News and Press We'll be adding new stories about the activities taking place as part of BAC 100 throughout 2010. BAC 100 Service at Bristol Cathedral A service of celebration and thanksgiving marking 100 years of aviation innovation was held at Bristol Cathedral on 10 July 2010. It was co-hosted by Professor Duncan Greenman of the University of the West of England and Sally Challoner of the BBC. In addition to readings, hymns and prayers it included music from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force, Bristol Male Voice Choir and the Cathedral Choir, film clips and live interviews with current and retired employees. The address was delivered by The Lord Bishop of Bristol, The Right Reverend Michael Hill. To coincide with the service the replica Bristol Fighter was on display on College Green along with a collection of Bristol Cars. You can read a full report on the This is Bristol website and see more launch photos on the BAC 100 Facebook page. Guests included Sir George and Lady White, seen here in the front row. The Bristol Male Voice Choir includes current and retired aerospace employees among its members. A full quarter peel sounded out from the Cathedral from 10.00. The bell ringers are all linked to the aerospace industry. All photos provided by Airbus. Brunel District Joins Great Reading Adventure A special launch event was held at 1st Bristol Muslim Scouts HQ in Horfield on 7 July when 1000 copies of The 2010 Book of Aviation Wonder were distributed to the groups of the Brunel District. BAC 100 Publications Launched Sir George White, Cllr Janet Biggin (Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council), Cllr Colin Smith (Lord Mayor of Bristol), Mel Kelly (BAC 100) and Sam Hunt (Heritage Lottery Fund, which has funded The 2010 Book of Aviation Wonder). Invited guests gathered at Bristol's City Museum and Art Gallery on Monday 5 July for the official launch of the BAC 100 publications which have been specially produced for the centenary year. Take Flight: celebrating aviation in the West of England since 1910 is a lavishly illustrated, beautifully designed, 320-page hardback book telling the story of the Bristol Aeroplane Company and its associated companies from the earliest days to the present, and beyond. It is a story that encompasses the vision of the company founders, the bravery of the early pilots, globally significant engineering breakthroughs, the contributions of thousands of local people in times of war and peace, and the future challenges that need to be faced today. The book will provide a lasting memento of the first 100 years of West of England flight. It is available for sale at Bristol Aero Collection (where all profits will be used to continue the group's work in preserving the heritage of BAC), local bookshops and online via Amazon (RRP £40). The 2010 Book of Aviation Wonder takes its inspiration from the old Eagle annuals. It is a 96-page hardback book using comic strips, photo-spreads, illustrated stories and puzzle pages to tell the story of flight from the myth of Icarus to the A400M and beyond. It is being used as part of this year's Great Reading Adventure. Members of Brunel District scouts: the group has received 1000 copies of The 2010 Book of Aviation Wonder. Ken Bracey (right) whose interview can be heard on the Oral Histories page with his son. View of the audience in Bristol City's Museum and Art Gallery. David Rowlson (Component Coating and Repair Services Ltd, which has sponsored Take Flight, left) and Andrew Kelly (Director Bristol Creative Projects and BAC 100, right). Rebecca Hutchinson and Kayvon Barad (Airbus) sitting next to Adam Nieman (BAC 100 workshop leader). All photos Martin Chainey. Fighter revealed at Rolls-Royce Families Day The replica Bristol Fighter which has been built by graduates at Rolls-Royce, Airbus and GKN had its first public display at Rolls-Royce's Families Day on 3 July at Patchway. It will next be on show at College Green on 10 July to coincide with the BAC 100 service at Bristol Cathedral. VIP Visit to Hillfields Primary The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Colin Smith and the Lady Mayoress, Alderman Judith Price visited Hillfields Primary in Fishponds on Friday 2 July for a special assembly led by the Year 5 pupils, in which they heard about the activities the children have been doing as part of BAC 100. The school had just received copies of The 2010 Book of Aviation Wonder. Gareth Davies, who designed the book, was also at the assembly along with Melanie Kelly who devised and wrote it. The book has been donated to all the schools who have taken part in the BAC 100 workshop programme and is being used as part of this year's Great Reading Adventure and the Summer Reading Challenge in local libraries. BAC 100 Round Table at University of Bristol On 1 July 2010 representatives from industry and higher education gathered at the University of Bristol for a round-table discussion on how HE can help aerospace companies meet the future skills needs of the sector. The event was hosted by Eric Thomas, the vice chancellor of the university. There will be a follow-up session which will put forward recommendations on how to develop an effective strategy. Centenary Vehicle Rally and Parade Photograph: Tony Blake Photograph: Michael Pook Photograph: Michael Pook Road vehicle enthusiasts gathered at the Rolls-Royce site on Sunday 13 June for a rally and parade of Bristol buses, cars and lorries to mark the centenary of the founding of Bristol Aeroplane Company. Lady Joanna White waved off the parade which passed a number of sites associated with BAC founder Sir George White. Visit by Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council Councillor Shirley Holloway, Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council, visited Kings Court Primary in Yate on 30 April 2010 to see the BAC 100 collage created by Year 5 pupils. The class had also had a creative writing workshop and read a selection of their poems. You can see more pictures of the visit and listen to recordings of some of the poems on the Kings Court Primary page. Industry volunteers help with BAC 100 workshops Volunteers from Airbus and Rolls-Royce have been joining BAC 100 workshop leaders to run creative writing and science workshops in schools in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. The volunteers talk about their experiences in the industry, answer questions about their work and help with the practical activities. Above is Kayvon Barad at a creative writing workshop at Cherry Garden Primary at Bitton. The Year 5 pupils were writing newspaper articles based on what they had learnt about the local aviation industry. They also took turns to interview Kayvon and included quotes from him in their pieces. See the Cherry Garden Primary page to see some of their work. Visit by Lord Mayor of Bristol On 20 April 2010, Councillor Christopher Davies, Lord Mayor of Bristol, and his wife, the Lady Mayoress, went to New Oak Primary in Hengrove to meet the Year 3 pupils who have created a large-scale collage as part of the BAC 100 programme. In this picture they are looking up at the Bristol Evening Post photographer who came to cover the visit. The image on the collage will later be transferred to durable material for outdoor display in Bristol city-centre and other sites during the course of the year. New Oak have also been visited by an Airbus employee who talked to them about his work and have had a creative writing workshop. Bristol Fighter Direct Entry Graduates at Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN are building a replica F2B Bristol Fighter as part of BAC 100. The graduates are combining historic research with the latest design, testing and manufacturing processes, and traditional wood and canvas will be used alongside more modern materials such as aluminium. John Hobbs, recently retired from Airbus having served as a senior wing architect, has been appointed as part-time project manager, and senior fitters and other experienced employees are helping the graduates in their work. The project's aesthetics and finishing team of Kayvon Barad and Jason Clarke have decided to base the aircraft's back-story on the experiences of Lieutenant Leslie Archibald-Powell, a gunner from Redland. We will be following progress on the News page throughout the year. Above is a photo of one of the test structures. Visit by Airbus Chief Military Test Pilot Ed Strongman, Airbus' Chief Military Test Pilot, came to Bristol in March. During his visit he met pupils at Hillfields Primary in Fishponds who have been working on BAC 100 projects and gave a lecture on the Airbus A400M at the University of Bristol. Launch Day: 19 February 2010 Balloons at Bristol International Airport greeted the passengers checking in for the special scenic flight to Filton (Mel Kelly). Councillor Shirley Holloway, Chair of South Gloucestershire Council with Roger James, Community Relations Manager, Rolls-Royce waiting for the flight to depart (BIA). Sir George White and family with giant ticket (BIA). Thumbs up from the pilot (BIA). Passengers queue to embark (BIA). The easyJet A319 aeroplane arrives at the Brabazon Hangar at Airbus' Filton site (Vicky Washington). The band of the RAF (Airbus/Martin Chainey). Andrew Harrison, Chief Executive of easyJet, leads the guests, including Sir George and Lady White, from the aircraft (Airbus/Martin Chainey). Tom Williams, Airbus Executive Vice President Programmes (Airbus/ Martin Chainey). Dressed as Sir George White, Councillor Simon Cook reads out Sir George's original statement to the Board of the Bristol Tramways on 16 February 1910, announcing he is going to invest in aviation (Vicky Washington). Labour MP Doug Naysmith reads out a message of support from Prime Minister Gordon Brown (Vicky Washington). Airbus employee David Dean in the guise of an early pilot during the presentation (Airbus/Martin Chainey). The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Bristol (Airbus/Martin Chainey). Jan Lane (Airbus), Doreen Wildenauer (CIMPA UK), Alec Dent (Airbus), Julie Showering (Airbus), Meryl Tobin (Airbus) and Hayley Christopher-Lee (Airbus) in period costume, helping to raise funds for the Air Ambulance service (Airbus/Martin Chainey). Councillor Shirley Holloway, Chair of South Gloucestershire Council with Jane Tozer, Jackie Sims and Stan Sims of Filton Community History who are key members of the BAC 100 planning group (Airbus/Martin Chainey). Students from Weston College were among the catering staff at the event. The catering company was Sodexho (Airbus/Martin Chainey). Sir George and Lady White name the A319 aeroplane 'Sir George White' (Vicky Washington). (Left to right) Iain Gray (Technology Strategy Board) with Councillor Simon Cook in the guise of Sir George White (Vicky Washington). (Left to right) David Sproxton (Aardman Animations) with Councillor Simon Cook (Vicky Washington). (Left to right) David Rowlson (Component Coating & Repair Services Ltd.) with Andrew Kelly (Bristol Cultural Development Partnership), Alan Dean (Component Coating & Repair Services Ltd.) and Councillor Simon Cook. CCRS Ltd is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2010 (Vicky Washington). The A319 aeroplane, newly named 'Sir George White', departs from the Brabazon Hangar at Filton to the tune of an RAF band playing Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (Vicky Washington). Becky Farmer, who project managed the launch on behalf of Airbus, being presented with a bouquet by her colleagues (Airbus/Martin Chainey).
				Read the launch day press release here. You can hear here the specially commissioned march played by the RAF band at the launch dedicated to Sir George White. You can find out what's happening in 2010 on the What's On page. Pictures of activities involving children and young people are also featured on the Children's Showcase page. If you have pictures of events you would like to add to this News and Press page, please send with details (what, where, when, who) to BAC 100 at BCDP, Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh, Bristol BS8 3RA or email: bac100@btinternet.com. Photos of identifiable children will only be added if their parent or guardian has given permission for their use.