soft play room, a messy room, a computer room and a sensory room all designed to make their time there extra special.

This year’s top prize in the Draw is a fabulous Fun Buggy donated by the QPOD Motor Company, from Honition,  Devon.  Second prize is a luxury overnight stay at Ston Easton Park with dinner and breakfast, kindly donated by Ston Easton Park, plus the unique opportunity to spend the morning in the kitchen with the chef!

Other super prizes include a Mulberry Leather Handbag, worth £500 and kindly donated by Mulberry, tickets to the Glastonbury Extravaganza, and a balloon ride donated by the Royal Bath & West Show’s sponsors EDF Energy.

Anyone wanting to buy tickets and help raise funds for two worthy causes - the Children’s Hospice South West and the Royal Bath & West of England’s renewable energy projects - should contact Diane Abbott on 01749 822215, or e-mail: diane.abbott@bathandwest.co.uk.

For full details of what’s happening at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show which takes place at the Bath & West Showground from May 30th to June 2nd, ring the Showground on 01749 822 200 or visit www.bathandwest.com

Record horse entries have given preparations for this year’s Royal Bath & West Show a huge boost.

With show-jumping entries not due to close until May 2nd,  the numbers of horses already entered for the biggest and best agricultural show in England are already at 1940 – that is a staggering 150 more than the last highest figure of 1790 recorded way back at the 1990 show.

And with show-jumping entries expected around the 300 mark, new classes, the fast and furious scurry-driving, Horse of the Year Show qualifiers, the popular Inter-Hunt Relay, the Heavy Horse Centre, the Pony Club Games and a special parade to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the British Horse Society, organisers are confidently looking forward to welcoming over 2,500 horses to the Show for four days of equestrian excitement not to be missed.

A wide variety of horses are competing from Hunters, Cobs and Sports Horses to Native Ponies and Heavy Horses, from Appaloosas and Arabs to Shetlands and Shires.

And Renault, long-time supporters of the Royal Bath and West Show, have come forward with an extra boost this year. The Show is the scene for the second event in the new 2007 Renault Jump showjumping series which is spanning nine of the country’s  top county shows this summer, offering riders over £80,000 worth of prizes.

Meanwhile entries all round in the livestock classes are buoyant, with huge increases in the Devon, South Devon and British Simmental classes in particular for the Show which takes place at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset from May 30th – June 2nd.

Organisers put the increase largely down to the huge success of the new Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair at the Showground before Christmas which encouraged many new exhibitors to come forward, and also to the fact that some of the country’s top judges will be casting a critical eye over the entries.

And, not to be outdone, the goats are making their mark too – with the Pygmy Goat Association celebrating its 25th anniversary in big style at the Show.

“Entries for horses have just exploded,” said livestock and entries officer Ange Harper. “People appreciate that this is a very prestigious show to win at.”

 Entries all across the board are extremely good. Over 10,000 entries are expected in the vast range of competitions – from alpacas to zwarbtles, from the tiniest hen’s egg to the magnificent heavy horses, and from the most beautiful artwork to the tastiest cheeses and cider!

Show manager Alan Lyons said: “We have phenomenal entries this year and an action packed programme for all the four days. It all looks set to be a great show, and it’s now fingers crossed for fine weather.”

Over 160,000 people are expected to the Show which is sponsored again by EDF Energy and where highlights include the Dog Show – bigger and better than ever before – which will be a Premier Open Show with some of the Best of Breeds qualifying for Crufts 2008.

Main ring action includes the Army Air Corps Blue Eagle Helicopter Display Team and the Band of the Royal Signals. And the daredevil Human Cannonball - David Smith Junior, “The Bullet” from Missouri - will be fired over 100 feet high in the air to land in the main ring! He will don his safety helmet, slide down the barrel of his cannon, begin a nail-biting countdown and then be fired high into the air into a distant landing net. Smith (30), and his father - David Smith Senior - have thrilled audiences worldwide with their breath-taking performances. This will be David Junior’s first ever appearance in the UK.

Also flying high will be French ornithologist Christian Moullec who held the crowds spellbound at last year’s Show with his incredible display of geese flying in formation behind his microlight and who makes a welcome return.

Canoeing, the Heavy Horse Centre, the action-packed Imagineering Fair, the wild wolves, Wookey Hole’s dinosaurs and the Orkneys are also all back by public demand, and with over 1000 tradestands, the Bath & West Railway, the popular art exhibition, the very best of food and drink on offer and the country’s finest livestock on parade, the show is not to be missed.

The talents and tastes of the regions are highlighted again with Wealth of Wiltshire, Celebrating Somerset, and Best of Bath showcasing the best of the West. The Alpaca classes have been extended to run over three days instead of one and a half – making the show the venue for the largest gathering of alpacas outside Peru.

Last year’s popular Sustainability Area has been expanded into an exciting new Eco-Zone, focussing on wind, solar, biomass, biofuel, construction and green consumables - and there is also a sustainable transport challenge and parade featuring vehicles which derive their power from renewable energy.

For full details ring the Bath & West Showground on 01749 822 200. Advanced saver tickets are available now on the credit card hotline on 01749 822 222, price £16 for adults or £13 for senior citizens and concessions.

Each adult saver tickets allows two children aged 15 and under into the show for FREE.

On the gate  prices are £20 for adults, £16 for senior citizens and concessions, £6 for children or £42 for a family ticket for two adults and three children.

Marlene, the Friesian cow, is all spruced up with her bags packed – all ready for the off to the cream of the country’s shows!

And while she waits patiently for her pick-up from Bristol Airport she hopes to milk plenty of interest for this year’s Royal Bath & West Show which takes place at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, from May 30 to June 2.

Marlene has pride of place in the airport for a couple of weeks in the run-up to this year’s Show as part of the Airport’s recently launched “Sense of Place” which aims to enhance the environment for passengers and visitors, while at the same time providing a platform for local companies, artists, performers, producers and suppliers - drawing attention to the best that the South West has to offer.

Marlene, kindly lent to the Bath & West by Kingfisher Veterinary Practice from Martock, is the latest addition to the show’s marketing team. And she is accompanied at the Airport by a tractor loaned by Rob Uphill, agricultural engineers from Chewton Mendip.

The duo will be in place from now (May 8th) until May 25th, and visitors can enter a prize draw for free Show tickets while they are there. And on May 18th Bath & West staff will be out in force at the Airport for the day promoting the Show and encouraging Airport visitors to enter a competition to find Marlene’s hidden micro-chip and win tickets to the Show, now heralded as the biggest and best in England.

When her promotional work is done Marlene will be hot-footing it to join her pals at the Show which boasts a record of 2,600 livestock and 2,404 horse entries, and where the hundreds of exciting features include the Human Cannonball making his debut appearance in the UK, the biggest gathering of alpacas outside of Peru, the Eco-Zone focussing on how to save the planet, the Orkney Islands Village, helicopter displays, geese flying in formation behind a microlight, the finest food and drink, and over 1000 tradestands. 

For full details about the Show call 01749 822 200. Advanced saver tickets can be booked from now until May 24th on the website or by ringing the credit card hotline on 01749 822 222.

Daredevil Human Cannonball David Smith Junior is preparing for his first ever UK appearance at the Royal Bath & West Show

Thousands of show-goers are expecting to be thrilled by his death-defying antics at England’s biggest agricultural show which takes place at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset from May 30th to June 2nd.

“The Bullet” from Missouri will be fired over 100 feet high in the air to land in the main ring.  He will don his safety helmet, slide down the barrel of his 35ft long 10,000lb cannon, begin a nail-biting countdown and then be fired high into the air at speeds of up to 50mph into a distant landing net.

David Smith Junior (30), and his father - David Smith Senior - have thrilled audiences worldwide with their breath-taking performances.

And David Smith Junior’s performance will be witnessed by over half a million people in Britain this summer thanks to a unique collaboration of four major English county shows joining forces to book the world-renowned act as centrepiece of their outdoor entertainment programme.

 “The Bullet” expects to be flying higher and farther out of his cannon than has ever before been witnessed in Europe. It calls for bravery, strength and skill - his most impressive shot to date is over the Grand Canyon!

David says: “I am expecting each of these shows to be special to us and I will do my best to make something special for them. I can ensure that each of these cannon shots will be bigger and higher than any other in European history.”

 “The Bullet’s” first appearance is at the four day Royal  Bath & West Show, sponsored by EDF Energy, but he will also be performing at the  Royal Cornwall Show (7th-9th June), the Three Counties Show (15th-17th June) and the Royal Norfolk Show (27th and 28th June).

Other Main Ring action at the at the Royal  Bath & West Show includes a special parade to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the British Horse Society, the Army Air Corps Blue Eagle Helicopter Display Team and the Band of the Royal Signals, and over 2,000 of the country’s finest livestock on show.

Also flying high will be French ornithologist Christian Moullec who held the crowds spellbound at last year’s Show with his incredible display of geese flying in formation behind his microlight and who makes a welcome return.

And the Wurzels will be performing their  new version of their hit “I Am A Cider Drinker” on the first day of the Show.

Canoeing, The Dog Show, the Heavy Horse Centre, the action-packed Imagineering Fair, the wild wolves, Wookey Hole’s dinosaurs and the Orkneys are also all back by public demand, and with over 1000 tradestands, the Bath & West Railway, the popular art exhibition, and the very best of food and drink on offer, the show is not to be missed.

The talents and tastes of the regions are highlighted again with Wealth of Wiltshire, Celebrating Somerset, and Best of Bath showcasing the best of the West. The Alpaca classes have been extended to run over three days instead of one and a half – making the show the venue for the largest gathering of alpacas outside Peru.

Last year’s popular Sustainability Area has been expanded into an exciting new Eco-Zone, focussing on wind, solar, biomass, biofuel, construction and green consumables - and there is also a sustainable transport challenge and parade featuring vehicles which derive their power from renewable energy.

For full details ring the Bath & West Showground on 01749 822 200. Advanced saver tickets are available now on the credit card hotline on 01749 822 222, price £16 for adults or £13 for senior citizens and concessions. Each adult saver tickets allows two children aged 15 and under into the show for free. On the gate  prices are £20 for adults, £16 for senior citizens and concessions, £6 for children or £42 for a family ticket for two adults and three children.

Top names judging the numerous livestock classes have attracted excellent entries across the board at the forthcoming Royal Bath & West Show  (May 30th - 2nd June).

Heading up the Aberdeen Angus classes is John Coultrip, from Kent, past Chairman of the Royal Smithfield Club. The Angus classes provided last year’s Supreme Champion from Colin Hutchings from South Somerset. The honour of judging the Interbreed has fallen into the capable hands of Ian Campbell of “Thrunton Charolais” fame from Northumberland, meanwhile brother John Campbell will cast his expert eye over the Suffolk classes.
 
Judges from Scotland this year will feature greatly in the various Championships. In the Interbreed Sheep Hugh Veitch, from Eyemouth, Berwickshire will have the mammoth task of selecting  Shortwool, Longwool and Mountain Champions to reach the eventual Supreme Champion. Texels have always strong classes at Shepton Mallet - John Forsythe, owner of the sale topping “Glenside Flock”, will assess the quality of their large classes.

One breed, who  although far from their origins have supplied numerous Interbreed Champions, are the Scotch Blackface, who will have the opportunity to have one of the “first” ladies of “Blackies” award the rosettes to worthy recipients at the four day Show, which takes place at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, from May 30 to June 2.
 
The Pig section, now one of the best exhibitions of pedigree pigs in the country, has an international flavour with Peter Le Bas from New Zealand selecting the Pairs Champions. Northern Ireland is the home of Mr Robert Overend who will judge the Supreme Champion and also the pig to represent the Royal Bath & West at the “Pig of the Year” final held at the Great Yorkshire Show in July.

Chief Steward of Livestock Edwin White said the Show, which  is sponsored by EDF Energy, would enjoy the highest number of livestock entries since foot and mouth hit the country and forced the cancellation of the Show in 2001.

He told the council meeting of the Royal Bath & West of England Society this month: “Over the last 60 years our highs were towards 3,000 livestock entries and our lows 1,500 – this year we have 2,600 entries which means we are getting back to the highs of the 1960’s and 1970’s which we should all be very pleased about.”

The Show takes place at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, from May 30th to June 2nd - for full details and  tickets please ring 01749 822 200.

Horses galore at the Royal Bath & West Show
 
The Royal Bath & West Show (30th May – 2nd June) this year will be bursting at the seams with entries and displays of various equines and their raison d’etre. A record entry of over 1900 ridden and in hand spread over the four days will keep all rings and stewards busy. Sports Horse entries show a steep rise from 27 entries last year to over 70 to be assessed by Olympic gold medallist Richard Meade OBE.
 
With the 2007 Renault Jump and the Pessoa Qualifier, Show Jumping entries have increased, so much so that some classes have been limited to get through the extensive Main Ring timetable. Showground staff have been watered the ring since the start of the month to provide the perfect going for the 350 plus entries.
 
One of the Main Ring displays will be a special Parade celebrating the British Horse Society’s  Diamond Jubilee. Organised by Somerset BHS Chairman Sally Whittaker the Parade will feature the history of the horse in the last 60 years ranging from the last Pit Ponies to local hero Earthmover. Highlight of the event will be the Norwich Union Coach kindly brought to Shepton Mallet by John Parker, and also representing Driving will be Amanda Saville of  “Chariots of Fire” fame with her exciting routine.
 
The finally equine ingredient to this horse orientated Show will be Trade Stand judges Jane Tuckwell from Badminton and Liz Inman from Burghley who will cast a critical eye over the 700 plus stands. “Normally the task would be performed by fellow Show Secretaries, but with the Equine flavour at this year’s Show, it seems only appropriate to invite Jane and Liz, as the retail side of the equine events has become a large part of their success,” said Show Manager Alan Lyons.

A total of 1,666 horses which equals 2013 entries coupled with the show-jumping entries means there are 1994 horses in all competing at  the Show – that is a staggering 204 more than the last highest figure of 1790 recorded way back at the 1990 show.

And with new classes, the fast and furious scurry-driving, Horse of the Year Show qualifiers, the popular Inter-Hunt Relay, the Heavy Horse Centre, the Pony Club Games and the British Horse Society’s 60th anniversary parade, organisers are confidently looking forward to welcoming nearly 2,500 horses to the Show for four days of equestrian excitement not to be missed.

The Show takes place at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, from May 30th to June 2nd and full details and tickets can be obtained on-line or from 01749 822222.

Two actors will step inside specially-constructed pods to demonstrate energy ‘heaven and hell’ at the Royal Bath & West Show.  They will climb inside the pair of transparent pods and then ‘live’ in them each day of the show, which runs from May 30 to June 2, interacting with curious onlookers. At first glance the pods appear to be two identical rooms, but on closer inspection they - and their inhabitants - reveal two very different attitudes to using energy.

EDF Energy, the main sponsor of the show, is unveiling the pods to encourage visitors to save energy and adopt a greener way of living. They will be part of the show’s Eco-Zone, a new area promoting a wide range of sustainable initiatives during the event.

Peter Thorn, EDF Energy’s Head of Innovation and Partnerships, said: “The pods are different and certainly attention-grabbing. It will be the first time they have been unveiled to the public. They’re fun but there’s a very serious message behind what we are doing. One pod sets out an energy efficient way of living, the other shows just how easy it is to end up wasting energy and harming the environment unnecessarily.”

The showcase exhibition is part of the company’s wider ‘green’ investment in the local area. The EDF Energy Green Fund, part funded by customers on EDF Energy’s green tariff, has seen grants of more than £140,000 made towards five renewable energy projects* nearby, including the Bath & West’s own boiler powered by recycled wood pellets. Across the South West, EDF Energy has invested £1.4m in 72 separate green projects from the Fund, more than in any other region.

Visitors can spot the differences between each pod and enter a daily competition to win a family energy efficiency hamper worth up to £2,000. The hamper includes a range of eco-friendly products such as kitchen appliances and insulation as well as energy saving light bulbs, solar garden lights, a wind-up DAB radio and a solar mobile charger.

Hilary Walkman, sponsorship and pr manager for EDF Energy, said; “The Royal Bath & West Show is the perfect place to showcase the new eco-stand as it attracts over 160,000 visitors of all kinds from a region which is already pioneering a wide range of green initiatives.  The EDF Energy stand has been designed to show the importance of energy-efficient living in a fun and interactive way and shows just how easy it is to save energy.  So come along, pick up some tips and find out how you can save money as well as the environment.”  

The ‘Eco-Zone’ – made up of six separate areas covering wind, solar, biomass, clean transport, construction and green consumables - features a wide range of eco-friendly initiatives. These include a parade of vehicles powered by sustainable energy, the ‘Go Green, Ask Us’ advice centre, Bridgwater College Cannington Centre’s carbon footprint competition and display of a rare specimen from one of the world’s oldest living trees - the Australian Wollemi Pine, as well as BBC Somerset Sound’s new broadcast bus and green challenge to save ‘Planet Somerset’.

The EDF Energy Green Energy Fund rewards charitable, education and non-profit community organisations with grants to install innovative renewable energy schemes producing power from the sun, wind, water and other renewable sources.

The fund provides grants of up to £30,000 for renewable energy projects at a community level.

Local projects within a 16 mile radius of the Royal Bath & West Showground

The Royal Bath and West of England Society won a £30,000 grant through EDF Energy’s Green Energy Fund to invest in a green biomass   boiler heating system at the showground’s Edmund Rack Pavilion, in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. The boiler will be powered by recycled wood pellets.

Folly Farm received a grant of £5,000 for a wind feasibility study.
 
Tellisford Mill in Frome are part of the Mendip Power Group who received a £50,000 grant to install hydro-power turbines.
 
Carrymore Environmental Trust in Castle Cary received £25,000 for a wind turbine
Ansford Community School in Castle Cary were awarded £30,000 for a wind turbine
EDF Energy is one of the UK's largest energy companies. We provide power to a quarter of the UK's population via our electricity distribution networks in London, the South East and the East of England. We supply gas and electricity to over 5 million customers through our retail brands of EDF Energy, London Energy, Seeboard Energy and SWEB Energy. We generate about 5GW of energy from our coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company is also a key player in national infrastructure projects, including the electrical upgrading of the London Underground, management of private electricity networks serving four London airports and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the country's first new railway in 100 years. We employ nearly 12,000 people at locations across the UK. EDF Energy is a core part of EDF Group, one of the world's largest power companies.
 
EDF Energy sponsors and supports a range of community events in the South West, including the Bristol Harbour Festival, Royal Bath and West Show and Exeter Summer Festival. Through our Helping Hands scheme, hundreds of staff act as volunteers, working with numerous local charities and other community organisations across the South West. We have also awarded numerous grants, totalling around £1.4m so far, towards renewable community projects in the South West through our Green Fund.

THE IMAGINEERING FAIR once again returns to the Royal Bath & West Show at Shepton Mallet  - the ideal place to keep the youngsters occupied this forthcoming holiday week. There will be scores of free, fun activities for 8-16 year olds with some exciting new projects where they can learn how things are designed, how they are made, how they work and the importance of modern engineering in our everyday life.
Manufacturing and CADCAM; automotive and robotics; submarines to aerospace – and everything in between – there is something for everyone with opportunities to explore the creative possibilities of science, engineering and technology and for close-up, hands-on inspection of some fascinating technology used in production and defence.
Youngsters can:
•    learn about aerospace and flight;
•    understand pneumatics;
•    tackle mechanical challenges;
•    make and fly their own rocket or plane;
•    learn about marine engineering and life at sea in today’s modern ships;
•    practise navigation skills and learn about buoyancy;
•    take up communications challenges and learn about ciphers and codes;
•    discover where petrol comes from;
•    get hands-on with robots;
•    discover the world of optics and lasers;
•    sit in a real helicopter as well as experience all the thrills of flight in the helicopter and Typhoon fighter simulators.

•    AgustaWestland Schools Challenge – featuring Stanchester School from Stoke-sub-Hamdon and Bucklers Mead School from Yeovil are competing twice a day every day in challenging engineering projects.

•    One extra special event this year is the Southwest Regional Final of the Junior Engineer for Britain K’Nex Schools Challenge, to be held on Friday 1 June. The final involves teams from schools from Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and the Wessex region covering Wiltshire, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Imagineering is a special initiative aimed at encouraging young people to consider engineering as a future career by capturing their enthusiasm at a young age and this year’s Fair will also highlight Imagineering Clubs - out-of-school Clubs for youngsters to go ‘imagineering’ all year round.

The Imagineering is supported by SWRDA together with AgustaWestland, Aimhigher, Airbus UK, Army-Technical & Logistics, BMT Defence Services, Bournemouth University, City of Bristol College, EEF Western, Fleet Air Arm Museum, Flights of Fancy, Gloucestershire Setpoint, Gooch & Housego, Greenpower Cars, Imagineering Clubs, IMarEST, IMechE, RAeS, REME, Royal Bath & West of England Society, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, SouthWestMAS, Thales, University of West of England, Vetco Gray Controls, Walking with Robots, WEAF, Year in Industry, Yeovil College (as at time of going to press).



For more information about Imagineering :
Joy Smith   M: 07785 707151  E:  joy.jcm@btinternet.com  
or check out the web site: www.imagineeringweb.co.uk

It was cheers all round for a group of amateur cider-makers from Kington, near Thornbury, Bristol, at the Royal Bath and West Show last week when they entered the competition “just  for a laugh” ….and won a top prize!

Five families from the village joined forces to pick and press its own local cider apples and formed the Kington Cider Company to produce  around 400 gallons of year mainly for their local cider festival, and their own consumption.

When they heard about the prestige Orchard and Cider Competitions at the Royal Bath & West Show they entered their cider on a whim – and were absolutely delighted to win the champion Farmhouse Cider Award.

The delighted five families  involved - 11adults and 40 children – celebrated again in fine style on Sunday when they paraded their cup aboard a tractor festooned with ribbons through their village to the cheers of onlookers.

Success for Taunton & District Canine Society at their first Premier Dog Show held at the Royal Bath & West Show over the first three days and generously sponsored by Eukanuba

From a bumper entry of just under 1,800 from 1,348 actual dogs made this lovely show a must see for the thousands of visitors attending.

The final Best in Show was judged by Mr John Carter, who awarded this accolade to the Boxer, Muptar a Lark in the Park with Xandene, which had previously topped a record entry.

Dr Ruth Barbour had earlier judged the Thelma Wine Memorial Puppy Stakes, then very kindly presented the trophy on the day.  Dr Barbour then judged the Bath & West Open Stakes.

In the photo from left to right:
Mrs Jackie Norris (Secretary) Mr John Carter (judge), Mrs Morison (dog's owner), Mr Bob Wine (Chairman), Dr Ruth Barbour, Mr Mike Bloxsome (representing the sponsors, Eukanuba).

Results may be found on the Bath & West Show results section.

One of the country’s most popular and unsung heroes in the cider industry has been recognised with a top award.

Nick Bradstock (60), from North Curry, near Taunton, whose skills as a lobbyist are widely credited for the duty freeze cider enjoyed for several years, was presented with the Royal Bath and West’s Gold Medal for a lifetime’s contribution to the cider industry at last week’s Royal Bath & West Show.

Mr Bradstock was born in one of Bristol’s most famous pubs – the Coronation Tap in Clifton - the son of a Taunton Cider sales rep. And so it was only fitting that a career in the cider industry would beckon.

He joined the Taunton Cider Company and worked his way up to become Assistant Cider Maker, before moving into product development . In the 1990s he moved into marketing  and in 1995 he joined the National Association of Cider Markers in the role of technical customs and general advisor.

He is the UK representative on the AICV, the Association of the Cider and Fruit Wine Industry of the EU, and was its President until last year.

Announcing the award John Thatcher, chairman of Thatchers Cider Company said no-one has done more to guide and protect the cider industry than Mr Bradstock, and it was an award thoroughly well deserved. He said: “He has filled his role at the NACM to the benefit of all of us and can always be counted on for his integrity and considered opinion.”

The award was a complete surprise to a delighted Mr Bradstock, who heard his name announced just as he had completed the judging of the Fruiterers’ Cup for the Supreme Champion Cider. As ever, details of the recipient were kept a closely guarded secret until the presentation in the Orchards and Cider Marquee which was made by MP Bill Wiggin, the Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.
 
Mr Wiggin, himself a big cider fan and Chairman of the Parliamentary Cider Group, said he was delighted to present the award and be able to attend the Show that he has loved coming to ever since he was a boy.

And he praised Mr Bradstock for his huge contribution to the cider industry. “There could not be a more deserving person for this award,” he said. “Nick is Secretary to the PCG and so I work with him closely and know him well.”

An emotional Mr Bradstock said the award was doubly important because it had been given to him by people whom he greatly respected and admired and whom he had worked with for a very long time.

Bad weather on the first two days failed to deter thousands of people descending on this year’s Royal Bath and West Show.

Over 152,000 people came from all over the country to enjoy the four day show – sponsored by EDF Energy and packed full of action-packed entertainment, education, farming and fun.

Attendance was just over 10,000 down on the 2006 Show – but that show had enjoyed four days of glorious weather and the biggest gate of 163, 170 for 28 years – so organisers were far from disappointed.

As the weather picked up, so did the crowds. And this year’s show was a real hands-on and have-a-go experience – hundreds of show-goers tried a range of experiences they had never had the opportunity to sample before, from canoeing to stone masonry and from roller-blading to thatching.

Highlights of the Show were the spectacular  airborne displays  - from Human Cannonball Dave Smith’s death-defying explosive displays out of the mouth of a cannon to land in a  huge net in the main ring, to the wonders of French ornithologist Christian Moullec’s microlight display with his cranes, and the amazing display by the Army Air Corps Blue Eagle Helicopter Display Team.

The Dog Show was bigger and better than ever before and was a Premier Open Show with selected Best of Breeds qualifying for Crufts 2008.

There were extra show-jumping classes, including the prestigious Renault Jump, fast and furious scurry-driving, Pony Club Games, Hound Parades, and the Inter Hunt Relay was back, plus a special pageant was staged to mark the 60th anniversary of the British Horse Society.

HRH The Duke of Kent visited the Show on Friday, June 1st and presented various awards.

The Heavy Horse Centre, the action-packed Imagineering Fair, the wild wolves, The Wurzels singing their new version of their hit “I Am A Cider Drinker”, and the Orkney Islands were all back by public demand, - the Orkney islands won best feature at the Show.

And with over 1000 tradestands, the Bath & West Railway which carried an amazing 6,525 passengers over the four days, the popular art exhibition, the fun and fact-finding Family Trail, a wealth of award-winning ciders and cheeses,   the very best of food and drink on offer and over 2,000 of the country’s finest livestock on parade there was something to entertain everyone.

There was extreme action all the way at the Dairylea Freestyle Action arena where the professional extreme sports crew Team Extreme performed  and also guided youngsters through a range of urban sports that included skate-boarding, in-line skating, BMX-ing and pogo-ing.

Their show-stopping stand won the Best Tradestand Award stand award – a feather in the cap also for local Pilton-based Serious Structures who constructed it.

The talents and tastes of the regions were highlighted again with Wealth of Wiltshire, Celebrating Somerset, and Best of Bath showcasing the best of the West. The Alpaca classes were extended to run over three days instead of one and a half – making the show the venue for the largest gathering of alpacas outside Peru. And the Pygmy Goat Club was celebrating its 25th anniversary at the Show in big style.

It was celebration time also for Royal Bath & West of England Society Administrator Paul Hooper who received a surprise presentation of a port decanter commemorating his 30 years of working at the Showground.

Last year’s popular Sustainability Area was expanded into an exciting new Eco-Zone, focussing on wind, solar, biomass, biofuel, construction and green consumables - and there was also a sustainable transport challenge and parade featuring vehicles which derive their power from renewable energy.

Sensible, serious, weird  and wild, wondrous and wacky – and one of the rarest trees in the world – there was something to amaze and astound everyone in the Eco-Zone, from a solar powered rickshaw  to ice cream made from buffalo milk from former Formula One World Champion Grand Prix racing  driver Jody Scheckter’s organic farm.

Jody was exhibiting with his range of buffalo meat from his organic farming business Laverstoke Park  and was one of  the judges of the new competition down in the Eco-Zone at the Show where the message was all about learning how to live a greener lifestyle, and Noel Edmonds as chairman of the Renewable Energy Foundation provided the commentary for the Sustainable Transport Parade.

There were also competitions to help visitors understand the impact of greenhouse gasses and the carbon footprint.

Show manager Alan Lyons said the show’s  high advance ticket sales had indicated a bumper turnout and the he was thrilled with the final result after such a grim start with the weather at the beginning of the show.

“It was great to see so many visitors and so many happy winners and exhibitors. I am sure a few people might have looked out  of their bedroom windows earlier in the week and decided not to come until  the weather picked up but there are always our loyal followers who turn out and support us whatever the weather which is great.”

It was, he said, still a traditional agricultural show but now combined with the added attraction of a variety of very different entertainments and features which drew in the crowds.  “We are now a rural promotion and entertainment business. As times move on we have a different audience from years ago but the townspeople who come here have the chance to speak to farmers face to face about where their beef and milk comes from and how it is produced.”

Mr Lyons added; “There were great livestock entries and the horses were spectacular this year.  It was a really good show and we had some great attractions both inside the main ring, inckluding the Human Cannonball making his European debut here and some great new features outside the ring – such as the Eco-Zone.”

Two Dorset artists won the judges accolades and the praise of the thousands of visitors at the Royal Bath & West Show.

Emma Trenchard, from Whitchurch Canonicorum, Bridport, Dorset, who at only 16 and studying her GCSE’s was one of the youngest winners ever, came second in the popular Art Exhibition at the Show which attracted 269 entries.

And in third place in the exhibition sponsored by Rathbones was David Atkins, from Dorchester, Dorset with “Evening near Knocknarea, Sligo”.

First prize of £750 went to Martin Bentham from Blagdon, North Somerset with his highly acclaimed painting of Mendip Farm Buthcers

The awards were presented by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent who visited on the third day of the Show, sponsored by EDF Energy,  which attracted over 152,000 visitors.
ends

Six workers, who between them have notched up 289 years of dedicated service in agriculture, were honoured with Long Service Awards at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show.

Each year the Royal Bath & West of England Society accepts nominations from members of the Society for the Long Service Awards, which were this year presented by HRH The Duke of Kent when he visited the Show on Friday (June 1st).

Mr Robert Gardiner from North Hill Farm, Tunley, near Bath, took over his family farm when he was 21 when his father died suddenly, and has contributed to conservation and tree planting while successfully keeping up with modern farming methods over  53 years of service. He has dedicated his life to the countryside around him and was nominated by Coral Gardiner.

Somerset award winners were John Coombes, from Butts Close, Williton, (40 years service) Cathy Snook, from Top Street, Pilton, (41 years service)  Ivor Hancock from North Petherton (58 years service), Peter Edmonds, from West End View, South Petherton (49 years of service) and Alan Cottle, from Marston Road,  Frome (48 years service).

Mr Coombes has been an estate worker for the Theed family at the historic  Combe Sydenham Hall and Country Park, at Monksilver, Near Taunton with responsibilities for all buildings, including a Grade 1 listed house. Other enterprises on the estate include deer in the park and fish farming in the monastic ponds which he helped restore.

Miss Cathy Snook from Pilton joined the veterinary practice of Mr L P Stafford in Shepton Mallet in 1960 as an assistant receptionist and animal nurse. As the practice developed during the 1970’s she became the administrator of the farm animal department of Eddy, Williamson and Partners and later of Shepton Veterinary Group.

In that role she was the fulcrum for communication between the farmer clients of the practice and the veterinary partners as well as ensuring the farm section of the practice ran smoothly. Nominated by local vet Roger Eddy, Miss Snook is well known to most if not all of the farmers around Shepton Mallet and has made a significant contribution to local agriculture during the last 40 years.

From an early age Ivor Hancock from North Petherton learnt to lay hedges, and learnt the art of rural crafts, making chairs and stools. Now he passes on his considerable skills running adult workshops and teaching children in  schools. Nominated by Mr Walter Edwards from Chard, Ivor also makes baskets from hedgerows and willow.

Ploughman and tractor driver Peter Edmonds from South Petherton has always worked in  agriculture and has had just two employers in his 49 years of service, both in South Petherton. He was nominated by Mr Tim Vaux who praised him for his loyalty and professionalism and for the pride he always takes in his work.

Alan Cottle from Frome began work in the 1970’s as a stockman in charge of calf rearing, young stock and relief milking for Mr Jorgen Neilsen’s dairy units, looking after around 550 milking cows and 450 young stock. More recently he has been involved in all aspects of livestock and arable farming. Mr Neilsen praised him for being extremely reliable and conscientious.

The nominations can be made for anyone employed in the agricultural sector of the community in the South West for more than 40 years, and the recipients of the awards are also made life members of the Society.

The winners of the 2007 Real Business / CBI First Women Awards were announced on Tuesday 12th June at a gala awards ceremony at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square.

Dr Jane Guise, Chief Executive of The Royal Bath & West of England Society, was hailed as one of the two joint winners of the First Woman Tourism and Leisure award  at the ceremony - shortly after celebrating yet another successful Royal Bath & West Show which attracted over 152,000 visitors.             
 
Dr Guise was a joint winner alongside Fay Sharpe, founder and sales and marketing director of Zibrant, an event services company.

The judges said: “Dr Jane Guise runs an enormously difficult business in which she must satisfy a bewildering range of stakeholders; at the same time, she is also pushing the boundaries in her sector. She is achieving both in spades.”                    
                                                                                                                                                                                  
The Awards, organised by the CBI and Real Business magazine in association with Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets, celebrate women who are trailblazers and pioneers in business – genuine “glass ceiling breakers”.

Dr Jane Guise, who has been Chief Executive of the Society based at the Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, for six years, commented: “I am delighted with this achievement. Following the launch of a new ‘Eco-Zone’ at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show, my vision is to provide a high-quality, carbon neutral national event venue, where visitors can learn about and enjoy the countryside and where rural businesses are supported. I am extremely committed to the regeneration of small, local businesses within the region and this Award is the perfect celebration of our success so far as well as providing encouragement for the future”.
                                                                                           
CBI deputy director-general John Cridland, who gave the keynote speech and     
presented one of the awards, said: “This year’s First Women Awards winners cover the whole spectrum of business life: from global companies to entrepreneurs running niche ventures. These women are not only outstanding businesspeople; with their energy, acumen, and groundbreaking ‘firsts’, each and every one has in some way changed the shape of the business landscape for women. They are remarkable role models with stories that will inspire more and more young women to enter the business world.”                                                                        
                                                                                           
The awards were attended by 500 guests, including patron Sarah Brown.          

William Giles from Melksham, Wiltshire, is this year’s BAGMA Apprentice of the Year.

The 20 year old who works for T H White in Marlborough was presented with the award at the Royal Bath & West Show by HRH the Duke of Kent.

The prestigious BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association) Award is presented at the Show each year, identifying the top apprentice in the Western region and recognising their individual efforts as an apprentice in the agricultural machinery repair industry.

William started his career in agricultural engineering while still at school when he joined  a work experience programme with T H White at their Devizes branch which led to him being offered a full time apprenticeship when he left school.

William trained and worked at the Devizes depot until six months ago when he transferred to the Marlborough branch where he has built up a good working relationship with his new colleagues, “ helped by his sense of humour and jolly disposition”.

T H White believe that William will become a key player in the development of their Marlborough branch and in the business in general.

William is at present studying for his NVQs in Agricultural Service Engineering at Wiltshire College Lackham. He works on tractors and harvest equipment but his ambition is to become a specialist in the repair and maintenance of balers.

The judges said they were highly impressed by William’s open nature and his general confidence in tackling all of the tasks presented to him. Colleagues at T H White said they were delighted to hear that Michael had won the award and look forward to continue working with him as his career develops.

One of the champions of the road haulage industry has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Mr Eddie Harper, from North Brewham, near Bruton, who is Chairman of the Road Haulage Association’s Livestock Hauliers Group, receives the award in recognition of his many years of service to livestock transport.

As usual, the Honours List reflects and pays tribute to outstanding achievement and service right across the community and the nation as a whole.
Eddie started work as a livestock transport driver in the 1960’s. He still drives today and is the Group’s longest serving Chairman, ensuring the safety and welfare of drivers and animals at all times.

Over the years he has found himself transporting all varieties of livestock worldwide - from cattle and sheep to camels and elephants. And, for the last four years, he has also found time to be the Works Contracts Supervisor at the busy Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallet, where his wife Angie  works as a livestock and entries officer.

Said Eddie: “ I am very proud this has happened but also pleased it has happened for the livestock transport industry – it proves we are doing something right! Ours is a very important industry and worth fighting for, and it has come on in leaps and bounds over the last 10 years, despite foot and mouth and EU regulations.”
It was foot and mouth which led Eddie to work at the Showground when he was called in to set up and oversee biosecurity measures there  following the outbreak in 2001 which devastated the country.

Eddie knew he was in line for the award four weeks ago, but had to keep it top secret until the official announcements were made in the early hours of Saturday morning. He tried to take his mind off it by keeping busy with the Royal Bath & West Show.  But last weekend he and his wife waited up to see the news come up on a website. “Until that moment I did not believe it was going to happen. It is a great honour – not just for me but for the whole industry.”

The Road Haulage Association said it was delighted that the hard work of its long-standing member and Chairman has been recognised.
RHA Chief Executive Roger King said: "Eddie Harper's award is extremely well deserved.  Eddie has worked tirelessly on behalf of this industry and we are particularly indebted to him for the tremendous amount of work he undertook on our behalf during the foot and mouth crisis of  2001 and since."

In addition to driving Eddie has now become an international expert on the subject, and travels to Europe in a consultancy capacity on a regular basis. In fact Eddie's expertise has become so sought after that he has presented papers on the subject in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Dr Jane Guise, Chief  Executive of the Royal Bath & West of England Society, said: “We are all really fond of Eddie, who is transforming the appearance of our showground, and I am delighted that his MBE reminds the rest of the world what a good chap he is.  The Society is proud to have him in the team, and we hope he enjoys the glory - which is not often encountered in his day job!”

Royal Bath & West Show art scholar Freya Horsley returned to her roots to find inspiration for her exhibition at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show.

Freya who now lives and work in York was brought up near Bath – and she returned to the area to produce several pieces of work which won praise from the thousands of visitors to this year’s popular Art Exhibition at the Show.

The Society awards a £3,000 scholarship every other year to a young artist, allowing them time to work towards an exhibition which has pride of place in the art pavilion.

Freya who now teaches art in York and spends her spare time painting said she was delighted to win the scholarship. “It’s been absolutely fantastic,” she said. It’s allowed me to come down here and travel  round and work in the area where I grew up and the landscapes I know well and love.”

Steward Fran Wood praised the high  quality of the 270 works on display at the exhibition which was sponsored by Rathbones.

First prize of £750 went to Martin Bentham from Blagdon, North Somerset with his highly acclaimed painting of Mendip Farm Butchers

In second place was Emma Trenchard, from Whitchurch Canonicorum, Bridport, Dorset, who at only 16 and studying her GCSE’s was one of the youngest winners ever.

And in third place was David Atkins, from Dorchester, Dorset with his oli painting entitled “Evening near Knocknarea, Sligo.”

And the “Chairman’s favourite” selected by Society Chairman John Vintcent was No 123 – a watercolpur – “Farm Reflections” by Colin Allbrook from Umberleigh, North Devon.

The People’s Favourite Choice from the art exhibition - 188 – was an oil painting  - “Somerset Landscape” – painted by Jonathan Minshull, from North Load Street, Glastonbury.

The awards were presented by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent who visited the Show on the third day of Royalk Bath & Wrst Show which was sponsored by EDF Energy and attracted 152,000 visitors.