Hereford Cathedral is pleased to announce that, following the retirement of Geraint Bowen, Andrew Reid will become the cathedral’s new Director of Music.

Andrew, who is currently Director of Music at Little St Mary’s Church in Cambridge, will also hold the position of Conductor of Hereford Choral Society and on appointment as Artistic Director of the Hereford Three Choirs Festival, will be responsible for programming the 300th edition in 2028.

Prior to his current position, Andrew was Managing Director of Harrison & Harrison Organ Builders (2017–22) and also Director of the Royal School of Church Music. He worked in cathedral music between 1996 and 2012 as Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral, Sub Organist of Westminster Abbey, and Assistant Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral. In the latter two positions he played for the funerals of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Cardinal Basil Hume and accompanied various critically acclaimed recordings on the Hyperion label. While in Peterborough he directed the Northampton Bach Choir and instigated choral and orchestral concerts in the cathedral.

Andrew, who is originally from Kent and educated at Cambridge, is married to Louise, and they have four children, who have all been cathedral choristers. He also once performed the complete organ works of JS Bach in a single 25-hour recital!

The Very Revd Sarah Brown, Dean of Hereford, said: ‘I’m looking forward to welcoming Andrew, Louise and their family to the community of Hereford Cathedral and hope that they will come to be as much loved by the community as Geraint and Lucy have been over the last 24 years. I’m excited to see what Andrew will do to help us steer cathedral music wisely and carefully through a difficult climate.’

Andrew Reid says: ‘I feel immensely privileged to be succeeding Geraint Bowen as Director of Music at Hereford Cathedral, working with an excellent choir, and taking a leading role in the Three Choirs Festival. I am grateful for the warmth of welcome I have already received from the cathedral clergy and staff. Music has been central to the cathedral’s worship and identity for many centuries, and I look forward to nurturing it through the next chapter of its story.”

Andrew will be joining the cathedral team in late spring and, until that time, Peter Dyke will step into the role of Interim Director of Music.

Geraint’s final service at Hereford Cathedral will be Evensong on Tuesday 10 February. On Sunday 8 February, following the Sunday Eucharist, the community of Hereford Cathedral will be coming together to wish Geraint and Lucy a fond farewell with presentations in the cathedral nave – all are welcome to join.

Firefighters from Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue ServiceAttended a house fire just after 4.56am this morning.

A spokesperson for Ewyas Harold Fire Station told Hereford Voice

"Ewyas Harold along with crews from Peterchurch Fire Station attended a house fire where the hallway was well alight.

Peterchurch crews who were first in attendance at scene entered the property wearing BA and with the aid of a HRJ quickly got the fire under control.

Crews then worked to check for fire spread and continued to dampen down the house.

All occupants are safe and well!

Please note the importance of shutting your doors at nighttime.

The actions of the occupants meant that the fire spread was minimal and contained to only a few rooms. If these doors were left open the fire would have very quickly spread into the bedrooms and living room"

Hereford Voice- '𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲'

This state-of-the-art facility, which has been seeing patients since the end of September, is a cornerstone of our commitment to deliver faster, more accessible care for our local communities.

Government’s Minister of State Stephen Kinnock Officially Opened New £18M Community Diagnostic Centre In Hereford

The centre provides the latest cutting-edge diagnostic imaging services including X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound, which will help us to reduce NHS waiting lists and speed up patient diagnosis. By making essential scans and tests more accessible, we’re putting our patients at the heart of our services.

The minister said: "By investing in new centres closer to where people live and work, patients can get tests and scans when it works for them."

As part of the national programme to establish Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) across England, the project enhances the NHS’s diagnostic capacity and supports earlier, more accurate detection of a wide range of health conditions.

Located on Holmer Road in Hereford, the centre is equipped with the latest MRI, CT, X-ray and Ultrasound technology, enabling healthcare professionals to provide faster and more precise diagnoses for patients.

The Wye Valley Diagnostic Centre includes a comprehensive range of services and facilities, such as:

• X-ray suite
• CT scanner
• MRI scanner
• Ultrasound
• Echocardiography
• Cardiac and respiratory physiology services
• Phlebotomy
• Ancillary staff areas
• Patient changing rooms
• Consultation spaces

📸 Wye Valley NHS Trust | SpellerMetcalfe

In a statement posted yesterday (January 13) the owners of New Jasmine House, Credenhill announced that the village restaurant will close after its final day of trading on Saturday, January 24.

They described the closure as “one of the hardest decisions” they have had to make and thanked their “wonderful” customers for their support since September 1989.

"With deepest regret…

We will be closing our doors of New Jasmine House, Credenhill

Our last day of trading will be on the Saturday 24th of January 2026

It has been one of the hardest decisions

Thank you to all our wonderful customers since September 1989 til the present day

We will be moving our trade to New Hum-Ming Garden as our permanent premise

Thank you again for your loyal and unwavering support over 36 years of cherished memories"

A Hereford man has been charged with offences relating to a series of hoax calls and the misuse of 999.

Ewan Blight, 20, of Kings Acre Road, has been charged with persistently making use of public communication network to cause annoyance / inconvenience / anxiety, and sending false communication with intent to cause harm.

The charges relate to an incident on Kings Acre Road yesterday (Sunday 11 January), and previous incidents dating back to November 2025.

Blight is due to appear at Hereford Magistrates Court on 4 February.

Parking officials at Herefordshire Council are warning drivers about fake text messages claiming they must pay a parking fine. 

Officers in the Council’s Parking Services Team have confirmed the county is being targeted after receiving calls from motorists about the scam.

The messages falsely claim to be from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), stating the recipient has an outstanding parking fine and directing them to an official-looking website to enter personal details and make a payment.

The messages give no details about the ‘offence’, such as when or where it happened or who issued the fine.

In reality, this is a scam designed to steal money from unsuspecting members of the public. In one recent case, a motorist who paid the false £20 fine later had an attempt made to take £400 from their account.

Local authorities will never issue texts about parking fines, and any official communication will always include details on how to pay and how to appeal.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Roads and Regulatory Services, Cllr Barry Durkin, said: 

“Herefordshire Council is committed to keeping residents safe from this type of scam and thanks members of the public for their continued vigilance. Our Parking Services Team will continue to actively raise awareness to help prevent people from being caught out by scams like these.”

“Please remember that no local or national organisation will send text messages demanding payment for parking fines. If you do receive one of these texts, the guidance is not to click on any links, to delete the message, and then delete it from your device’s ‘bin’.

“If you have clicked on a link and entered your card details, please freeze your card immediately, contact the fraud team at your bank, and follow their advice.”

To find out more about scams and how to protect yourself against them, visit Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards scam awareness web pages.

Crews from Peterchurch Fire Station were mobilised to a single vehicle collision on the B4348 between Peterchurch and Dorstone on Saturday evening.

A spokesperson for the service said;

"Crews worked alongside police, paramedics and Eardisley Fire Station to extricate 2 casualties from a vehicle on its side.

Vehicle was stabilised, casualties assessed (and kept warm) and extricated before being checked over and then transported to hospital for further checks.

Vehicle turned back on to all 4 wheels, removed from the scene and carriageway cleared.

Take care out there it’s icy in places"

Avon and Somerset Police are urgently trying to locate two men who have absconded from HMP Leyhill.

Prison staff have told us the men left at some point between 5-8pm on Thursday 1 January.

Matthew Armstrong and Daniel Washbourne are not thought to have any connections to Avon and Somerset, but are known to have links to Warwickshire and Herefordshire respectively.

A third man who is suspected of absconding at the same time was arrested by our officers in Bristol yesterday.

Police releasing CCTV footage of Armstrong and Washbourne taken on New Year's Day which shows the clothing they were wearing.

Urgent actions have already been completed, including circulating the men as wanted via national police systems.

Intelligence work to trace their movements is ongoing.
Address checks have been made out-of-force too and proved negative so far.

As a precaution, we would advise any members of the public who see them to not approach.

If you see any of the men, pictured, please immediately call 999 and quote reference number 5226000700.

Alternatively, if you have information that may assist our enquiries, please call 101.

Full details ➡️ https://orlo.uk/DgiRx

There will be temporary new entrances when driving into Hereford Train Station short-stay car park during January 2026.

Herefordshire Council are building the new integrated Transport Hub at the station. It means people using the train station have easy-to-use, and reliable links to all types of transport, and it's a more enjoyable, safe experience for visitors and residents who are walking to and from the station.

The temporary works simply mean that if you're arriving by car, you will turn into the short-stay car park, and also for pick-up and drop-offs, via the junction next to the Station Medical Centre, and you'll follow a one-way route around the short-stay car park. It will be clearly signposted on the approach road. 

Access to the long-stay car park is unchanged.

The Council have already been in touch with local taxi firms and bus operators, so they can operate as usual.

There are two phases to the work, and both aim to cause minimal disruption to all users. We'll be putting a new canopy in place as part of the January works, all part of making it a more enjoyable experience and environment outside the station for the future.

Phase One

From Tuesday 6 until Friday 23 January, drivers will enter and exit the short-stay car park via the Station Medical Centre road.

Phase Two

From Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 January, drivers will enter the short-stay car park via the normal station road, and exit the short-stay car park via the Station Medical Centre road.

River Island currently has more than 220 stores across the UK and Ireland and employs around 5,500 people.

Hereford Store Will Close Their Doors For The Last Time On Saturday 31st January 2026.

These closures are all part of a restructuring plan (which was approved by the High Court).

The full list of River Island stores set to close in the UK before the end of January 2026 is:

• Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
• Bangor Bloomfield, Northern Ireland
• Barnstaple, Devon
• Beckton, Greater London
• Brighton, East Sussex
• Burton-Upon-Trent, Derbyshire
• Cumbernauld, Scotland
• Didcot, Oxfordshire
• Edinburgh Princes Street, Scotland
• Falkirk, Scotland
• Gloucester, Gloucestershire
• Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
• Grimsby, Lincolnshire
• Hanley, Staffordshire
• Hartlepool, County Durham
• Hereford, Herefordshire
• Kilmarnock, Scotland
• Kirkcaldy, Scotland
• Leeds Birstall Park, West Yorkshire
• Lisburn, Northern Ireland
• Northwich, Cheshire
• Norwich, Norfolk
• Oxford, Oxfordshire
• Perth, Scotland
• Poole, Dorset
• Rochdale, Greater Manchester
• St Helens, Merseyside
• Stockton On Tees, County Durham
• Surrey Quays, Greater London
• Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire
• Taunton, Somerset
• Workington, Cumbria
• Wrexham, Wales

River Island chief executive Ben Lewis said: “River Island is a much-loved retailer, with a decades-long history on the British high street.

“However, the well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers’ needs.

“The sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden.”

Two men have been arrested following a drugs warrant at a property in Herefordshire on Tuesday 30 December.

Police officers from Hereford CID led the warrant at an address in the Ewyas Harold area acting on intelligence around the suspected manufacturing of illegal drugs there.

Once inside they found a concealed area designed to produce suspected ‘magic mushroom’ type products and cannabis and cannabis edibles.

A large quantity of cannabis was found, together with cannabis hash and suspected magic mushrooms which were all seized, as well as a quantity of cash.

A man aged 46 was arrested at the address on suspicion of being concerned in the production of a controlled drug.

Following the warrant another man, aged 29, was arrested at an address in Whitestone, Hereford on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug.

Both men have been released on bail as the investigation continues.

Detective Constable Simon Caine of Hereford Proactive CID said: “Yesterday we executed a drugs warrant at an address in Ewyas Harold following intelligence around the suspected manufacturing of illegal drugs there.

“We arrested one man at the property and another at a separate address following the raid in relation to drug production and supply.

“A large quantity of cannabis and cannabis products as well as suspected magic mushrooms and cash were seized, and our investigation is continuing.

“The warrant has without doubt disrupted a sizeable drugs operation, the likes of which have a harmful impact on the communities we are here to protect and serve – in this case illegal drugs that were likely aimed at a younger age group.

“The public are our eyes and ears on the ground and we would encourage anyone who suspects there may be drug dealing in their neighbourhood to report it to us via West Mercia Police website. Always call 999 in an emergency.”

Alternatively, if you have information but don’t feel comfortable speaking to police, you can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers. It is 100% anonymous, they never ask your name, and they cannot trace your call or IP address. You can contact them online or by calling 0800 555 111.

As we step into 2026, we want to sincerely thank our 83,000+ followers across the Hereford Voice network — including Old Hereford Pics, Twitter/X, Instagram, and our website. Your trust and support are the reason we do what we do.

Thanks to you, our Hereford webcams — watched by a worldwide audience — have now surpassed 2.6 million unique views since their inception. That reach is something we’re incredibly proud of, but it’s the community behind it that matters most.

A special thank you also goes to our advertisers, whose continued support helps make what we do possible.

As we move forward, Hereford Voice will continue to publish news and events from Hereford and Herefordshire — with integrity, balance, and purpose. We are not interested in chasing engagement, outrage, or cherry-picked headlines for a few extra clicks. That approach doesn’t serve our community, and it’s simply not who we are.

In 2026, we will continue to champion local events and festivals, celebrate our people and places, and share the stories that genuinely matter — not just the ones that shout the loudest.

We have plenty of exciting plans ahead and look forward to continuing to provide free local news, images, stories, and trusted updates throughout the year.

Here’s to a positive, connected, and community-focused 2026 — Hereford Voice

A former Herefordshire Councillor who has devoted years to maintaining a lush city green space has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM).

Philip Edwards has lived in Herefordshire all his life, and spent 27 years serving as either a parish, city, or county councillor.

When living in Belmont, he saw the South Hereford residential area develop over the years, which drove him on to become a "community champion", seeking safe open spaces for people to enjoy, areas for family play, or those seeking country walks just moments away from the city.

As a result of this, he set up Belmont Haywood Country Park and its Country Park Supporters group, which is now in its 12th year.

Mr Edwards said the task continues to be "challenging, physically tiring but mentally and aesthetically rewarding."

He has now been awarded a BEM as part of the New Year's Honours list, with the award often bestowed upon those who have demonstrated "hands-on" service in their community.

"This British Empire Medal is an honour which I gratefully accept after many years of seeking and maintaining safe public open spaces, in particular, within South Wye areas of Hereford city," he said.

The announcement from the Cabinet office said BHCP is one of Mr Edward's victories, but the award is also for his work as a councillor campaigning for everyone's rights to access public open spaces for their health, wellbeing and "community cohesive properties".

Hereford Voice - Congratulations Phil, well deserved

A new partnership between Herefordshire Council and leading journey planning app, Citymapper, means Herefordshire residents, students and visitors will now find it easier to plan journeys across the county. 

The new app brings together real‑time bus tracking, step‑by‑step directions and integrated travel across bus, rail and cycling.

All local bus operators are integrated, including Stagecoach, Sargeants Brothers, Yeomans Travel and National Express. National Rail services (including rail replacement buses) are also included. For cyclists, the app can factor in Beryl bikes or a personal bike, helping you to choose the mode that best suits you.

A real‑time bus tracker allows you to see accurate arrival times and follow your bus, with traffic delays automatically factored in for more reliable travel times. This means no more waiting at a stop wondering when the bus will arrive, and fewer unexpected delays.

The app works seamlessly across the wider Midlands, London and the north of England, so you can use a single, familiar tool wherever you travel.

Councillor Phillip Price, Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure, at Herefordshire Council, said:

“Citymapper is a great step forward for Herefordshire and supports the council’s wider commitment to modernise local transport and ensure residents, students and visitors have the tools they need to travel with confidence.

“By giving people real time travel information, we’re reducing uncertainty for passengers and encouraging greener, smarter choices. Whether commuting into Hereford, heading to college, or planning a day out in the county, it’s now simpler to get from A to B.”

Find out more on the Herefordshire Council website or download Citymapper today and start planning your journeys seamlessly across Herefordshire  

Singer Ellie Goulding has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to biodiversity and the climate.

Born in Hereford, Elena Jane Goulding, the 38-year-old was was raised in Lyonshall, and went on to attend Lady Hawkin's School in nearby Kington, and later studied at Hereford Sixth Form College.

The chart-topping popstar, who is a global environmental ambassador for the UN, is celebrating being in the New Year Honours List on her birthday, December 30.

Outside of music, Goulding is an activist and philanthropist, having raised awareness for environmental causes and women’s issues.

In 2013 she took part in the Chime For Change concert, a global female empowerment initiative founded by Beyonce Knowles, actress Salma Hayek-Pinault and former Gucci creative director Frida Giannini to raise awareness for women’s issues related to education, health and justice.

She is also patron of The Marylebone Project, which provides services for homeless women, and is an ambassador for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

She was appointed a global goodwill ambassador for the UN Environment Programme in 2017 and is now a global environmental ambassador.

A man has died following an RTC at the junction of the A44 and A4110 near to Leominster in Herefordshire.

Emergency services responded to a call at 8.52am on Sunday, December 21. In response, three ambulances, a paramedic officer, two Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS) BASICS doctors, and two Midlands Air Ambulances were deployed to the scene.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service

( Officialwmas ) said:

“Crews arrived to find two cars which had been involved in a serious collision. The driver and passenger of one car were rapidly extricated from their vehicle. Sadly, the driver, a man, was confirmed deceased on scene. The passenger, a woman, received advanced trauma care by the team of medics on scene before being conveyed by land ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further trauma care. The driver of the second car, a man, was assessed but didn’t require hospital treatment and was discharged on scene.”

A prolific drug dealer, who operated in Hereford, has been jailed for four years following an investigation by West Mercia Police.

Charlie Beament, aged 30, of no fixed address, appeared at Hereford Crown Court today (Friday 19 December).

He has pleaded guilty to:

• One count of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, namely cocaine,
• One count of being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs, namely ketamine. 
• Two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, namely ketamine.
• The offences took place predominantly in Hereford, between June and October this year.

For the cocaine supply offences, he was imprisoned for 44 months. He was also given two eight-month prison sentences to run concurrently in connection with the ketamine supply offences.

In May this year, Beament was handed a suspended prison sentence, for supplying controlled drugs in Hereford. This was partly activated in light of his re-offending and a further four months were added to his sentence. This brings the total sentence to 48 months.

Detective Constable Kyle Hopkins of Hereford CID said: “I welcome the custodial sentence handed to Beament by the Crown Court today. This prolific offender, flouted the suspended sentence given to him earlier this year, and continued to supply drugs in Hereford, showing no regard to the judicial system or the opportunity given to him by the Judge.

“Beament exploited those most vulnerable to assist him with his drug supply operation and caused misery within the city. 

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said "We will not tolerate this activity and we would urge anyone with information about the supply of drugs to please contact us.”