A Special Tribute to the Special Air Service on this 75th VE Day

We thought we would create something to end this national day of celebration with a tribute to honour our local boys here in Hereford

Herefordshire Council are advising that it is already taking 2 hours to access the household recycling site, please consider whether your journey is essential.

Do not visit unless it is essential 

• Essential means you must only visit if waste or recycling cannot be stored at home safely or disposed of safely by other means.

By this we mean the waste cannot be stored without causing risk of injury, health or harm. There is no other reason the journey will be considered a legitimate purpose for travel. If you can temporarily store your waste or recycling in a way that does not pose a risk to yours or others safety or human health, then you must do so.

Do not visit the site if you or a member of your household are unwell, as you should be following the Government guidance on self-isolation. This means you should not visit if you are:

• Extremely vulnerable and are remaining at home for shielding purposes
• Symptomatic with coronavirus (COVID-19)
• In a 14-day household isolation

The site is now open 8.00am to 6.00pm and 7 days per week.

We have had these photographs of the bunting and flags that have been put up in various roads and streets in Hereford today and wanted to share them with you. 

How good on these! More photographs HERE

Please add photos of your street 

Happy 94th Birthday to Sir David Attenborough, you continue to be an inspiration to us all.

Amazing work created by the Pupils at the Aconbury Centre on Ross Road (Part of Herefordshire Pupil Referral Service) showing their appreciation for all Key-Workers with this brilliant mural.

Try this simple calculation to see what you will be doing this weekend ...

Police Seize £20k of Cannabis from Van in Hereford
 

The Police Operations Patrol Unit said:

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Vehicle stopped in Hereford, it was on a delivery of sorts...

However with £20k worth of cannabis we had to disrupt the journey and have a long chat with the occupant in custody

On VE Day, 8 May 1945, King George VI expressed his relief that the war on the continent had come to an end in a speech to the nation, delivered from a bomb-damaged Buckingham Palace.

The King's Speech

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Today we give thanks to almighty god for a great deliverance. Speaking from our empire’s oldest capital city, war-battered but never for one moment daunted or dismayed – speaking from London, I ask you to join with me in that act of thanksgiving.

Germany, the enemy who drove all Europe into war, has been finally overcome. In the far east we have yet to deal with the Japanese, a determined and cruel foe. To this we shall turn with the utmost resolve and with all our resources.

But at this hour, when the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and homes in these islands, we may at last make one pause for thanksgiving and then turn our thoughts to the tasks all over the world which peace in Europe brings with it.

Let us remember those who will not come back, their constancy and courage in battle, their sacrifice and endurance in the face of a merciless enemy: let us remember the men in all the services and the women in all the services who have laid down their lives.

We have come to the end of our tribulation, and they are not with us at the moment of our rejoicing.

Then let us salute in proud gratitude the great host of the living who have brought us to victory. I cannot praise them to the measure of each one’s service, for in a total war the efforts of all rise to the same noble height and all are devoted to the common purpose. Armed or unarmed, men and women, you have fought, striven, and endured to your utmost.

No one knows that better than I do; and as your King I thank with a full heart those who bore arms so valiantly on land and sea, or in the air; and all civilians who, shouldering their many burdens, have carried them unflinchingly without complaint.

With those memories in our minds, let us think what it was that has upheld us through nearly six years of suffering and peril. The knowledge that everything was at stake: our freedom, our independence, our very existence as a people; but the knowledge also that in defending ourselves we were defending the liberties of the whole world; that our cause was the cause not of this nation only, not of this empire and commonwealth only, but of every land where freedom is cherished and law and liberty go hand in hand.

In the darkest hours we knew that the enslaved and isolated peoples of Europe looked to us their hopes were our hopes; their confidence confirmed our faith. We knew that, if we failed, the last remaining barrier against a worldwide tyranny would have fallen in ruins. But we did not fail. We kept our faith with ourselves and with one another; we kept faith and unity with our great allies.

That faith and unity have carried us to victory through dangers which at times seemed overwhelming. 

So let us resolve to bring to the tasks which lie ahead the same high confidence in our mission. Much hard work awaits us, both in the restoration of our own country after the ravages of war and in helping to restore peace and sanity to a shattered world.

This comes upon us at a time when we have all given of our best. For five long years and more, heart and brain, nerve and muscle have been directed upon the overthrow of Nazi tyranny. Now we turn, fortified by success, to deal with our last remaining foe. The Queen and I know the ordeals which you have endured throughout the commonwealth and empire.

We are proud to have shared some of these ordeals with you, and we know also that together we shall all face the future with stern resolve and prove that our reserves of willpower and vitality are inexhaustible.

There is great comfort in the thought that the years of darkness and danger in which the children of our country have grown up are over and, please god, forever.

We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will. To that, then, let us turn our thoughts on this day of just triumph and proud sorrow; and then take up our work again, resolved as a people to do nothing unworthy of those who died for us and to make the world such a world as they would have desired, for their children and for ours.

This is the task to which now honour binds us. In the hour of danger we humbly committed our cause into the hand of god, and He has been our strength and shield.

Let us thank him for his mercies, and in this hour of victory commit ourselves and our new task to the guidance of that same strong hand.

#LestWeForget

Today is the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day or 'VE Day' when the Allies formally accepted Germany’s surrender, marking a significant date towards the end of the Second World War.

These were some of the newspaper headlines from that special day;

Daily Mail                                                                               Daily Mirror
  
Daily Telegraph                                                                   Daily Express

  
Photographs courtesy of the Press Gazette

Hereford and Leominster household recycling centres reopen 9 May

Restrictions will remain in place to ensure safety of public and staff

Herefordshire Council will reopen Hereford and Leominster Household Recycling Centres for essential use only from Saturday 9 May.

They will be open from 8.00am to 6.00pm every day

The other Household Recycling Centres in Kington, Bromyard, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye will remain closed for the time being, until available staffing resource will permit these sites to reopen as well.

Government guidance will be followed to ensure our sites can safely operate, and strict social distancing measures will be in place to protect both the public and staff. Only limited numbers of vehicles will be permitted entry at any time so long queues and delays are likely.

The government’s view is that household recycling centres play a critical role in the local management of waste, so making a journey to one is considered a “reasonable excuse” if a resident has difficulty safely storing unavoidable waste.

Journeys to HWRCs must only be undertaken if your waste or recycling cannot be stored at home without causing risk of injury, health or harm, and cannot be disposed of safely by other means. If you can temporarily store your waste or recycling in a way that does not pose a risk to yours or others safety or human health, then you must do so.

Social distancing measures mean staff cannot provide assistance, so please make sure you are able to unload your waste unaided. If you are able, take additional measures to protect yourself and others such as using gloves and have sanitary wipes to use in your vehicle.

Anyone who is self-isolating or has Covid-19 symptoms must not visit a household recycling centre.Councillor Gemma Davies, Cabinet Member for Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, said: 

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I thank the public for their patience and understanding whilst plans have been made to re-open the recycling centres. Unlike many other councils we have decided not to instigate a booking system and are trusting the residents of Herefordshire to exercise their judgment as to whether their visit to the centre is essential.  Any swamping of the sites will unfortunately result in more restrictive access to the sites and this is certainly not what anybody wants.

“It is important to recognise that we are still in a global pandemic and, wherever possible, we advise residents to take measures to avoid creating waste and manage it at home.  I would also urge members of the public not only to follow the social distancing measures we will have in place but also be respectful to the members of staff facilitating the opening of the sites, they are doing a fantastic job in incredibly difficult circumstances.

The council’s waste collection service will continue to prioritise the collection of general rubbish and recycling. You can manage your garden waste in the following ways:

* Cut and Drop - Don’t collect grass cuttings unless you intend to use them for home composting, simply cut the grass without the collector on.

* Create a compost heap - No matter the size of your garden you should have space for a heap. If not use a low cost home composter to keep the garden tidy.

* Create a wildlife habitat or bug hotel with thick branches and wood.

* Use a licensed garden waste disposal service.

* Do not burn your garden waste, as the smoke can aggravate respiratory difficulties of those suffering from Coronavirus and other     illnesses.

Herefordshire Council also continues to offer a bulky item collection service. Please call 01432 260051 to make a booking.

For more information please visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/recyclecentres

A wonderful aerial view of Hereford's Edgar Street football ground.

The Merton stand was built in 1968 following the demolition of the old Edgar Street stand for road widening. The Len Weston was built in 1974.

So does anyone know the history of this photo from our Old Hereford Pics archive and what year this could have been? 

Check out this stunning sunset captured perfectly from Merbach Common Herefordshire.

Photo courtesy of Tom Arnott

Herefordshire is so beautiful, it is such a privilege to live in this most picturesque part of the world.

On This Day: 40 years ago today saw the Iranian Embassy Siege brought to a dramatic end with 'Operation Nimrod' successfully executed by the Special Air Service (SAS). Also discussed HERE

'The Back Door' depicted in this painting by John Tidewell

"Who Dares Wins"

Fire crews from Eardisley Fire Station with support from Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service tackled a 25 acre bracken fire Fire well alight on Bredwardine Hill last night. 

Backpacks and beaters used to control and extinguish the blaze. 

Contractor agreed for major expansion to Herefordshire primary school

Image credit: Quattro Design Architects

A £6million expansion of a popular Herefordshire school has taken a major step forward after a contractor was appointed to carry out the work.

Herefordshire Council has signed a contract with builder Morgan Sindall Construction for the work to provide six new classrooms, a new hall and a special hygiene and physio room at Marlbrook Primary School at Green Croft.

The school – rated Outstanding by Ofsted and which has experienced a significant rise in numbers in recent years – will also benefit from new netball courts and improvements to the car parking area.

Councillor Felicity Norman, Herefordshire Council Cabinet member for Children and Families, and Councillor Gemma Davies, Cabinet member for Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, said they were delighted that the scheme was progressing.

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“Marlbrook Primary School is a real success story and this significant investment will help the council and everyone concerned to build on that.

“Once the work is complete pupils will benefit from a state-of-the-art learning environment and the very latest facilities to help make sure they get the best possible start to their education.”

 

Head teacher Tracey Kneale said the announcement was much-needed good news in the midst of the coronavirus situation.

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"The whole school community is delighted that the building work will soon begin. At such a difficult time for all our families, it is something for us to look forward to in the months ahead."

Robert Williams, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said:

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“We are delighted to be awarded the contract and look forward to delivering the project safely, efficiently and in line with current government guidance.”

Work will start in compliance with all Government coronavirus regulations and the council has pledged to help keep disruption from construction traffic to a minimum for residents.

Construction of the project – the capital funding for which was approved in November – is expected to take around a year.

Herefordshire Council invests in additional care facility to assist former NHS patients with their recovery

A Herefordshire hotel has reopened to support Herefordshire Council provide additional care and rehabilitation capacity for former NHS patients and members of the community, as part of the county’s response to the Covid-19 emergency.

The council has leased the Three Counties Hotel at Belmont Road, Hereford, as a temporary accommodation to support the NHS and social care sector.

Agincare UK Ltd are providing the care and support service on the site, which can offer accommodation for up to 46 people during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The service will provide short term care and a rehabilitation service to help people to live independently when they return to their place of residence.

Protective measures have been put in place, including the use of PPE, to ensure the safety of the residents and the staff.

Councillor Pauline Crockett, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Wellbeing said:

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“Herefordshire Council has made a significant investment towards providing this additional social care facility for the county.  We would like to thank the management at The Three Counties Hotel for offering their premises and by working with us they have enabled the council to make up to 46 beds available for the more vulnerable members of the local community.  This initiative will assist residents with their recovery and rehabilitation before they return home and will also help to relieve the pressure on the NHS and the social care sector.”

Luke Holmes, Agincare Operations Director, added:

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“Agincare is delighted to be able to support Herefordshire Council and the county’s residents during this difficult time. Our staff on site have all received bespoke training for their roles and with the help of the council we have plenty of PPE readily available for them to use.  This is an example of excellent partnership working between the council, a local hotel and Agincare as a local care provider. The hotel is an ideal environment for residents as it has comfortable, spacious facilities whilst being at a distance from the wider population, so everyone can remain safe within the government’s social distancing guidelines.”

Michelle Standell, Manager of The Three Counties Hotel, said:

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“We are pleased to be able to offer our services.  Not only is it supporting the NHS and social care sector, it has also resulted in many of our staff being able to come off furlough which, of course, is a very positive outcome for any business in the hospitality sector at the moment.”

Thank you to all Key-Workers and the NHS in the fight against the Coronavirus, we thought this illustration was just perfect for today.

May the 4th be with you! 

Illustration courtesy of mjhiblenart

The Iranian Embassy Siege 40th Anniversary

The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy on Prince's Gate in South Kensington, London. 

Operation 'Nimrod' began. 

The gunmen, members of Arabs of KSA group campaigning for Arab national sovereignty in the southern Iranian region of Khuzestan Province, took 26 people hostage, mostly embassy staff, but also several visitors, as well as a police officer who had been guarding the embassy. 

On the sixth day the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ordered the Elite Special Air Service (SAS) to take over and they stormed the embassy and ended the siege by eliminating the terrorists and releasing the hostages. 

Go Go Go - The operation took just 17 minutes