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01.Butcombe
Couple Tame Thames 
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In an exclusive interview with Mendip Life, Paul and
Ulrike Lynn told of their 124 mile journey from Lechlade to Teddington,
the non-tidal stretch of the River Thames.
Not
unusual, perhaps, but it was achieved by using the power of the sun to
drive their boat Solar Flair, believed to be the first occasion that
this unusual and innovative method of propulsion has been used.
Ulrike,
from Cologne in Germany met Paul when she came to England, Middlesex
as a physiotherapist, at the same time, Paul was studying electrical
engineering at Imperial College, London. Both travelled seperately to
exotic locations, Australia, Rome, Vietnam, but eventually re-united
and married in 1967.
Photovoltaic
conversion, used by Solar Flair, enables the sun's rays to be
converted into electricity by using cells manufactured from silicon
(quartz sand), an abundant supply of which can be found across the
world. Simple examples of this technology can be found in solar
powered watches and calculators.
However,
the goal of limitless energy from the sun is yet to be realised,
because of
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Paul
and Ulrike's boat showing the panels at the front
the high cost of manufacture
(Fullerene solar cells are
forty times more expensive than Gold).
Paul and Ulrike 'sailed' steadily along the Thames at an average speed
of 3Ð31/2 mph, managing 12 miles per day, before the
seats became too uncomfortable!
Sleeping
in tents at three of the forty-four locks, four nights of bed and
breakfast and a final stay in a swish hotel for a 'clean-up'.
The passage of the boat was of much interest to fellow river
travellers and spectators alike who wished them well on their sedate
passage. No doubt further journeys will be made in the future.
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02.
Real
engineers make anything possible
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COULD you design a gadget for someone
with severe arthritis who no longer has enough grip to hold a pen, so
enabling them to write their signature again, or maybe construct a
bicycle for a 8 year old little girl who is unable to flex any of her
joints?
Just imagine trying to ride a bike
without being able to bend your hips, knees , ankles or wrists!
These are just some of the problem solving projects met by a talented
group of individuals who work for the voluntary group REMAP
(Rehabilitation Engineering Movement Advisory Panel).
This charity was first set up in 1964
by Pat Johnson, an engineer working for ICI. Pat had a sister who had
infantile polio which presented her with many physical problems in
coping with her day to day life. Pat and his friends devised a number
of aids for her. This began to extend to relations of other ICI
employees - the idea spread. Today REMAP have over 100 panels
throughout the UK and use the services of around 1,500 engineers.
The majority of panel members are
retired, and usually have a background in engineering, their skills
may be mechanical, electrical or electronic. They also have access to
people versed in IT and computer technology. Some members are
craftsmen with a variety of skills and some are just very capable
handymen/women.
Their aim is to improve the quality of
life for disabled individuals. Different conditions and disabilities
present unique problems. With members creative and imaginative designs
for aids and adaptions, difficulties in coping with daily living can
often be overcome, thereby increasing the clients independence.
The service is provided free to the
disabled client, with the members giving their time for free. REMAP
pays for travel and materials although most of the engineers are
masters at begging, borrowing, adapting and modifying, all of which
helps in keeping costs down.
In the system the first point of contact is the occupational
therapist, (OT), who when realizing there are no commercial solutions
to helping her clients problems refers their case to the local panel
of REMAP.
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Bruce
Lee
Pictured is Bruce Lee who has been
involved with REMAP for over 4 years. The gadget he is using for
turning pages and hooking objects out of reach was designed by him for
a lady he met on a home visit with the OT. This lady suffers from
multiple sclerosis and has poor muscular control in gripping and
holding objects. Bruce's simple aid consists of a length of garden
cane, a piece of hooked wire covered in plastic, with bubble wrap to
build up the handle for easier grip providing a very useful helping
hand. Bruce told Mendip Life that they are desperate to have new
members join them from North Somerset and would particularly like to
start a sub group in the Weston area.
If you feel you have the relevant
skills and would really like to make a difference to someones life
call Bruce for further information on
01453 843404 or e-mail
brucelee@compuserve.com
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03.
Hall In Bath -
By Tony Staveacre
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AT a time when most 73-year-olds might
be thinking of slowing down, and devoting some time to the garden and
'Countdown', Sir Peter Hall comes to Bath this month with a daunting
programme of work.
Sir Peter will direct five new
productions over two months in the Theatre Royal, featuring a company
of outstanding West End talents. This is a bold new summer initiative,
which will bring a welcome creative buzz to Sawclose. Other regional
theatres traditionally play it quiet during the summer months. Sir
Peter has never played it quiet.
He came into the theatre fifty years ago.
Fresh from Cambridge, he directed the first production of 'Waiting for
Godot,' and was an early champion of the plays of Pinter. He ran the
Royal Shakespeare Company during the heyday of 'Wars of the Roses,'
and then took over the National Theatre from Olivier. After fifteen
years on the South Bank, he turned himself into a highly successful
production company, working for commercial producers, while also
directing operas around the world.
He has always believed in a permanent
company as the essential basis for good theatre. In recent years that
has not always been the trend. Our regional repertory theatres seem to
have given up on the idea of a resident company working on a number of
plays through a season. I don't know why that is: to me, it was always
a joy to see one's favourite actors tackling different parts through
the season. There was a time at Bristol Old Vic, when we would enjoy
Chris Harris playing parts in Shakespeare and 'The Playboy of the
Western World,' before he transformed himself into the Dame for panto.
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Sir Peter Hall
Sir Peter Hall's new company brings
together Janie Dee, Aden Gillett and Hugo Speer for two plays on the
theme of love and adultery. Noel Coward's 'Design for Living' was
banned in 1933, because of it's scandalous theme of three young
artists cavorting through London, Paris and New York. This play will
be presented at the Theatre Royal in repertory with Harold Pinter's
'Betrayal', first produced in 1978; and the same three actors will
play the leading parts in both productions. For a fascinating
comparison of changing attitudes to love and adultery, audiences can
see both plays on the same day on June 9, 19, 23 and 30.
The Peter hall Company will also receive
a forgotten D. H. Lawrence play - 'Fight for Barbara,' featuring Sir
Peter's daughter Rebecca in a leading role; also Shakespeare's 'As You
Like It,' and a subversively sexy Italian comedy 'Cuckoos', which
caused a bit of a stir when it was produced at the National Theatre in
2000.
For
details of performances ring 01225 329689 or go to
www.theatreroyal.org.uk
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04.
East
Harptree Celebrates
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EAST
Harptree Primary School recently celebrated 350 years of existence by
holding a pageant which they staged to to packed school playground.
Every
child was involved and all the great moments of history were played
out by the children with great delight being taken in playing their
parts to the full.
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05.
North Somerset Arts Week
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AN invitation by
Chew Magna artists, Carol Moule and Pam Harman, for help in launching
their exhibition, was taken up by many, who went along to their
preview evening, enjoying the buffet and drinks in the studio and
garden, and the many paintings which were on view.
Many visitors to the
studio had been following a trail of artists work in the event and by
the end of the Launch Day, more than half of Pam and Carol's painting
had been sold.
Chew Magna and the Chew Valley has an ambulance of talented artists,
and this special week gave everyone a tremendous opportunity to
discover the creativeness of some of that talent.
Over 200 artists opened their homes and studios,
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or got together to
show their work at various venues in North Somerset.
Performers also staged a wide range of events, including jazz, poems,
stories and drama.
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06.
Sacred
Heart raises ducklings
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PHOTO SHOWS some of
Year 5 (9 and 10 year olds) at the Sacred Heart Preparatory School,
who, with their teacher, Sheila Limeburn, are raising ducklings and
monitoring their progress.
They are given the
eggs by Dundry breeder, Mrs. Taylor, they then incubate the eggs and,
after the ducklings are born, weigh them and watch their progress.
Sheila said :"It
is part of a project they are doing called Living Things. It helps
sort them with all sorts of things, such as maths and graphs."
The children are allowed to keep them for two
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weeks to look after,
before returning them.
They have Appleyards and Khaki Campbells and the photo shows them at
one day old.
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