Bard of Bath

The Bard 2000:
Olivia Hicks

Biography

Olivia Hicks became the first female holder of the Bardic Chair as part of the climax of the 1999 Bath Bardic Festival. A special candlelit ceremony took place in the Walcot St Chapel, and Mrs Hicks was picked from 12 entrants, who had each written a poem for the millennium, by a panel of judges.

Tim Sebastian the organiser of the festival, said "The poem was called millennium and was picked because it was retrospective and also forward-looking. Her life has almost spanned a century so she has seen it all and was able to write about her experiences."

The Bardic Festival started in November and has celebrated a number of cultural styles, like Ancient Egyptian dance, at special events.

Kevan Manwaring, the outgoing Bardic Chair and one of the judges said "The whole festival is held to encourage people to express themselves and this year we have had more entrants than ever."

Mr. Manwaring is a published poet and has spent an enthusiastic year as the Bardic Chair. He said "I wanted to encourage community involvement. This is a wonderful festival for the people of Bath. I have really enjoyed my year."

At the ceremony there was live harp music and candlelit prayers. It coincided with celebrations for the Winter Solstice.

See my Winning Poem

Olivia Hicks
14 Entry Hill Park, Bath, BA2 5HD
Phone: 01225 837 957