On Fri 19 Dec Fairfield House staff and volunteers got together to celebrate and look back on a remarkable year. Fairfield House Operations Manager Ras Benji presented 12 slides of Christmas showcasing a year of diverse events and activities. Here’s the first in a two-part special end-of-year edition of Fairfield House News, showing some highlights of the first six months of 2025.
Left to right, from top:
Ras Benji visits Ethiopia, seen here with British Ambassador to Ethiopia HE Darren Welch and Ethiopian classical pianist Girma Yifrashewa
First sight from inside the perimeter of HIM’s 1950s Fairfield Palace in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, currently serving as a military hospital
The Fairfield Ethio Jazz Project performs at The Bell Inn, Bath
Fairfield House starts the year at #5 of the best things to do in Bath, according to our Tripadvisor listing
First session of the ፌርፊልድ : አማርኛ : ትምህርት ቤት Fairfield Amharic School led by Gash Ezra Tsegaye
Fairfield House starts the year with sold out Historical Guided Tours
Clockwise from top left:
A visit from Mr Colin Maggs, 93, who has vivid memories of the Emperor in exile
Pauline’s games afternoon
Prof Shawn Hailemariam Sobers makes a film about Blattengeta Heruy Wolde Selassie. Photo shows Gash Ezra, on the phone to Blattengeta Heruy’s grandson
An authorized music video filmed at Fairfield House by Bounty Hunter.
The Race to Adwa virtual event
Practising for the third annual HIM table tennis tournament
Clockwise from top left:
Girma Yifrashewa performs on the Bath Abbey Steinway
Ethiopians gather outside the Abbey for the live Race to Adwa event
Ethiopia, India and Senegal community storytelling
More scenes from the Race to Adwa
The Rastafari community gathered for regular monthly Sabbath worship
Group photo after the Abbey concert
Top row:
Fairfield House hires new staff, thanks to a Heritage Fund grant
Middle row:
The 4th Annual HIM Haile Selassie I Table Tennis Tournament
Bottom row:
More visitors who met HIM Haile Selassie I recorded for the Testimonies project
A visit from Addis Ababa University
Benjamin Zephaniah Day at Brunel University
Chairman Fisseha Gizaw Combley with Imperial Voice Radio volunteer Jahmike in Addis Ababa
Top row (l to r)
MAY 5TH, Ethiopian victory day: international collaboration between Bath and Addis Ababa
Fantastic groundskeeping by our volunteers
Ethiopian Community Easter
Middle row:
Rastafari gatherings
Fairfield House is awarded External Partner of the Year by Bath Spa University
Bottom row:
Visits from University of Adelaide and Northeastern University USA
African Unity Day
HIM’s wallet arrives: more in part 2
A wedding proposal during the Historical Guided Tour
A Fairfield fundraiser at The Bell Inn
Bemsca Windrush Church services
Fairfield hosts the first Bath Refugee Festival
That’s a taste of the first six months of 2025. Watch out for part 2, to follow shortly.
Fairfield House News is free, because we like to share progress on protecting HIM’s legacy. Why would you pay for someting you can get for free? Answer: to support Fairfield House, of course. Subscribing to Fairfield House News at £5 a month is a great way to support Fairfield House with predictable reliable income, so we can bring everyone more good things in 2026. Happy New Year all.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.