To celebrate the 50th anniversay of the erection of the Bulmers Woodpecker, a new sculpture by Walenty will be unveiled this July in Grimmer Road.
Titled 'The Minnow & the Kingfisher' it  was commissioned by the Cider Meuseum & will stand five metres tall with a two meter span.

How wonderful to see that the Widemarsh War Memorial has been restored.

The restoration work was instigated by Hereford City Council - Ward Councillor Paul Stevens after he had been contacted by local veteran Mr David Williams. 

Councillor Stevens instructed stone mason Si Hudson to carry out the work, and as you can see from these photographs has done an absolutely fantastic job of bringing back to life the names of the soldiers who gave their lives. There are over 70 names on the memorial in total and their names are now being revealed once again inlaid with black paint. The restoration work will be complete within the next few days.

Councillor Paul Stevens is attempting to contact any known relatives of these soldiers and he has already had some success and has managed to contact several people in time for a rededication ceremony.

Please Support Sofia! 

Lee Michael Richards has set up this fundraising page in order to support the family of a young man who died in an incident at a Hereford factory over the weekend.

Sofia's father Jamie Allen died while working at Hereford Galvanizers on Saturday morning.

A joint investigation is now underway between West Mercia Police and the Health and Safety Executive.

All money raised will go towards supporting his young daughter Sofia. 

Our thoughts go out to Jamie's family at this very difficult time.

Planning application just gone in for change of use of 17 St Peters Street  (next to burned out buildings) from retail to .....Wait for it ...A restaurant.
Shop is still in use and called Ganesha.

                    .
 

Recent application

I see the Council have awarded a contract for the repair of the Hereford Library/Museum roof - £99K plus £20K

As usual the work is to be done through the Council's privatised service company Integral but the work will be carried out by S C Joseph.

I am sure it is all above board but just how many Council building contracts do S C Joseph receive? Their bid was £10K below those of the other bidders. Perhaps they know something the others do not.

The Slog - 31st January 2019

(extract)

New figures out this morning confirm what The Slog has long predicted: around the world, Sovereign debt, neoliberal economics, QE, wild consumer borrowing and State-sponsored wage suppression have produced consumers who can no longer consume, and governments that can no longer protect them. We are well on the way along the outer spiral of a mortally vicious debt circle that will change everything, and destroy the fabric of our societies. 

The facts laid out below make things look very grim indeed for UK Waspi/2020 women and other vulnerable groups.

The research I feature today shows that the fiscal shortfalls, increased utility services costs and personal debt levels ‘push-to-shove’ moment is coming ever-closer…..and at a frightening rate of acceleration.

The Research from FairMoney.com unearths truly startling realities about the ‘strong’ economy Theresa May claims to have created.

Starting with the costs of getting through this winter,

The average winter fuel bill is £288.40
The average Brit needs an extra £73.60 per month
The average December credit card bill was £486.10 
The average debt value excluding a mortgage is £640.90

Don’t forget, these are only averages: for anyone old, vulnerable, on a fixed income or waiting for State pensions stolen from them under SPA “reforms”, they represent an impossible overheads structure.

Happy times ahead courtesy of Conservative policies.

During the early part of the twentieth century big business would arrive in a Village, a Town or City and use the areas location and it’s resources to create themselves wealth. What they did do, other than exploit the labour of the people, was to invest in the community that was to accommodate the workforce. As one sided as the arrangement was, and it wasn’t perfect,  big business built houses for the workforce, parks for the people to enjoy their leisure time, a working men’s social club, schools and other social amenities that became a partnership of sorts between the workers, their families and the wealthy businessmen who were there to make huge profits. Locally in our County, companies such as Cadbury and Bulmers spring to mind who like so many older business brands did much to invest in people and their communities.

That was then. Roll on many decades later and there is now no requirement for big business to invest in anything. All they have to do is tip up, create a business and a job and the ignorant and often poorly informed peopled workforce do the rest by paying for everything that can maintain a lowly paid workforce. For big business, their only social responsibility is to creat a job and pay the minimum wage. Nothing else! The entire venture is subsidised by the taxpayer.

This is the genius of the European Union and its slavish following of an economic ideology of globalisation. The wealthy propose a business. The European Union provide the cheap labour, the Government of the day  provide the ability to move the workers unhindered from one place to another and then the final bill falls into the lap of the indigenous people who then pay for housing, the education, the health needs, social benefits and all the other stuff that makes it all work and allows the one sided wealth creation exercise to continue unabated.

And it a genius. As much as I despise the European Union, Globalisation and Capitalism, you’ve got to give them their due. To move millions of people around Europe and get the host Country and it’s citizens to pay for it all is genius.

Mind, that’s only the half of it. The real brilliance of the EU lies beyond 13 billion quids worth of fiscal governmental transactions that we in Britain pay to the EU every year.Nigh on 6 billion of that money gets spent on the countries who’ve dispatched their citizens West to become our cheap source of labour. It’s genius, especially if you are not the host country.

Why genius? Well it it. All across East and Central Europe, for over a decade, British earned money has and is being spent in providing Britain with a future economic competitor. We’ve paid for thousands of miles of roads, Airports, Rail networks and factory buildings all across this region.Many of these places are now ready and prepared to receive and host British businesses that will soon relocate for cheaper labour and to increase their profits. And it’s all been paid for by Britain’s workers!

Dont believe me? Just take a look at Jaguar Landrover and their plans to relocate to the Czech Republic leaving behind thousands of British redundant jobs. Essentially, without putting to finer point on it, we’ve actually paid the Government and the European Union enough money for us to lose our own jobs and get those jobs transferred to another Country that we bankrolled.

As to people raising any objections? They’ve sorted that as well. They own and control the media and that’s why you dare not ever question anything for fear of being labelled a populist, a nationalist, a neo fascist or someone who’s just thick. No! All in all whichever side you stand ,you’ve gotta give the EU and our ruling elite their due praise. It’s brilliance at its best and it’s all paid for by the people who’ve been socially engineered into doing exactly what they’re told to do without a glimmer of resistance.

Interesting article in the Hereford Times

Quote

 

POLICE in Hereford have advised people against giving money to rough sleepers.

Officers claim that a study this winter showed that all of those sleeping out in the city had been offered accommodation – and turned it down.

Sergeant Duncan Reynolds, from Hereford City Northside Team, last month spoke to every person he could find who was living on the streets and also spoke to housing teams at Herefordshire Council.

He said that “every single person saying they were homeless” had a house or flat being offered to them but turned it down.

“Sixteen people I know were sleeping on the streets and not one of them was genuinely homeless,” he added.

Sgt Reynolds said a homeless person in Hereford can earn £70 begging over six or seven hours.

Police want members of the public to resist giving cash directly to people begging and to text a donation line instead, as they are concerned the cash is spent directly on drugs and alcohol.

Vennture, a Christian cross-church initiative which has volunteers who aim to offer practical, direct support, has a text donation line that is supported by West Mercia Police.

Officers believe these donations will go to a better cause – as opposed to the cash donations made to beggars which often, the police claim, soon find their way into the hands of drug dealers.

He said: “Out of that group, a small number of them engage in antisocial behaviour.

“From the police’s point of view, we are taking a robust view and have imposed criminal behaviour orders (CBO).”

A CBO focuses on more serious offenders, who engage in criminal activity as well as antisocial behaviour. It often bans people from certain areas.

The police say the high profile areas where antisocial behaviour occurs include the plinth near All Saints Church, Eign Gate and the Castle Pool Duck Pond.

The areas outside St James’ Church, St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Square and the Old Burial Ground in Commercial Road were also listed.

The CBOs aim to protect the public, in particular businesses, which have to deal with antisocial behaviour.

He said: “Every morning the businesses clear up urine, excrement, food, bedding, needles left behind. It’s one of the most complaints we get.”

Sgt Reynolds acknowledges it is a difficult situation as the police are seen to be targeting vulnerable people, but he said there is help available at every turn, including help for drug addictions and alcohol dependency.

He said: “They are where they are but won’t take the help, so we are left in the situation where enforcement is the only option left.”

He added: “We have got shelters open. Everyone is welcome in there. The churches, between them, offer hot food every day. There is no need to be homeless or hungry.

“The one gap we do have is a day centre for homeless to go to to relax and stay warm.

“But no person should be sleeping rough in the city centre at any time. If you want to help the homeless then give responsibly.”

To donate to Vennture, text HERE03 £1, £3, £5 or £10 to 70070.

 

Herefordshire Council has announced a countywide free parking pilot event.

The pilot will enable residents and visitors to enjoy free parking for up to 4 hours after 10am on all council car parks in Herefordshire (except Friar Street, Hereford) on Saturday 9 February 2019.

Monitoring and information-gathering will determine the wider impact of parking concessions on businesses, traffic flow and car park usage. Parking Enforcement Officers will observe traffic and parking patterns, but customers will not be required to purchase tickets. The event does not apply to on-street paid for parking.

Cllr Barry Durkin, Cabinet member transport and regulatory services, said:

Quote

“It is reported that town centres are struggling right across the nation, and we are working with local stakeholder groups including residents and businesses, to consider ways that we can encourage people to come into our town centres.”  “We have carefully considered the impact on parking income in approving this which enables us to undertake this free parking day.”

“There is a strong need to understand the benefits of free parking to help inform a review on future concessions. I encourage local residents and visitors to make full use of the free parking by enjoying a day out and about in our city and town centres, visiting local shops and businesses, enjoying the county’s leisure facilities and our vibrant public spaces.”

Mamma Jammas Closing Down!
Sad news to learn that Mamma Jamma's nightclub in West Street Hereford will close their doors for the lats time on Saturday February 9th 2019.

The club made this announced on their Facebook Page:

Quote

Eight and half years. They bet we wouldn't last 2 weeks. However it is with great sadness we announce that Mamma Jammas last night will be Saturday 9th February. Through many ups, and the odd down, we've all persevered, however everything must eventually give way to time and the changing of tastes. We thank you all for your custom, your loyalty and most of all your company. Thank you to every member of staff we've ever had, for your endeavours and your hard work. Our main aim has always been, and will continue to be, a good night out. So looking forward to the next phase we wish you all well and hopefully you'll join us at some point on the next part of our journey. 

Good luck to them with the next phase of their journey!

A new beginning awaits..

A car has somehow landed up crashing into the front entrance doors of The Range store in Three Elms Hereford.
Emergency services have been called to the scene

Today a leaflet came through the door from Lib Dems. Says agreement regarding residents' parking permits could not be reached with residents of various roads. One of which was Belmont Court. It may not be common knowledge, but Belmont Court is privately owned by owners of properties in Belmont Court and is maintained by them, not the Council. Surely the Council have no rights in deciding parking there?

Hereford is twinned with Polish City Jaworzno, so are there plans in place to update our Welcome to Hereford signs etc? 

A planning application has now been submitted for a proposed conversion of retail units into 17 dwelling flats.

Britain's WORST drink-drive towns revealed: Cities in North West and Wales have most drunk drivers while Londoners are better behaved

Hereford, Crewe, Blackpool and Sunderland are top four towns for worst drink and drug driving convictions

London dominates the list of postcodes with the lowest conviction rates for the third year in a row

Analysis looked at over six million car insurance quotes run on MoneySuperMarket over 12-month period

Plumbers, scaffolders and builders revealed to be among most likely to be caught drink or drug driving.

Hereford emerged with the greatest number of drink and drug driving convictions at 2.30 for every 1,000 drivers - with Crewe coming in a close second with 1.86.

Article source

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, is inviting applications from community groups interested in establishing a new pocket park or refurbishing an existing one. The government has unfortunately given a very tight deadline of 5pm on Friday 25 January for applications but, if you would like to make one, please visit the government's website for full details and an application form.

Ellen Froggatt (Mrs)
Office Manager
Open Spaces Society
25a Bell Street
Henley-on-Thames
RG9 2BA

Tel: 01491 573535

Email: ellenfroggatt@oss.org.uk
Website: www.oss.org.uk

I would like to wish all of our members at Hereford Voice a very Happy New Year! 

parliamentlive.tv - House of Commons

Thursday 10 January 2019 Meeting started at 9.33am

Better than anything on TV at the moment. See our MP performing in this empty vaccum of a chamber where it would difficult to put together a Parliamentary football team.