Hereford Voice

Here are some of the before photographs taken yesterday as the work began

Well done to Belmont Rural Parish Council and Herefordshire County Councillor Tracy Bowes, for spending today sprucing up Benjamin Park in Belmont. Before After Councillor Tracy Bowes approached the Parish Council asking if they would fund the purchase of paint, wood and bark to revitalise the play area. The parish council approved the request and Tracy and several of the parish councillors, together with Benjamin’s mum, and the locality steward from Balfour Beatty, gave up their free time today to paint and replace play bark and wood. A big thank you to everyone involved, including parish councillors, Adrian Bridges, Colin Warne, Phil Rudd, Amy bridges, Julie Furniss, Neil Hooper, Des Parish and County Councillor Tracy Bowes. A big thank you to Natalie from Bblp and her partner Max, who also helped. Great community and great team work 👏

Hereford Movie | Wyvern Hill - Feature Film had it's debut festival screening at the Dead North Film Festival and it won Best Feature! Congratulations from the team at Hereford Voice 👏 Wyvern Hill is described as ‘the story of one woman’s struggle with reality’ as a series of gruesome killings is shaking the county of Herefordshire, UK. We wrote an article on the new horror movie set in Herefordshire last August. More details on our previous article from last year here - https://hfd.news/tkt

On 19th September, Mayor of Hereford Paul Stevens attended the War Memorial Dedication Service for the crew of JB453 OL-F, an aircraft which tragically crashed at Blankenburg, Germany on 2nd January 1944 Mayor of Hereford Paul Stevens Read more hereMayor of Hereford Paul Steven ➡️ https://herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk/mayor-attends-war.../

A large amount of cannabis has been seized after a warrant was executed. In Cedar Close The warrant was part of Hereford Cops on-going work to shut down the distribution of drugs in our community. It was our community and partners that spoke to us and who told us of the drug dealing at this address and we acted on this intelligence. If you are concerned about drug dealing in your local area you can report it on line at www.westmercia.pnn.police.uk or via 101, or you can report crime anonymously to Crimestoppers Online - crimestoppers-uk.org By phone - 0800 555 111 🔹#HerefordVoice 🔹#HerefordNews 🔹#Hereford

Multiple Fire Crews from both Herefordshire and Gloucestershire joined forces to tackle a barn and combine harvester fire last night in Herefordshire. Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service (Official) sent their water carrier from Cheltenham to assist at the scene of the site which is away from a sufficient water course. Fabulous joint effort from both of the Counties fire crews 📸 GFRS

Herefordshire community car club pilot 🚗 Funded by the Central Government Covid Recovery Grant, Herefordshire Council wishes to support up to six communities to establish community car clubs during an 18 month pilot. A community car club is a local, member-based initiative that provides access to pay-as-you-drive vehicles. Community car clubs are typically run by local groups to support their communities. Car clubs can improve accessibility to transport provision for residents particularly in rural areas. They can also help households reduce their carbon footprint by not owning a car and having more consideration about car use. An independent third party will be appointed to support the pilot car clubs, for example by: Purchasing and loaning up to six pre-owned cars Covering insurance, breakdown, MOT, servicing and repairs Providing online booking systems and other administration Herefordshire Council are inviting communities to submit an expression of interest by Thursday 7 October. Complete the form if you can demonstrate: Evidence you have a steering group in place and named volunteers willing to undertake key roles, for example membership co-ordinator, car keeper, scheme promoter Evidence that you have undertaken consultation and publicity and have at least three residents keen to join Complete the car club expression of interest form by following the 'Hereford Voice' unique link here ➡ https://hfd.news/sxs

Young drivers, and their passengers, are being encouraged to remain safe on Herefordshire roads through an initiative that is targeting students in their final year of secondary school. Hereford & Worcester Fire & Rescue Service working in partnership with Hereford Police, Safer Road Partnerships, Herefordshire Council Road Safety Team and the ELY Memorial Fund charity held simulated crash scenarios at Leominster Police station last week to enable Year 11 students to witness the emergency services demonstrate ‘What’s Behind the Siren’ when fire, police and ambulance services attend road traffic collisions. An 18 minute extraction to remove casualties from a car demonstrates to young people the equipment, expertise, compassion and determination to remove casualties as quickly as possible within what is known as the ‘Golden Hour’ to the appropriate A&E trauma unit . Councillors Kath Hey, Ange Tyler (ELY Memorial Fund), John Hardwick, Felicity Norman and Pauline Crockett pictured at the Dying 2 Drive event for young drivers. Students also participate in workshops about the ‘Fatal Four’: distraction; the importance of wearing a seat belt; appropriate speed within different environments and the impact of drugs and alcohol on driving. The workshops are followed by the heart-breaking accounts by mothers who have lost their children on the road. Coun Ange Tyler speaks of losing her only daughter Emma Louise Young in a car accident in September 2010, recalling the initial 48 hours after the knock at the door from the police informing her that Emma had been killed. Diana Wood also speaks of her journey losing her son Tom in June 2015, explaining to students that her son was speeding and tragically died at the scene of the accident. Coun. Tyler, who established the ELY Memorial Fund, said: ‘After two hours students will have witnessed and learnt about the ‘Fatal Four’ that could end in the loss of life, either as a passenger or driver, in a motor vehicle. The message to the young students from all partners involved with Dying 2 Drive, is to be our future drivers who will make the right choices to remain safe on our roads, as well as enjoying the best experiences of driving.’

As world leaders prepare to gather in Glasgow for COP 26 to discuss co-ordinated action on climate change, Herefordshire leaders have agreed exemplary new standards that will revolutionise housing in the county. Herefordshire Future Homes aims to set standards for net zero carbon homes developed by the council, and its partners across the county and is aimed at all stakeholders involved in housing. Coalition councillors met last week to discuss how low energy homes would drive net zero carbon development in the region, create new jobs and skills, and support the local economy while building homes for those who need them would enable communities to flourish for years to come without trapping them in fuel poverty by reducing energy supply needs. Coun Ellie Chowns (Green Party) welcomed the initiative to develop passive houses in Herefordshire saying: ‘This signals our ambition to make real the concept of net zero affordable housing and how we will do that.’ ‘We know that new buildings have got to be net zero carbon – we’ve already got 85000 old homes in Herefordshire and retrofitting them to zero carbon standard is a massive challenge, we shouldn’t be adding to the housing stock by building new buildings that will need retrofitting down the line. This is about putting our policy where our mouth is and committing to zero carbon standards.’ Herefordshire Future Homes ambitions will ensure healthy, warm homes for residents – eliminating cold, mould and damp in healthy neighbourhoods with space for children to play, space for nature, and the provision of sustainable transport options. Proposals include One Planet Living frameworks designed to help people live well with the resources of the one planet we have. It has been used over twenty years in both public and private sector housing and elsewhere, and is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Coun Felicity Norman welcomed the proposals and said: ‘We absolutely need to provide quality housing that will help to ensure that our communities are healthier.’ Advisor John Christophers, from Zero Carbon House, told councillors that there was a policy vacuum in the UK at the moment but that Herefordshire was not alone in wanting to set higher standards for housing. Citing examples in Norwich, Exeter and Norwich, Mr Christophers said that as these standards became embedded in contractors minds the cost differentials would minimise and zero carbon housing would become the new norm. Springfield Meadows in Oxford is an example of Herefordshire’s housing ambitions. Designed to help residents lead happier and healthier lives with a minimal carbon footprint, the development engages with nature and creates a strong sense of community. It is a mixed development of 23 affordable and for-sale homes, built ‘tenure-blind’ to the same high standards throughout. The homes are built using local labour and natural materials with 90% reduction in embodied carbon emissions. All homes are zero carbon in operation, with solar panels and connection to green power for any surplus demand. A car-club operates with electric vehicles. Residents benefit from large gardens, giving the opportunity to grow their own food, a central green space to enjoy as a community, a wildlife pond, a community orchard, and herb garden. Homes account for over 26% of Herefordshire’s carbon emissions, and have increased by more than a quarter over the past twelve years.

New Jobcentre has opened in Maylord Orchards Hereford The new temporary Jobcentre opened its doors this week to give jobseekers every opportunity to find work as well as offering as much support as possible. You will find the new Jobcentre in the former Sports Direct unit

News | John Challis, who played Boycie in Only Fools And Horses, has died, the actor who lived in Wigmore, Herefordshire died from Cancer aged 79 years. A statement on the Only Fools and Horses Twitter page MEDIA STATEMENT FROM THE FAMILY OF JOHN CHALLIS Sunday September 19, 2021 “It is with heavy hearts that we bring you such sad news. Our dear friend and yours, John Challis, has died peacefully in his sleep, after a long battle with cancer.

Art | How brilliant is this! Barbara Shaw creates art in textiles using small scraps of fabric and this is the result of her 'Hereford Bull' artwork which is currently on display at the Old Chapel Gallery in #Pembridge if anyone would like to see it for real. More details 👉 https://www.artintextiles.co.uk

Gift the city: Hereford launches city wide gift card to support local businesses and make local shopping easy Hereford Gift cards can be purchased from £5 to £500, and spent like a debit card with Hereford businesses including Printer + Tailor, La Madeleine, Fodder organic wholefood shop, Church Street café Rocket, jeweller C.V Osborne, Timothy Hawkins Gallery, The Coffee Cart Company. Hereford’s newest business, Löv Leaf, a shop dedicated to house plants also accepts the new Hereford Gift Card. Steph Sparks is the owner of Löv Leaf, located on Hereford’s Church Street: “I opened Löv Leaf in Hereford at the end of July 2021 and it’s going really well so far. House plant shops are slowly starting to pop up around the UK, mainly in London and the larger cities. When it came to opening Löv Leaf, Hereford, and Church Street in particular, was my number one choice, it is full of quirky independent shops and offers a great shopping experience. The support I’ve had from locals has been amazing. Of course, there are days when it’s quieter. “I think the Hereford Gift Card is such a great idea. If you’re buying someone a gift and don’t know what to get for them, you can get a Hereford Gift Card and they have so many options. A Hereford Gift Card is a window to the whole of Hereford, and will help people to discover new businesses. Customers get that personal service when they come into the shop and a lifetime of advice too. Rather than every shop having its own gift card, it makes sense for us all to work together to create one fantastic gift card for Hereford. “The pandemic encouraged us to invest more in our home environments, it became not only home but a work and social space too. Working from home was never for me though, and the pandemic was the catalyst for me to leave the tourism industry and set up Löv Leaf. I could never have envisaged running my own shop before covid, but there are so many benefits of surrounding ourselves with green plants like improved mental wellbeing.” As well as retail businesses, leisure, services and hospitality businesses are part of the Hereford Gift Card. Gary Waring is the owner of Hereford’s popular Left Bank venue and said the Hereford Gift Card will be useful: “Left Bank is similar to a French continental bar, it’s a place for people to meet and socialise over a drink. When we were closed due to covid, we put seating in place for over 500 people and that helped us to weather the storm. We also stopped taking cash during the pandemic, so the Hereford Gift Card will be another way people can pay. I think it will be successful.” Hereford Business Improvement District is behind the new Hereford Gift Card, and all Hereford BID businesses are able to join the Hereford Gift Card, free of charge. The Hereford Gift Card is part of the award winning Town and City Gift Card concept from payments provider Miconex, and is the first programme of its kind in Herefordshire. Mike Truelove, Chief Executive of Hereford BID said: “Hereford is leading the way in the county by introducing its own gift card. It reinforces Hereford as a brand, and as an appealing city that people want to visit. Retail footfall is slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, the Hereford Gift Card gives our city an extra layer of support, particularly as we approach the Christmas period.” Colin Munro is the Managing Director of Miconex: “A cathedral city with great shopping, dining and leisure, the Hereford Gift Card has the potential to be hugely successful. There are around 30,000 households in Hereford. If every household bought, or was gifted, a £10 Hereford Gift Card, that would be £300,000 going into the Hereford economy, supporting local businesses, local people and local jobs.” The Hereford Gift Card is a prepaid Mastercard and is available to buy now, online or at the Hereford Tourist Information Centre on St Owen Street.

FREE weekend bus travel throughout Herefordshire has been welcomed by those advocating sustainable transport in the county. ‘At last a local authority that is travelling in the right direction,’ responded Herefordshire Sustainable Transport Group to the announcement that a partnership with local bus operators and Herefordshire Council has resulted in free weekend bus travel from 4th September. ‘Over the last thirty years Herefordshire has seen a serious contraction of its bus network,’ HSTG told its members. ‘The result of this has been drastically felt in rural areas leading to increased examples of rural isolation and deprivation particularly affecting young and old alike. It is to be hoped that this welcome initiative by Herefordshire Council heralds a long awaited turn in the fortunes of the rural bus. The Bus Service Improvement Plan currently being drawn up will now need to pay attention to the shortfalls in weekday services. Well done Herefordshire.’ Herefordshire’s coalition administration has responded to the crisis in public transport in the county alongside government ambitions to change the fortunes of bus transport. A government paper on the vision for buses in the UK, Bus Back Better says buses: ‘bring people to jobs, study and local services; they liberate people who are old, young, disabled and isolated; they save millions of tonnes of carbon and pollution, and thousands of miles of traffic jams. The double decker bus is a symbol of Britain. Yet for decades, buses have been largely ignored by policymakers.’ Coalition councillor John Harrington said he was delighted to be able to offer free and unlimited weekend travel for about a year through the Covid-19 Recovery Fund. ‘By making it easier and cheaper to get around, the scheme will help connect people and communities provide a kick start to the local economy by getting people back into enjoying our vibrant city and market towns.’ Coun Harrington encouraged residents to develop their own ‘bus-it list’ – selecting locations, journeys, and experiences in the county, like Herefordshire Art Week, can be enjoyed thanks to free bus travel. New Sunday services have also been introduced on primary routes throughout the county. These include: 34 Ross-on-Wye – Monmouth; 36 Hereford – Monmouth; 40 Ross Town service; 401 Leominster Town service; 420 Bromyard – Hereford; 426 Hereford – Bodenham; 454 Hereford – Fownhope; 461 Kington – Hereford; 492 Leominster – Hereford; 496 Leominster - Shobdon - Pembridge - Eardisland circular; 600 Ledbury Town service and 675 Ledbury - Colwall - Great Malvern 📸 Hereford Buses

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews from both Kingsland, Presteigne and Kington Fire Stations attended the blaze at Whitney-on-Wye on Sunday evening. Crews were faced with an intense fire which engulfed three outbuildings very close to houses. The fire also involved gas cylinders, petrol cans and machinery. The heat was melting the house guttering and broke windows. Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using two hosereels stopped the blaze reaching the houses and causing further damage while also extinguishing the fire, which was spread across the rear of three properties. 📸 HWFRS

Twinkling lights, mulled wine, a festive atmosphere and fabulous gifts – Christmas markets are one of England's fondest traditions. Getty Images Many cities enjoy wonderful Christmas Markets throughout the festive period, with their classic wooden chalets often showcasing local produce, wines, crafts, food and gifts. Which is your favourite market and would you support bringing this tradition to Hereford ? Ho ho ho

'An immersive Art Experience for Car lovers' at Lemore Manor 23rd and 24th September. You will find yourself at an exclusive venue surrounded with car art and with people like you who love, own and/or collect cars. Art will be available throughout the grounds of the estate as well as inside the building. There will be a few spectacular art cars and rare cars among works of art brought by car manufacturers and private collectors to be displayed as works of art. ART CARS Bentley Unifying Spur by Rich Morris Polestar 1: The only car you can buy with Art British and European Custom Art Cars BMW LAUNCH B500X Arkonik by Etienne FEATURED AF10 by Arash Motor Company The Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25 Morgan Plus Four CX-T Morgan Plus Six (Viper Green) Alpine DISPLAY Aston Martin Heritage Trust RACING CARS Blackbull Whisky's Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT3 DTO Motorsports PROTOTYPES and RARE PRIVATE CARS Details and Tickets https://www.sleepingwithart.com

There are reports today that the pub has temporarily closed this weekend due to some ongoing issues however, that is still to be confirmed. The landlord has been heavily criticised for his contentious decision to 'refuse entry' to people wearing sportswear, 'Stone Island' branded clothing, hoodies and bumbags at the weekend. Some nationals have picked up on this story, including The Daily Mirror, - The Daily Mail - The Daily Express

The landlord at The Orange Tree pub in King Street Hereford has made the contentious decision to 'refuse entry' to people wearing sportswear, 'Stone Island' branded clothing, hoodies and bumbags and will only allow entry to adults over the age of 21 at weekend as we reported in this article last Wednesday on our Facebook page. The Orange Tree Pub Hereford The landlord wants to restore the pub to its fomer glory and busy times and by refusing entry to these young unruly people will hopefully make it a proper pub again. Charity | The landlord, Mr Hoyle will also be donating 10 per cent of takings in September to local charities. The Little Princess Trust will be the first charity to gain from this generous donation scheme. 📸 Google

Beginning this Saturday (4 September), the council is pleased to announce that all bus travel within Herefordshire will be FREE AT WEEKENDS!! Thanks to investment as part of the Covid-19 Recovery Fund, anybody and everybody will be able to hop on and off any bus in the county, as many times as they like. No fares. The only condition is that the journey must be entirely within the county. To help people make the most of the scheme, there will also be additional services on Sundays, serving several locations including Bromyard, Ledbury, Leominster, Kington and Colwall.Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, said: Free weekend bus travel is just one element of the Covid-19 Recovery Plan, which is providing funding of £6m to support the county in its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Cllr David Hitchiner, Leader of the Council, added: Bus travel will remain free to residents of pensionable age, and those with a qualifying disability through the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS). To help keep everybody safe, it is recommended that you continue to wear a mask when travelling by bus – and don’t forget to check timetables for your return journey before travelling. For more information, visit herefordshire.gov.uk/bus-it

The Little Princess Trust’s new HQ is now open, allowing the charity to help more children and young people with cancer than ever before. The new site, named The Hannah Tarplee Building, will shine a light on the charity’s work with its provision of wigs as well as its funding of childhood cancer research. Located in the heart of Hereford, LPT’s home houses a custom-built wig-fitting salon and a designated space that now allows the charity to physically knot the real hair wigs that make such a difference to their young recipients. The site also has a conference room where many of the scientists and researchers funded by The Little Princess Trust will present on their work focused on finding kinder and more effective treatments for childhood cancers. Experts in the field of paediatric cancer say the presentations given by some of the world’s leading scientists and academics will firmly put Hereford on the research map. Dr Pam Kearns, Professor of Clinical Paediatric Oncology at the University of Birmingham, said LPT’s new conference facility is “of national significance” and “demonstrates the charity’s ongoing commitment to change the lives of children with cancer”. “The space will be such a fantastic hub for paediatric cancer researchers, oncologists and the wider cancer community,” she added. “And it will act as a catalyst for collaboration to drive forward innovation in paediatric cancer research.” The charity had previously rented offices and Phil Brace, from The Little Princess Trust, said everyone associated with LPT was delighted to now have a purpose-built home of their own. He added: “We notified our supporters of our intention to invest in a new headquarters and are incredibly grateful to the many businesses who have supported us to significantly reduce costs. “This new premises means we can do so much more by increasing our efficiency, our own wig production, furthering our research and reaching more children and young people.” The Little Princess Trust was set up in memory of Hannah Tarplee in 2006 and the new premises has been named in her honour. Hannah, who was from Hereford, was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumour shortly after starting primary school and the loss of her hair proved especially traumatic. Her parents struggled to find a wig suitable for her and felt the most fitting tribute to the five-year-old would be a charity dedicated to providing wigs to children who had lost their own hair due to cancer treatment. The Little Princess Trust has since gone on to provide more than 11,000 wigs to young people and the charity’s new home, and the work taking place there, will act as a permanent legacy to Hannah. Wendy Tarplee-Morris, Hannah’s mother and LPT Founder, said the charity was committed to remaining true to its Hereford origins and that is why the investment was made in a new home which would be open to the local community. Schools will be encouraged to visit and learn about LPT’s work while the conference facilities will be freely available to other Herefordshire charities wanting to use them. Mr Brace added: “The Little Princess Trust is, and always will be, focussed on both its provision of wigs and its essential research funding while maintaining its core values. “We are always grateful to our supporters and recognise our responsibilities to the children and young people whom we serve.” “And we will never forget our roots and that is why we have chosen to invest in Hereford – the city where we will remain.”

West Mercia Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with dash-cam footage to please contact them following a fatal road traffic collision yesterday (Saturday 28 August) in Herefordshire. Officers were called to the A44 Worcester Road near Bromyard where at around 12.20pm a silver Skoda Octavia Estate, a Blue Audi Q5 and a white Volvo Traffic Artic lorry had collided. Sadly, the driver of the blue Audi Q5, a 44 year-old woman from Leominster sustained fatal injuries as a result of the collision and died at the scene. Her next of kin have been informed. No one else involved in the collision was injured. The road was closed for several hours while investigation and recovery work took place. If you have any information that can help with the investigation, please contact the Police via their website quoting incident number 312i of 28 August 2021.

The Little Princess Trust will be soon moving into 'The Hannah Tarplee Building' in Berrington Street Hereford. The former Bob Gallier site has been transformed into a state of the art facility for this fabulous charity. The Trust, founded in memory of 5 year old Hannah Tarplee, supplies the best real-hair wigs available, free of charge, to children and young adults up to the age of 24, who have lost their hair through cancer treatment or other illnesses, donations gratefully received here ➡️ https://www.justgiving.com/littleprincesstrust Website ➡️ https://www.littleprincesses.org.uk

The all new Hereford City Life Gift Card - the brand the Hereford Business Improvement District are behind. Launching in the next few weeks - the official Hereford City Life Gift Card has 100 shops for the public to use their card in including big names like McDonalds, Primark and Marks and Spencers....to local independents such as Fodder Wholefoods, Avant Garde Hereford or Hey, Honey ....this is the perfect gift to give and receive and is ideal for companies to use as a thank you to their staff too! Using this means the public also support local shops which is good for everyone. Available later this month to order online or locally from Hereford Tourist Information Centre - watch this space for more details.

Our good friend Just Jon Simpson shared this with members of our Hereford Voice Photo Studio this morning. Jon wrote;