Taking Out The Trash

A mummers play

They're called the Paperboys because of the shreds of newspaper they wear; but the Marshfield mummers play is a variant of a tradition which is performed around Christmas across the country.

The Marshfield version apparently dates back to the 11th century, died out in the 19th century and was resurrected a century ago.

This Boxing Day morning I walked from Colerne to Marshfield to watch the play - and back home in time for the lunchtime feast of left-overs.

You can see some pictures of my walk here:

 

and below is YouTube video shot (not by me) a couple of years back.

 

Drones in the west

The head of news for the BBC in Bristol, Neil Bennett, came to UWE to talk to MA journalism students about his work.

And while there talked about the use by BBC Points West of a drone to gather aerial images - and the fact this is likely to get more common among media companies.

The drone his team used was hired and operated by Clive Bailey who runs Bailey Balloons as he has a licence to fly them over built-up areas.

Apologies for the sound quality (you might need headphones to hear Neil's talk). The drone stuff really kicks in about two minutes in.

 

 

The spy who came in from the cold

Union blacklister Ian Kerr made his first public appearence since he was in the dock in 2010 for breaching data protection laws.

The occasion was a hearing of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee which is investigating blacklisting. A link to Parliament TV which carried the hearing is below.

I reported on the remarkable four-hour session for The Independent and for Union News. A further report is expected in Private Eye. Meanwhile the Financial Times, Observer, Daily Mirror, Morning Star and (comprehensively) Socialist Worker all carried reports (links below).

And hello to Alan the Mirror snapper who I stood with for nearly two hours in the rain outside Parliament so I could identify Kerr for him and ensure the public could put a face to the man who worked in the shadows.

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