Friends of Castle Green CIC is delighted to have appointed a contractor to carry out the refurbishment works to the Pavilion. 

Local building construction company Vision BD has been appointed to commence work in May, after a lengthy tender process. The company will realise Friends of Castle Green’s vision to restore and refurbish this iconic building. With Towns Fund funding of £1.5 million from #StrongerHereford, the Pavilion will become a new and much needed thriving and sustainable community hub, a defining visitor attraction in the city and a source of pride for residents.

Building Contract 1 from L to R: Bob Heath FOCG Director; Mark Hubbard FoCG Director; Oliver Steels Architect, Errand Studio; Paddy Nugent FoCG Director and Chair; Tom Cooke Vision BD Director, Charlie Wheeler Vision BD Project Director; John Crooks, John Crooks Associates Quantity Surveyor; Katie Bott FoCG Operations and Project Manager

Planning permission has been granted by Herefordshire Council to revitalise the building by providing cafe facilities and flexible community meeting space, as well as the opportunity to celebrate local arts and heritage and a revived home for the Hereford Youth Canoe Centre (HYCC). 

A Grade II listed Georgian pavilion atop medieval foundations, the building has had a variety of uses over the years, most recently as an art college and a training centre. Friends of Castle Green took over the building from Herefordshire Council in 2018 in a Community Asset Transfer and is working to restore the building to its Georgian splendour. In the meantime, it provides a public space for the local community.

Work to the building is anticipated to begin in Mid May, with completion and re-opening in Summer 2024.

According to Paddy Nugent, Chair of FoCG, “This is a major milestone for a small community group such as Friends of Castle Green. Our team has worked tirelessly over the last three years to get to this stage and we are now on the cusp of realising our ambition of a revitalised and restored building for the community, we very much look forward to working with Vision to achieve this.”

Building Contract 2, from L to R: Vision BD Director Tom Cooke and FoCG Director and Chair Paddy Nugent sign the building contract.

Managing Director of Vision BD, Tom Cooke says, ”As a well established local building and development company, we are delighted to be involved with the regeneration of this iconic City-centre building. We bring with us extensive knowledge and experience of the industry and the highest levels of professional workmanship. We are excited to bring to the community a much needed flexible community meeting space, as well as other major benefits to the City.”

#StrongerHereford is a Town Deals Board that has been awarded £22.4 million by Central Government to put towards the assigned projects outlined in their Town Investment Plan. The Pavilion is one of fifteen projects to have successfully applied for the funding.

Three Counties Hotel - frequently asked questions about asylum accommodation

Updated 27 March 2023

In February 2023, the Home Office informed Herefordshire Council that they intended to use the Three Counties Hotel, Belmont Road, Hereford as accommodation for asylum seekers. Read our full Three Counties Hotel statement.

While we appreciate local concerns, please be mindful that not all of the individuals being accommodated at the hotel will understand English and they may have had a very difficult experience before arriving here. Thank you for your patience and understanding at what will be a worrying and confusing time for them.

We know you will have a lot of questions about this situation and what the council's involvement is. We have put together a number of responses to some frequently asked questions below which will hopefully help in understanding what's going on. These have been updated to reflect questions from the public including those raised at the Belmont Rural Parish Council open meeting on 17 March 2023.

Why have asylum seekers been placed in the hotel?

The Home Office recently told us that they intended to use the Three Counties Hotel as temporary accommodation for people awaiting the outcome of their asylum application. This is due to the number of boats that cross the English Channel continuing to rise, which means that not all asylum seekers can be accommodated in specialised migrant processing centres. The use of hotels is happening across the country and not just in Herefordshire.

If you have any questions about the use of the hotel, please contact the Home Office by emailing public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk or calling 020 7035 4848.

Was Herefordshire Council asked if the hotel could be used for this?

No. The Home Office makes the decision on which hotels are used as contingency accommodation and where they place those seeking asylum.

Is Herefordshire Council receiving any funding for this?

No. The council receives no funding as it has no role in operating or supporting the hotel. This is being managed by a Home Office contractor called Serco. We do not have information on the cost of this.

The exception to this is if there are unaccompanied children identified in the asylum seekers arriving at the hotel. The council will have responsibility for providing accommodation for them and social care support. The government will provide some funding to the council if this is the case.

Will other hotels in Herefordshire be used?

The Home Office has told us that they have no plans to use further hotels in Herefordshire.

Who is responsible for the day to day running of the hotel?

The Three Counties Hotel is responsible for the day-to-day running of its premises, such as meals, cleaning, maintenance of the external areas and refuse collection. Serco have housing officers on site to provide support to those resident at the hotel.

Will the people being accommodated be single persons or families?

It is anticipated that all arrivals to the hotel will be adult males. This is based on need and pressures in the asylum system.

How long will they remain in Herefordshire?

At the moment, we do not know how long the hotel will be used but the Home Office has signed a 12 month contract with the owners. Length of stay for individuals will depend upon the progress of their application. They may also be moved from the hotel to other accommodation elsewhere, during this process. It is understood that most applications are currently being concluded within six to twelve months. This means that those staying in the hotel will change over time.

Will people seeking asylum have access to local health services?

Yes, they will be able to access local health services in the same way as any person visiting Herefordshire on a temporary basis would do. They will be registered with Hereford Medical Group. Each patient will have an initial health assessment. For all future appointments required, people staying at the hotel will request these in the same way as for all other patients. There is a small amount of funding being provided to allow some additional locum cover to be sourced.

Will school-age asylum seekers be placed in local schools?

Were children to be placed in Herefordshire, they would be given access to education. This could be through attendance at local schools and colleges or through other ways depending upon the needs of those placed here. However, no impact is anticipated for local schools, given the likelihood that the asylum seekers will be adult males and no family groups.

Will there be costs to the council's social care services?

Given the profile of those arriving, it is unlikely there will be costs associated with social care services. This will depend upon the needs of individuals, once they have arrived. There is no direct funding from government towards the cost of any social care services, with the exception of unaccompanied children who may be identified when they first arrive at the hotel.

What essentials will be provided to asylum seekers at the hotel?

Serco will provide a range of essential items, including toiletries. Meals are provided at the hotel. Asylum seekers will receive £9.10 per week. They will not be given mobile phones.

Will they be given ID?

An Application Registration Card (ARC) which is a credit card-sized plastic card is issued by the Home Office to individuals who claim asylum. It certifies that the holder is an asylum claimant and can remain in the UK while their claim is pending.

Can asylum seekers claim welfare benefits?

Asylum seekers are not able to claim welfare benefits.

Will people seeking asylum be able to work?

People seeking asylum are not normally allowed to work in the UK while their claim is being considered. They are instead provided with accommodation and support to meet their essential living needs if they would otherwise be destitute. The Home Office may grant permission to work to those whose claim has been outstanding for more than 12 months through no fault of their own.

Asylum seekers are encouraged to volunteer while their claim is being considered. By volunteering for an organisation in the voluntary and community sector, asylum seekers can support their local community, and this will also assist with their integration if they are granted leave to remain in the UK.

Will people seeking asylum be free to leave the hotel?

Those staying at the hotel are free to come and go from the hotel, should they choose to do so, but are expected to live in their assigned accommodation while their application is being processed. If there were any concerns about missing persons, Serco would report this to the relevant authorities.

What additional security has been put in place?

Serco are providing staff to ensure 24-hour on-site security cover at the hotel, seven days a week. The security presence is in place for the safety and security of those staying and working there and for the property.

What is being done to ensure their behaviour inside and outside the hotel?

All arrivals receive an induction and information about UK culture, values and law. This includes information on British values, such as respecting and obeying the law, respecting the rights of others and treating others with fairness.

Specific risks have not been identified and police will be working with council and other colleagues to promote community cohesion and prevent crime in the local area. Feedback from other areas where asylum seekers have been accommodated is that there have been low levels of crime and disorder during their stay.

The council is in regular contact with Serco, which will enable us to raise any concerns and monitor issues as they arise. Any concerns about noise and anti-social behaviour from the hotel should be emailed to refugeesupport@herefordshire.gov.uk where it will be raised with the hotel and relevant partners.

Any concerns about anti-social behaviour in the local area should be reported to the police. The police will deal with any such reports or concerns as they would normally do, supporting the victim and dealing with the perpetrator. If you have a crime to report, please contact the Police in the usual ways by either calling 101 or using their online reporting form. Only use 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger or if the crime is happening right now.

How long will the asylum seekers have been in the country and where will they have come from?

We do not know this, and the Home Office does not comment on individual cases.

We anticipate that most of the asylum seekers will be newly arrived in the UK and others may have been in the UK for some time while awaiting a decision on their asylum claim.

Asylum seekers come from many parts of the world. Government statistics indicate that in the year ending June 2022, the top five countries were Iran, Albania, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea. The number of refugees and people seeking asylum goes up and down, depending on what is happening in the world. Conflict in several countries has swelled recent figures, for example.

The nationality of those residing at the hotel, therefore, will vary and they will have different backgrounds and experiences. Specifically, the issue of military experience or training is not known to be an issue anywhere within the asylum programme.

Why don't people seeking asylum stay in the first safe country?

There is no legal requirement for an asylum seeker to make their claim in any particular country. Most do stay in the first safe country with 80% of the world's asylum seekers and refugees living in countries neighbouring their country of origin.

While women and girls make up about half of any asylum seeking, refugee or internally displaced population, they may be left in refugee camps in neighbouring countries while the men leave the camp to take the often risky trip to another country. Their families may stay behind and wait until the men have applied for asylum and the rest of their family will then follow in a much safer way. This is often facilitated by the British Red Cross.

The number one reason that asylum seekers give for continuing their journey to the UK is that they have family ties here. This covers over 50% of cases. Others are more practical, for example, if they speak the language. It is also not uncommon for asylum seekers to also state their belief that the UK is a safe, tolerant and democratic country and refer to previous links between their own country and the UK.

What about bogus/illegal asylum seekers?

There is no such thing as an 'illegal' or 'bogus' asylum seeker. Under international law, anyone has the right to apply for asylum in any country, that has signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and to remain there until the authorities have assessed their claim. It is a legal process.

How many refugees and people seeking asylum are there in the UK?

According to statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of November 2022 there were 231,597 refugees and 127,421 pending asylum cases (these figures include recent Ukrainians arrivals). This is 0.5% of the UK's total population. In the year ending June 2022, 76% of initial decisions on applications for asylum resulted in a grant of asylum or other form of protection.

How can I help?

If you would like to volunteer your time to support people seeking asylum or are a voluntary organisation or community group that can offer help, please contact hvoss, a local support service for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups, email volunteer@hvoss.org.uk or call 01432 343932.

Definition of terms used in these FAQs

Migrant

Migrant is a general umbrella term for someone who changes his or her country of usual residence, irrespective of the reason for migration or legal status.

Asylum seeker

An asylum seeker is someone who has arrived in a country and asked for asylum to change their country of usual residence due to fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, social group, or political opinion. In this sense, asylum seekers are generally counted as a subset of migrants. Until they receive a decision as to whether or not they are a refugee, they are known as an asylum seeker. In the UK, this means they do not have the same rights as a refugee or a British citizen would. For example, people seeking asylum are not allowed to work.

Refugee

Refugee has a specific definition in law and is defined by the 1951 Geneva Convention, as someone who is forced to leave their country due to persecution based on their "race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion." Governments undertake a legal process to determine if someone should be given refugee status. Gaining this status is a requirement to the grant of asylum in the UK. If an asylum seeker did not come directly to the UK from the country where their life was threatened and their application is successful, they will be granted 'temporary refugee permission to stay' for a minimum of 30 months. The exact amount of time depends on how their application is assessed.

In the first major success for the innovative Phosphate Credits scheme, planning permission has been granted for the development of 8 new ‘nutrient neutral’ homes in the River Wye & Lugg catchment area. This means that, when built, no additional phosphate will be added to our rivers.

In a world-first, the council is in the process of creating a number of Integrated Wetlands specifically for the purpose of removing phosphates before they reach our rivers, which will enable the damaging ban on development in a large area of the county to be lifted. The wetlands will create ‘Phosphate Mitigation Credits’ for developers to use.

The new Phosphate Credit Trading system enables developers to buy credits generated by the reduced pollution from operation of the wetlands. This will mitigate the phosphate generated by new developments. In this way it is possible to ensure that the overall effect of new development is what’s called ‘nutrient neutral’

The Wetlands are not just about helping new development. Twenty percent of the reduction has been reserved for river betterment. The Council still expects all polluters to meet their fair share of reductions and is working with statutory partners and the agricultural industry for the right tools and regulatory arrangements to enable this to happen.

The development of 8 new self-build homes to the West of the B4361, Luston, was submitted by the award-winning local construction company, Border Oak, and will be the first such ‘credit-based’ approval.

As well as being nutrient neutral, the development will be built from natural, low carbon materials, and have super high insulation values, with additional water conservation and efficiency measures. Air source heat pumps, underfloor heating and electric charging facilities will also be provided. The project also includes a new native orchard, made up of locally historic varieties of fruit trees, the provision of additional habitat features including native hedges, new trees, wide grass verges and wild spaces – designed to support wildlife and integrate the scheme into its edge of village location.

Merry Albright, Creative Director at Border Oak, said: “Border Oak are thrilled to be the first scheme to pay for the wetland credits and are very proud of the local construction industry who have always been willing to pay for the wetlands in their entirety. We are also delighted to support a nature based solution that delivers wider ecological benefits for biodiversity and carbon and thank all those who worked on this proposal over many years.

“We support the council’s work to find more meaningful actions to reverse the failing catchment by tackling the larger sources of pollution but appreciate the release of some housing while this work takes place.”

The Cabinet Commission for the Restoration of the Wye is also continuing to work closely with neighbouring counties and partner organisations to help develop a long term plan to reduce nutrient pollution and restore the county’s rivers.

Natural England and Environment Agency see justice delivered for nature as landowner sentenced for destruction of part of the River Lugg in Herefordshire.

• Natural England and the Environment Agency welcome the sentencing of John Price for the destruction of 1.5km of the protected River Lugg in 2020
• Habitats of otters, kingfishers, trout and salmon were among those destroyed
• The damage is the worst case of riverside destruction seen by the organisations and could take several decades to be fully restored
• This is the first prosecution under Farming Rules for Water

Natural England and the Environment Agency have today welcomed the seriousness with which the Court has treated the severe and lasting damage to the River Lugg, which destroyed habitats and wildlife on a stretch of one of the country’s most unspoiled rivers.

John Price appeared today at Kidderminster Magistrates Court where he was sentenced to 12 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £600,000 and disqualified from being a director of a limited company for three years. In addition, a Restoration Order under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 was imposed requiring Mr Price to carry out a number of actions to restore the river.

The sentence is the result of legal action launched last year by Natural England and the Environment Agency following a joint in-depth investigation into environmental harm caused by the work in 2020 and 2021.

The River Lugg before destruction by the landowne

Mr Price used heavy machinery including bulldozers and excavators to dredge and reprofile a 1.5km stretch of the River Lugg at Kingsland, Herefordshire, destroying the riverbed and banks. The unconsented works were in breach of several regulations, including the Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018, also known as the Farming Rules for Water; and operations prohibited in the notification of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which persisted despite Mr Price being issued with a Stop Notice.

After destruction of area

Due to the exceptionally high diversity of wildlife, the River Lugg is a designated SSSI, with 121 river plant species that live in the river and provide habitat for invertebrates, fish and birds. The damage to the river and banks removed the habitats of hundreds of these species including otters, kingfishers and salmon as well as destroying trees, aquatic plant life and invertebrates. It is predicted to take decades to re-establish mature trees to provide the stability, cover and shade to restore the diversity of the river. Fish, plants, native crayfish and birds may take years to make a gradual return to previous populations.

In sentencing Mr Price, the Judge noted that neither the Environment Agency nor Natural England did anything to encourage these works.

Speaking after the verdict, Emma Johnson, Area Manager for Natural England said:

“The destruction of this section of the River Lugg was devastating for the abundance and range of species which thrived in this river. The River Lugg is one of the most iconic rivers in the UK and to see this wanton destruction take place was devastating. This is why we have used our powers as regulators to see that justice was done and to act as a stark warning to others that we will take the strongest action against those who do not respect the laws that protect the environment and wildlife we all cherish. “We want to ensure that Mr Price now takes the necessary actions which we hope, in time will restore this much-loved stretch of river to its former condition.”

Martin Quine, Environment Agency Place Manager for Herefordshire added:

“We welcome the outcome of this prosecution for the unconsented works on the River Lugg.

“The Environment Agency is working hard to restore the health of our rivers. It is a complex task that can only be achieved in partnership with landowners. We provide advice and guidance but will impose sanctions or prosecute where appropriate to protect the environment and ensure those who breach regulations are held to account. The vast majority of landowners and users fully cooperate with this process.

“While Mr Price’s justification for the works was to help prevent flooding to local properties, his actions did not have any flood prevention benefit. The destruction of river banks is not appropriate flood management. It is important that the Judge recognised that the works significantly weakened flood prevention measures rather than improved them.“We urge landowners never to take extreme measure such as this and instead to always work closely with the Environment Agency around river management to agree the best solutions for both landowners and the environment.”

As a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the Lugg is afforded the highest level of environmental protection. Works to SSSIs or any watercourses must be done in such a way that protects the environment and does not cause any impact on flooding. Such works can only be undertaken after securing permits from the Environment Agency.

High Town Hereford Has Been Completely Sealed Off.

The whole of the city centre has been cordoned off as emergency services continue to deal with an ongoing incident.

LIVE 24/7 CAMERA FEED - https://bit.ly/HfdLive

 

 

Dolphins are often spotted in the River Wye as seen in this footage and we could soon begin seeing other marine life such as sharks in the River, that’s the claim by local flood expert Stefan Copinio.

 

Stefan is a local flood expert and has been studying the water levels and floods in Herefordshire for many years and says the world’s climate is changing, and these changes are having an enormous impact on our planet, especially our oceans and rivers.

Speaking as part of Ocean and Rivers Podcast, he says: “Short-beaked dolphins or common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) can be seen in the estuaries, though sightings of these species are becoming far more common in the River Wye. This species can be seen travelling at rapid speeds in groups. They have large, triangular dorsal fins that curve slightly backward. From above the water, the common dolphin appears dark grey in colour but underneath the water the white underside and yellow-cream hourglass pattern on their sides becomes visible”

Stefan said that we could even start seeing Sharks visiting our rivers saying; “The most common sharks in the UK are the basking shark and the porbeagle, but they are entirely harmless but we could soon start seeing other sharks. The great white shark also has the same capacity to raise body temperature as the porbeagle, allowing it to swim in cooler waters and climate change is believed to be the reason sharks have started appearing in areas they have never been seen before in other parts of the world, and even venturing hundreds of miles up rivers in search of food.

So keep an eye open in the River Wye in the coming years as you may spot the occasional mammal or marine life that you did not expect to see.

M Thomas

Joao Coutinho, 50, of Widemarsh Common in Hereford has been charged with rape, engaging in sexual activity with a child, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The charges are in relation to a rape which took place in Hereford on Monday 17 April.

Coutinho is currently in custody and will be appearing at Kidderminster Magistrates’ court this morning (Wednesday 19 April)

A man has been arrested following a rape which took place at around 12.30pm today in the male toilets at Castle Green in Hereford.

Following on from our article earlier HERE

Officers responded to the report immediately and an extensive search of the area was undertaken to locate the suspect. As a result of the search a 50-year-old man has been arrested this evening on suspicion of rape, and he remains in police custody.

The toilets remain cordoned off while the investigation continues.

Detective Inspector Catherine Taylor, said: “I know that incidents of rape and sexual assault can be alarming for the local community, especially when there is a large police presence like there was today. I hope that the swift arrest of the suspect in this case provides some reassurance that we take reports of this nature incredibly seriously.

“I’d like to thank the public for their patience and understanding while we carried out our searches this afternoon. You may see an increased police presence in the area this evening and overnight, and I’d urge anyone with any concerns to speak to an officer.”

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police told Hereford Voice;

"Police officers received a report of a rape which had taken place at about 12.30pm in the male toilets at Castle Green in Hereford today (April 17).

A scene guard is currently in place at the toilets and an extensive search of the area is underway to locate the suspect"

95% of parents are offered their preferred primary school

Parents in Herefordshire join those across England today (Monday 17 April) with finding out which primary school their child will be attending in September 2023.

Herefordshire Council has made 1729 offers of places in primary schools across the county with the following parental preference success rates:

First preference: 1643 offers, which is 95% of the total offers

Second preference: 55 offers, which is 3.2% of the total offers with a cumulative success rate of 98.2%

Third preference: 10 offers, which is 0.6% of the total offers with a cumulative success rate of 98.8%

The balance of places offered, which is 21 (or 1.2%) were to parents whose preferences could not be met and their offer was for the nearest school to their home address with available spaces.

Last year, 96% of parents received their first school preference and 99.1% received a place in one of their three preferences.

As in previous years, Herefordshire schools continue to be a net importer of pupils, with more pupils from neighbouring counties requesting places in the county’s schools than Herefordshire pupils requesting places in other counties.

There are currently 15 Herefordshire primary schools with waiting lists and 58 have available spaces.

The council has continued to promote its online application service this year, which was used by 97% of applicants.

Last month the Lions club donated £500 to the Midlands Air Ambulance.

Emma Grey their CEO writes;

‘The Lions support will directly help fund our rapid response air ambulance-led service, enabling us to save countless lives’

‘With your support, the highly skilled doctors and critical care paramedics deliver hospital-level clinical interventions and medicine at the incident scene, giving patients the best possible chance of recovery and survival’

‘Our essential service relies on donations from kind-hearted people such as the Lions and your fundraising as we do not receive Government funding for our daily missions.’

‘Without you, we would not be able to carry out 4,500 vitally important missions by air ambulance helicopter or critical care car each year."

"Again, thank you for your support, it means a great deal to us and the 12 patients we treat daily."

The photo shows members of the Club presenting a cheque for £500 to Nicole Bee from the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

PC Andy Boardman

In a statement a spokesperson said;

"It is with immense sadness that we can confirm a serving West Mercia Police officer has sadly died whilst on duty.

PC Andy Boardman was taken ill and collapsed whilst on duty in Broseley, Shropshire, yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 11 April). He was just 43 years old.

Chief Constable Pippa Mills said: “This is a terrible shock for everyone that knew Andy and my thoughts, and the thoughts of all of us at West Mercia Police, are with his wife, Luci, their two daughters and all his family, friends and colleagues.

“Andy was a familiar and friendly face across the communities he served and well-liked by his colleagues across the whole force. Today we are flying our flags at half-mast as a sign of respect.

“Andy was responding to an incident alongside paramedics from the West Midlands Ambulance Service when he was taken ill. I want to pass on our sincere thanks to the paramedics who did everything they possibly could for Andy and to the officers that were with him.”

Andy joined West Mercia Police in 2015, having started his policing career in 2007 with West Midlands Police. Prior to joining the police Andy served in the Armed Forces for seven years.

During his service with West Mercia Police he worked in Kidderminster, Stourport and most recently within the Safer Neighbourhood Team for Broseley and Much Wenlock.

Andy’s wife Luci has asked us to pass on her thanks to all their colleagues and members of the public who have sent her and their family kind and thoughtful messages of support"

 

The Courtyard team are delighted to announce that Estelle van Warmelo has won Best Director for Beauty and the Beast in the UK Pantomime Association’s Pantomime Awards 2023.

L-R: Ellis Kerkhoven, Estelle van Warmelo and Madeleine MacMahon with the Best Director award for Beauty and the Beast at the UK Pantomime Awards

Beauty and the Beast was nominated for two awards this year: Best Script (Lyndsay Maples) and Best Director (Estelle van Warmelo).

"What an honour it is to receive this award from the UK Pantomime Association!” says Estelle van Warmelo, “I'm enormously pleased for the whole Courtyard team who have worked tirelessly and devotedly on all the in-house productions since The Courtyard began.

Panto is difficult to get right, and every year we strive to improve, develop and bring freshness and quality to the show, a challenge our writer Lynday Maples tackles with aplomb alongside the rest of the creative team. I'm particularly grateful for the support Ellis Kerkhoven and Madi MacMahon have given me personally over the past two years. Bringing them into the directing department has helped us through an enormously difficult time while raising the bar on the integrity of the show. I'm delighted to acknowledge that this award reflects the strength of our department, not just a single person.

Huge thanks to the UK Pantomime Association, John Good Ltd for the award and to Ian Archer for letting me go wild every year. Having that artistic freedom is a rare gift from a producer so I'm grateful for his faith in me. Here’s to next year!”

The Courtyard prides itself on producing, writing, and directing its professional annual pantomimes in-house. Many members of the cast return to The Courtyard year after year and the seasoned writer and director have been working together on these productions for over 10 years.

The Pantomime Awards are the industry recognised awards for celebrating the best of this British theatrical institution. Judges are selected from a range of backgrounds for their knowledge and passion for pantomime. During the judging process, judges watch and mark the show based on a wide-ranging criteria covering all elements of the pantomime, for which they write a detailed commentary.

Following its’ best-selling year ever, The Courtyard’s pantomime for 2023/24 will be the classic tale of Dick Whittington. Spirited hero Dick and his feline friend pack up their handkerchief to embark on an epic adventure seeking fame and fortune. Their magical rags to riches tale will take audiences on an exciting journey to London Town… but will the streets be paved with gold?

As part of The Courtyard’s commitment to inclusivity, there will be a range of accessible performances including Relaxed, Dementia Friendly, BSL signed and Audio Described performances.

Tickets for Dick Whittington are on sale now and can be booked via Box Office in person, by calling 01432 340555 or online at courtyard.org.uk.

Three days of racing to be crowned the Pinkbike Balance Bike World Champion at the UK's biggest mountain bike festival!

Date: 24-27th of August (August Bank Holiday Weekend).
Venue: GT Bicycles Malverns Classic Mountain Bike Festival at Eastnor Deer Park, Herefordshire. HR8 1RQ. England.

Riders Ready, let's go racing!! Children aged from 2 to 5 years of age are invited from all around the world to race in this fun and competitive competition. Race categories are split between both boys and girls in their age category. There are three days of racing with Quad Eliminator, Slalom and Downhill. Enter every race to be in with the chance to be a World Champion!

Race 1 Friday 25th of August – Balance Bike Quad Eliminator 
Four riders on the BMX style start gate, elbows out and go! This is action-packed head-to-head racing down into the main arena. Riders will fire out of the four-man start gate at the same time, battling elbows high into the first corner. The course will be fast and flowing with plenty of passing places for the skilled and the brave. The top two racers from each round will go through to the next heat, a simple elimination format as we head to the super finals! 

Race 2 Saturday 26th of August – Balance Bike Slalom 
Racing one at a time down the slalom course, the race is against the clock! This is action-packed racing as riders fire out of the BMX style start gate and around the coloured gates. The fastest four from each category will go into the super finals.
The super finals will be based on one race, racing dual slalom head to head. Gate pick goes to the rider that qualified fastest.

Race 3 Sunday 28th of August – Balance Bike Downhill 
Downhill is the Formula 1 of mountain bike racing. The purest form of racing with riders racing against the clock. The course will be fast and flowing with plenty of corners for the riders to showcase their skills.

The festival weekend is free to children aged 12 and under as are all the Fair Ground rides, Pump Track, Air Bag and Slack Lines. 

If you require any further information regarding the Pinkbike Balance Bike World Championships at the GT Bicycles Malverns Classic, or to enter your child into the races please check out the website - https://malvernsclassic.com

Hereford Voice have been advised today that Lloyds Pharmacy within the Sainsbury's store at Barton Yard in Hereford will close on the 22nd.

We have also been advised that is no replacement pharmacy planned at the store.

Do you use this pharmacy?

A force-wide week of action to target individuals who cause the most harm in their communities saw West Mercia Police officers arrest more than 100 people.

Operation Justice focused on individuals persistent in their criminality arrested for a range of offences including theft, drugs, domestic violence, recalls to prison, stalking, underage sex, criminal damage, harassment and revenge pornography.

Local Policing Areas in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire were actively involved in raids during the week which ran from March 27-31.

Chief Superintendent Paul Moxley, who oversaw the operation, hailed it as a success that made local communities safer places to live.

Chief Superintendent Moxley said: “This was a concerted force-wide operation across our five Local Policing Areas which resulted in 103 arrests for 183 offences, with 38 people charged so far with a multitude of offences.

“A number of individuals are still being investigated on suspicion of outstanding offences. The aim was to track down those suspects who thought that they may have evaded prosecution, those who have gone to ground and those who continue to blight local communities with their unacceptable anti-social behaviour.”

West Mercia Police have released an image of a man who they believe may be able to help with enquires after a 17-year-old boy was bitten by a dog in Hereford.

The incident happened yesterday (Sunday 2 April) at around 4.30pm at the rear of The Oval on the junction of Spofford Street.

The teenager was approached by the dog, which was on a lead, before it bit him on the face. The dog is described as large Bull-type dog, with short black fur and wearing a green harness.

Officers believe the man in the image may have information that could help with the investigations.

Anyone who may know the man in the image, or has any information regarding the incident is asked to contact the South Wye Safer Neighbourhood Team by emailing herefordsouthside.snt@westmercia.police.uk.

In a message issued by West Mercia Police the spokesperson for the force said;

"Hereford Police Station is currently closed as a precaution after what is believed to be a hand grenade was handed in by a member of the public. Explosive Ordnance Disposal have been informed and are attending the scene assess the device and ensure it is disposed of safely"