On the boules for charity

The annual four-day Bath Boules event, a much-loved city tradition that has raised over £500,000 for local charities across more than 30 years, proved a great success once again this year. Held in the iconic Queen Square, the event welcomed over 60 teams for a lively celebration of sport, community, and fundraising.

On Thursday evening, the Tournoi Amicale took place — a friendly competition between representatives from Bath’s twin cities: Aix-en-Provence, Alkmaar, and Braunschweig. The event was organised and hosted by the Bath Grand Cru Pétanque Club, who also provided coaching and support to participants before the games began.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Bath, Dr Bharat Pankhania and his wife Alison, visited Queen Square during the event and enjoyed watching the friendly international matches in action — highlighting the social and cultural connections fostered through pétanque.