On International Firefighters Day Hereford Voice take this opportunity to salute Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and every other firefighter around the world, these are the brave, courageous and fearless heroes who save millions of lives every year.

These people go head-on into situations that everyone else is running from.  

Thank you for your service and 'May the 4th be with you' 

Have you stopped smoking since the Coronavirus pandemic? 

We are all aware that this dreadful virus killing thousands of people around the world attacks the human respiratory system and if you’re a smoker and worried about COVID-19 then now would be a good time to think about quitting for good.

Research into previous coronaviruses show that smoking makes the impact of the virus worse.  Smokers are more likely to develop severe disease from the COVID-19 virus, than non-smokers.

Britain's chief medical advisor, Professor Chris Whitty, urged smokers to ditch the habit immediately to lower their risk of Covid-19. He told MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee:

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"To be clear on smokers, my recommendation is that they stop smoking.

"If you are going to give up smoking, this is a very good moment to do it."

Chancellor Rishi Sunak also increased the tobacco tax in the recent Budget, with the cost of cigarettes to go up to £12.73 a pack.

With this in mind, here are just a few websites to help advise you on how to quit smoking for good.

Wish (Herefordshire Council)

NHS Quit Smoking - NHS Smokefree

Follow the hashtag #QuidforCovid campaign on Social Media for more advise and support

The Hereford Mayfair has taken place for over 900 years!

The first weekend of May is when we usually see all the showman's vehicles pulling up into Hereford.

Hereford’s Mayfair has been with us since the 12th Century and it was originally known as St Ethelbert’s Fair and started back in 1121 and a street fair has been held in the city ever since. 

Every year the streets are closed off in the city centre and the thrilling rides and stalls with all their lights, music, food and prizes open for this three day annual street extravaganza. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic both The Hereford and Leominster May Fair events for 2020 have been cancelled. 

Will you miss this Hereford tradition?  

Here are some fabulous historic photographs of our Mayfair together with some Pathe film circa 1920-1929

Billy Stevens Glamour Parade 1955 photograph courtesy of Derek Evans Studio Hereford

King Street photograph courtesy of P Watts and Old Hereford Pics


Photograph courtesy of Walter Pritcard and Old Hereford Pics

A stunning sunset across Herefordshire tonight, thank you Ella for capturing this so well.

We are absolutely thrilled and excited to announce today that we have joined teams and created a new partnership with our brilliant friends over at Old Hereford Pics.

The original Old Hereford Pics was established by local Herefordian, Chris Adcocks way back in 2008. 

The aim of their websites was to give a different look at Old Hereford with new and old pictures of its people, its buildings, its businesses and events from over the years and in Chris's words to offer 

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something a little different for people to take a look at and talk about

After much deliberation Chris announced that due to family commitments and not having the hours to keep up with the continuous work involved in running Hereford's busiest old picture websites, he reluctantly said that they would have to close however, that was two years ago and after some discussions, we are delighted to have partnered both of our long established websites and we look forward to encouraging people to continue sending us their contributions, which will enable us to go from strength to strength.

To help kick-start our new partnership, can we please kindly ask you to spread the word - LIKE and SHARE our new partners at Old Hereford Pics

Do you think this will be the end of cash? 

During this Coronavirus pandemic many businesses as part of their social distancing procedures no longer accept cash and will only take card and contactless payment methods.

Nowadays, there are new digital ways to pay and there is a greater choice than ever.

Then there are services allowing contactless payments to be made using a PC or smartphone (like Paypal and Apple Pay). Other services link your mobile phone number to your bank account so you can pay someone by sending a text. You can even pay using your watch or smart phone.

Most of these innovations are about making it easier to pay for things. 

We believe that cash will always be used but maybe less and less...

What do you think? 

Once again it's Thursday and at 8pm tonight, we will express our solidarity and full support for our front line workers from our doorsteps.

Please join us in a 'round of applause' and saucepan tapping for ALL our NHS heroes, carers and key workers
#HerefordVoice #Herefordshire #ClapForOurCarers

 Happy 100th Birthday Colonel Tom Moore.

The veteran's big day will also be marked with a flypast by a Spitfire and a Hurricane over his Bedfordshire home. He has also received thousands of cards including that special one from Her Majesty The Queen.

The war hero has been appointed as the first Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College Harrogate for his birthday.

This incredible man has raised over £30m by walking laps of his garden and has also broken two Guinness World Records along the way. He is the oldest person ever to have a No.1 single in the UK charts and the veteran has raised the most money ever as an individual with his charity walk, which has captured the nations hearts. Well done Sir!

It's good to see that the UK government have started human clinical trials to find a vaccine for Coronavirus.

NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG established

Today the four Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Herefordshire and Worcestershire merged to become a single organisation.

NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG replaces NHS Herefordshire CCG, NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG, NHS South Worcestershire CCG and NHS Wyre Forest CCG.

The merger follows a period of engagement last year with the public, staff, providers and other key stakeholders. It has also been supported by GP practices in Herefordshire and Worcestershire as well as each former CCGs’ Governing Bodies.

The merger does not affect any health or care services provided by NHS organisations or local councils across the area, but does reduce the duplication of roles and governance that previously existed behind the scenes within the four organisations.

It is also consistent with the expectation set out in the NHS Long Term Plan that there should be more streamlined commissioning arrangements in place across the Herefordshire and Worcestershire footprint. 

Simon Trickett, Chief Executive of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG said: “Clearly we are currently working in some unprecedented and challenging circumstances and our immediate focus remains on responding to the Covid-19 outbreak. Our main priority is, and always will be, our patients and the health and wellbeing of our local population.

“Having already set up combined governance and decision-making arrangements across the four CCGs, this merger was the next logical step. We will not lose sight of the different needs of our local communities and we will continue to work with local organisations so that people’s needs, views and experiences remain at the heart of our decision making.”

A public engagement exercise conducted across Herefordshire and Worcestershire earlier this year drew support for proposals to bring together the four CCGs, with over half of the respondents in favour of the creation of a single CCG.

A subsequent ballot of GP member practices in each of the four CCG areas drew even stronger support, with 94% of practices across Herefordshire and Worcestershire in favour of a merger.

Further information, why has this happened?
The NHS Long Term Plan presents the opportunity for all NHS organisations to radically change the way in which they work both internally and in partnership with one another to help support the development of Integrated Care Systems.

For CCGs, there is an expectation that by April 2021 every Integrated Care System will have more streamlined commissioning arrangements to enable a single set of commissioning decisions at the Integrated Care System level. For Herefordshire and Worcestershire this will involve moving from four CCGs to a leaner, more strategic single CCG for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

In achieving this there will be a change to the role of the CCG itself, shifting from the traditional model of commissioning to one with a greater focus on strategic commissioning on a bigger geographical footprint and making shared decisions with providers on how to best use resources, design services and improve population health. The CCG will also have a role in supporting providers to partner with local government and other community organisations at county or ‘place’ level, and in ensuring that GPs and community services are supported to deliver at their local level.

In Herefordshire and Worcestershire this will also include a shift of our valuable clinical leadership resources, realigning them into roles where they will be better able to influence service delivery through developing Primary Care Networks and the new investment being aligned to these groups.

Information that was held previously by NHS Herefordshire CCG, NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG, NHS South Worcestershire CCG and NHS Wyre Forest CCG was transferred to NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG on 1 April 2020.

The new CCG is the the new data controller. Any questions about the use of data (including patient data) by the new CCG should be directed to mlcsu.ig@nhs.net.

Looks like more financial savings, planned before Coronavirus, will affect the care of everyone in both counties.

A stunning photo of the nights sky taken from Belmont football pitch over the weekend. 

Photo courtesy of our moderator @DILLIGAF

Covid-19 Testing Now Available for Key Workers and Their Families

Pre-booked drive-through testing is available at Merton Meadow car park in Hereford.

If you're an essential worker who is self-isolating, you can now apply for you and your household to get tested in Herefordshire for Covid-19 coronavirus.

The drive-through testing is available at Merton Meadow car park in Hereford and tests can be booked on the government website. The test is only for people who have symptoms of coronavirus – whether that’s you, or someone you live with. It involves taking a swab sample from your nose and throat. The test will tell whether you currently have coronavirus. After the test, while you wait for your results, you (and anyone you live with) must continue to self-isolate. Read NHS advice about how long to self-isolate.

If your test result turns out to be negative, you can safely return to work, as long as:

• you are well enough
• you have not had a high temperature for 48 hours
• anyone you live with also tests negative

If you test positive, or someone you live with tests positive, you cannot return to work. You will need to continue to self-isolate.

If your condition gets worse, or you do not get better after 7 days, use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. Only call 111 if you cannot get help online. For a medical emergency dial 999.

Herefordshire emergency response lead, Superintendent Sue Thomas said:

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“It’s good to see that tests for Covid-19 are now available locally for key workers in Herefordshire, with military support. The tests will provide reassurance and guidance to those experiencing coronavirus symptoms. More widely, we are starting to see the effect of social distancing on the spread of coronavirus, and I would ask that residents continue to stay home to protect lives.”

An Army spokesperson said:

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“The Armed Forces are helping to support the Government’s efforts to increase testing. This includes creating a network of Mobile Testing Units which will travel the country to reach essential workers at sites where there is a demand for testing. 

These units, operated by personnel from all three services, are deploying across the UK with soldiers taking swabs from key workers, including NHS and care home staff. A mobile testing unit is currently in Hereford at Merton Meadow car park. 

The units have been designed to clinical requirements by Army engineers and can be easily set up in under 20 minutes. The new mobile units will work alongside the drive-through test sites to rapidly increase the number of tests completed each day.”

Boris Johnson is back today! 

The PM returns to lead the government as the country enters its fifth week in lockdown. After more than three weeks out of action this will be a "boost for the country", his deputy has said.

Since the World is in virtual lockdown it doesn't take long for Mother Nature to reset itself...

Enjoy this video with scenes worthy of a Disney film showing Kangaroos hoping through major cities in Australia to Lions relaxing on a Golf Course in South Africa.

We loved watching this so much, we just had to share it with our lovely followers in Herefordshire and beyond. 

New 'Super Green' Clinic opens in Herefordshire

A new ‘Super Green’ Clinic has recently opened at Sarum House Surgery, Hereford for people across the county who have been identified as at increased risk of hospitalisation, should they contract Coronavirus. These people are known as ‘Shielded patients’ and will have received letters advising them to stay at home and avoid face-to-face contact with others for at least 12 weeks. 

The new Super Green Clinic is a nurse-led service, staffed by practice nurses and healthcare assistants from across the county. It is being led by Sister Deborah Suer, an experienced practice nurse from St Katherine’s Surgery Ledbury. As well as a physical clinic, a Super Green service will also be made available in their homes for housebound shielded patients, in collaboration with the district nursing team. 

The Super Green service offers a safe environment for shielded patients to receive non-COVID related interventions, such as medication, blood tests and essential injections. It complements other GP-led services available throughout the county during the pandemic and forms part of a carefully planned strategy coordinated by all 20 Herefordshire GP surgeries and Taurus Healthcare. 

Sister Suer says:

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“The Super Green Clinic nursing team are excited by the new challenge and are committed to delivering high quality care. We understand the worries being felt by this particularly vulnerable group and have implemented a rigorous cleaning schedule at the Clinic. In addition, the nursing team are being extremely vigilant with regard to their own and their patients’ protection from the virus.”

The first patients to have used the Super Green Clinic have so far given positive feedback. One lady commented:

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“It was a very safe environment”, whilst another said: “Thank you. You are truly wonderful and I will be clapping for you all on Thursday evening”.

Shielded patients who need nursing interventions such as a blood test or injection should telephone their GP Surgery, who will then refer them to the Super Green service. 

A beautiful sunset over Much Marcle and it looks like this fine weather will continue today.

Photo courtesy of Janey Cotton (Forever Hereford and Beyond)

Can no one at Balfour Beatty and our councillors see the state of our urban roads in the city which are now getting out of hand. When the use of a garden hoe along the kerb would have removed most weeds we are now in a position that the weeds are so established that the only way to treat them would be with herbicides which in turn cause pollution. So the only answer appears to be is do nothing and our streets on our estates take on the appearance of an outback town - the only thing missing is tumbleweed. Together with the inability to get on top of the litter and fly tipping problems and blocked drains around the area it is apparent that the majority of citizens and those elected to represent us have no pride in our environment - a sad state of affairs. The picture of Glastonbury Festival and the accompanying litter say so much about the state of our country and mindset of those responsible.

In Australia they appear to have come up with a safe, pesticide-free method of keeping their streets clean and tidy. And ironically  this method is used by Glastonbury Town Council to keep their town clean and weed free.

Belmont Road Hereford:

Steel Fabricators 'Roll and Scroll' based in Grantham, Lincs have honoured Captain Tom Moore by manufacturing this stunning bench, which they have kindly gifted to him for his 100th Birthday.

Captain Tom's daughter Hannah is pictured here accepting the bench on her fathers behalf, he was resting at the time when the bench was delivered to his home by Managing Director Chris Kennedy. 

The bench features beautifully crafted images of Captain Tom Moore together with his name and with the words 'You'll Never Walk Alone" at the base.

This is such an unselfish and kind gesture from the firm who have manufactured over 100 memorial benches so far.

Thank you to Chris for these lovely photographs, which we have pleasure in sharing and we're sure that Captain Tom Moore will be absolutely delighted with his birthday present.