Hello from across the Atlantic,

My sister recently attended Freedom Academy and it has turned into a disaster for our family and her mind. She was brainwashed, taken for her money and family support, abused, they did not report suicidal attempts, and then finally left her abandoned in her time of need.

I want to help families come together against this cult. Is there an existing group or someone I can contact?

What is already being done to stop them?

acitizen76

As a new member, I am not sure whether this has been aired before . . . but is anyone else sick and tired of looking at the scaffolding in High Town?

It is now three years since the fire at the River Island site and there is still no sign of a re-build. This inertia is particularly annoying at a time when the Council continue to give their unstinting support to the Old Livestock Market scheme - a project which will in itself challenge the viability of the historic city core.

I have repeatedly asked Herefordshire Council why they are not taking enforcement action in order to insist on the repair and refurbishment of these buildings but they are unable to reassure me beyond saying they are 'encouraging' the owners to re-build.

It is clear to everyone that the owners will not re-build voluntarily. They have pocketed the insurance monies and have no interest in re-investing in High Town at a time when the Old Livestock Market development is sucking up all potential new tenants in the city. In fact, the owners have a further motive for not refurbishing in so far as the buildings will remain rates-free while ever they are unusable.

This continuance of this eyesore is a scandalous dereliction of the Council's duty. At a time when the historic centre needs all the support it can get, the Council are allowing this carbuncle to remain while polishing it's new crown jewels at the OLM.

Please, Please, Please try and shake our Councillors out of this nightmare!

Anyone else find it absurd that Herefordshire Council planning committee refused permission for 

the wall painted sign below?

The reason for refusal makes a shameful laughing stock of everyone on that committee that refused it.

The Mee Mei Chinese Take-Away in St Martins Street Hereford freehold is for sale. 

This large building consists of a ground floor takeaway and kitchens and 5/6 bedroom accommodation.

The takeaway is still open at this time.

Hereford's Greyfriars Bridge (also still known as The New Bridge)

The bridge construction began in 1965 the bridge was finally opened in 19th January 1967 by The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Hereford, Alderman Edward Peter Carter.

Photograph from our Old Hereford Pics archives kindly sent to us from our friend Ed Hatton

The Railings which run along both sides of the bridge have deteriorated dramatically over the years and are in desperate need of sandblasting and re-coating. 

We are starting a campaign to hopefully encourage 'Highways England' to give this bridge so much needed renovation works to bring it back to its former glory. The view travelling north and south over the River Wye is beautiful however, the railings and weeds have become a real eyesore.

A new Yankee Candle business is due to open a new store at the Old Market.

They will be taking the former Swarovski crystal store

West Mercia Police are appealing for witnesses following a collision on the A49, Ross Road in Hereford at around 3.50pm yesterday afternoon.The collision involved a Honda XL 125 motorcycle and a silver Volvo S80 car.

The motorcyclist, a man in his twenties, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital.

Road closures were in place whilst emergency services were in attendance.

Investigating officers would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision.

If you have any information, please call 101.

Two Women Arrested in Hereford.

Two females were arrested after a search warrant was executed in a property on Commercial Street in Hereford today in response to information received by the local community.

Officers arrested a 53-year-old female on suspicion of managing a brothel, and she is currently helping police with their enquiries.

A 45- year-old female was also arrested during the warrant on suspicion of immigration offences.

The warrant executed by the Hereford safer neighbourhood team, Local Policing Priorities Team and proactive CID working to tackle serious and organised crime in Herefordshire under West Mercia's Protect campaign. 

The premises in Commercial Street Hereford, has been closed down.

Plans have been submitted for a proposed retail pod at Asda store. 

The Timpson retail pod if approved will be positioned just outside of the entrance to Asda in Hereford.

Application P182499/F

Planning application for a 178 bed accommodation campus on the car park Station App have been submitted.
The accommodation will be for Hereford College of Arts & Uni students.
An application for a stand alone ancillary commercial element will be submitted at a later date.
There will also be somewhere in the grounds art work possibly sculptures made by HCA students.

Application P183841/CD4

Today, its my understanding that the head of Hoople has resigned. Yes, Mr Mike Dearing has thrown his hand in. How this ends up being dressed up, I've no idea but one thing is for sure, things are not going well for this private limited company that was created by the Council hierarchy.

If, as I hope, this is the beginning of the end for this entirely unsatisfactory commercial venture, I hope it begins the beginning of the new reality that this Council must face up to, grasp and act upon.

That is, they've got to stop haemorrhaging jobs and services to Hoople, they've got to stop funding the chaos that surrounds this company, and simply allow the Council to deal with these services directly instead of employing the middle man.

It's never profitable. It's never in our interests. It's not helpful to staff who don't know what's going on and it makes no commercial sense to fund this stupidity any longer.

I say, cut the cord. Cast Hoople adrift. Safeguard our much cherished public services and the jobs of the Council front line staff and lets return to a place where commonsense reigned and the Council and their employed staff delivered the things our society needs to prosper and recover from these past years of mismanagement of public funds, staff and our public services.

After a little bit of digging I have found that the Uni Campus looks set to be built on the Station Approach car park.
The car park will be closed from August 28th til September 7th for intrusive ground surveying.

See here

More

Herefordshire Council further consulting on traveller planning policy on the suitability of 2 additional sites:

Oakfield, Nash End Lane, Bosbury (4 pitches)

Stoney Street, Madley (10 pitches)

These would be private rather than council managed. https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/news/article/664/help_to_shape_herefordshires_future_development …

The Stoney Street site is scheduled to be sited on the Gelpack site .  

Remember folks

Folk I encounter on my peregrinations across High Town, sometimes stop me and ask: ‘Vicar – how did you come to be de-frocked?’ Oftentimes, this question is posed in Polish.

I usually explain to them that I am bound by the terms of a Gagging Order signed by the then-Bishop of Hereford, The Right Rev Greville Chasuble, save to say it was a very minor misdemeanour, of no great import, involving a) an amateur abseiling session down the cathedral tower to raise funds for a hedgehog sanctuary at Tillington; and b) my total absentmindedness in forgetting to put on any underpants that morning.

It was the graphic telephoto images, broadcast that evening on Midlands Today (which then went viral), which sealed my fate – and caused irreparable damage to the BBC’s Birmingham switchboard. But all that – as the former Mrs Membridge-Tinninges so aptly reminds me, in her annual Christmas card from Antibes – is now in the past.

As Christ himself put it (in his sermon on the steps of Aldi’s Tel Aviv branch, I think it was): “We should always turn the other cheek - after first checking that a) we are wearing underpants and b) there are no BBC Midlands cameramen lurking nearby”. A happy Hallowe'en to you all.               

E. Membridge-Tinninges (Rev – defrocked)

Two men have now been charged with attempted murder & robbery following an incident at Addison Court, Hereford on Friday.
Chaise Healy aged 32 has been chraged with attemted murder & robbery.
Edgaras  Arlauskas aged 33 has been charged with attempted murder, robbery & possesion of a knife.
Both are to appear at Kidderminster magistrates court today.

Police have closed off Moor Walk between Penhaligan Way and Widemarsh Common due to an incident earlier this morning.
Social media reports of a person pulling a knife on people along the line down to Asda and also of an arrest.
 

Learn to Line Dance with Step-In-Time Line Dancing Herefordshire.

Qualified BWDA & UKDC Instructor.

Modern line dance classes in Hereford and Leominster. The venues are Fridays - Saxon Hall Hereford and Mondays - Lion Ballroom Leominster.

All classes run from 8pm-10pm and cost £5. Beginner level dances are taught in the first hour with improver / intermediate levels from 9pm-10pm.

We dance to all types of music from Country to Pop, Latin to Irish and anything in between. 

All levels and abilities are accommodated. No previous dance experience is necessary. We even cater for those of you with 2 left feet - yes you can still dance!

If you have not danced for a few years (or more) why not come back, refresh the steps and learn some new dances. 

If you have never danced before, come along and see what you're missing out on.

Open to all ages - children to be accompanied by an adult.

No booking required, just turn up and have fun.

See attached poster for more details.

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