Hereford Voice
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A busy night for Hereford Police with 3 x arrests for drink drive and 2 x arrests for drink and drug drive. West Mercia Police supporting the NPCC drink/drug drive campaign.
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New Tier restrictions from today (Sat 19 Dec), Herefordshire has moved from Tier 2 to Tier 1 restrictions. For the latest on what this means for you & to keep up to date with other local area restrictions visit: http://orlo.uk/DTAYF
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VETERAN fundraiser Alan Blake has been given some civic support in his marathon project to raise £100,000 for local charities. Alan, who is 89, is aiming to complete a 15-mile challenge to raise funds for the parish church of Burghill, Rotary and Parkinson’s – but all without leaving his garden. He will navigate a circular walk around his steep garden steps 458 times, which will be the equivalent of walking from Hereford to Lyde then Moreton on Lugg, Burghill, Tillington, Stretton Sugwas and back to his family home in Hampton Park. Alan began his challenge on October 1 and, on Saturday, he gained the backing of Hereford’s first citizen when the Mayor, Cllr Kath Hey along with Junior Mayor, Theo Ashton joined him on a circuit. Mayor Kath Hey commented that in representing Hereford City Council She expressed how delighted both she and the Junior Mayor were to accompany Alan on one of his garden circuit walks in support of his fundraising endeavours and that Alan’s determination and efforts were truly impressive and inspirational. DONATE HERE
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The Covid-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty for future funding so the council has to prepare to make savings. Be part of the conversation and let Hereford Council know your priorities on council services next year by visiting here
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The 27-year-old man has been released on bail.
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Mark Chilman, 51, from Pencombe, Bromyard, has been charged with murder & remanded to Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court to appear tomorrow (Thursday 17 December). He was charged in relation to an incident that occurred in Cotheridge, Worcestershire, on Saturday 12 December. A 27-year-old man remains in custody.
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Keith Brown, aged 55, from Blakes Lane, Guarlford in Malvern, was sentenced today (Wednesday 16 December) at Worcester Crown Court, to 10 years and 8 months in prison extended for 3 years to serve on licence for raping an 83 year old woman in her home. Brown pleaded guilty on Monday 14 September to the rape which happened in the early hours of Thursday 13 August. He was also given a restraining order not to contact the victim for life. Detective Inspector Tony Garner said: "This was a despicable offence on an elderly and defenceless victim. Following the report of the incident we mobilised every resource at our disposal from detectives to dogs teams in order to catch a vile sexual predator. All those involved in the investigation worked tirelessly to quickly apprehend Brown and in doing so we have prevented further people potentially becoming a victim to him. “My hope is this conviction and sentence will provide some measure of closure for the victim who is an extremely brave and courageous woman. It will also reassure a local community and act as a warning to anyone else considering offending in this manner that West Mercia Police will not rest until you are caught and brought to justice.” Anyone who is a victim of any sexual assault and feels they may need support can contact West Mercia's Victim Advice Line. It is a free, independent and confidential support service. People can call 0800 952 3000 or visit www.victimadviceline.org.uk and do not have to have reported the offence to the police. To report a crime like this, phone the police non-emergency number 101 (always call 999 in an emergency). If you'd like to give information anonymously - without leaving your name or identifying details - you can do so by phoning the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers also has an anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
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Agreement enhances trade facilitation and security cooperation LONDON - The United States and the United Kingdom concluded a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) today to further enhance bilateral efforts to secure and facilitate lawful trade. U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson and The Rt. Hon. Jesse Norman, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, signed the agreement in London. U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson and The Rt. Hon. Jesse Norman, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, signed the agreement in London. “The United Kingdom has been an indispensable trade partner of the United States for more than two centuries,” said U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark A. Morgan. “This new agreement will further enhance the U.S.-UK partnership by improving information sharing, strengthening the enforcement of our customs laws, and bolstering supply chain security while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade.” “The Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement will expand our efforts to secure and protect our nation’s borders through the timely and crucial sharing of investigative information,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tony Pham. “We value our strong partnership with the United Kingdom and the collaborative effort to prevent, detect, and investigate customs offenses and crimes associated with goods crossing international borders.” “Every single day, the U.S. and the UK work side by side to stop criminals trafficking illegal goods across the Atlantic - from guns, to drugs, to illegal wildlife products and even counterfeit medicine," said U.S. Ambassador to the UK Robert Wood Johnson. "This Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement means that after Brexit, our investigators can keep sharing information to stop criminals in their tracks and keep people in both our countries safe.” “This is an important agreement that ensures continuity post EU exit, and demonstrates the strength of the US-UK customs relationship,” said The Rt. Hon. Jesse Norman, Financial Secretary to the Treasury. “This deal will allow us to continue to cooperate in combatting customs offences by sharing information and good practice, and provides the legal underpinning for schemes to ease trade flows for importers and exporters.” CMAAs are bilateral agreements between countries that are enforced by their respective customs administrations. The agreements provide the legal framework for the exchange of information and evidence to assist countries in the enforcement of customs laws, including duty evasion, trafficking, proliferation, money laundering and terrorism-related activities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are the implementing agencies for the United States. For more information about CMAAs, please visit CBP.gov.
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Malvern Winter Glow is a dazzling NEW outdoor illuminations trail, made from dramatic light installations, so wrap up warm and prepare to be spellbound by an extravaganza of light. Photo courtesy of Doug Sim Some evenings are selling out fast but there are still dates available for you to book until 3 January. Scroll to the bottom of the page for sold out dates. About Malvern Winter Glow Enjoy a magical journey of discovery and marvel at the dramatic light installations, inspired by the area’s natural landscape, history and heritage. Tickets are available in advance with timed entry sessions (selected at the time of booking) and limited to just 10 sessions per night. The trail is around a mile long and is over mixed terrain including tarmac and grass so please wear appropriate footwear. As numbers are limited, visitors can take the time to wander and explore and to take that all important Christmas selfie! Please note this event is advanced tickets only - Adult tickets are £16 each, children aged 3 to 16 tickets are £11 each and under 3s go free. Visitors can book their preferred entry time with the first session starting at 4.40pm. The inaugural light extravaganza promises to enchant visitors and if you’re lucky you might even catch a glimpse of Santa! Food and Drink A range of seasonal food and drink vendors will be on hand to add festive cheer to the evening. Click here to see what food and drink stands will be at Malvern Winter Glow. Full details and tickets can be found on the Three Counties Showground Website
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Work continues to save 'Capability' Brown's final curved walled garden thanks to a grant from the Government's Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage. They are now carefully restoring the original walls which you can see in action over the next few months.
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Berrington hall is embarking on urgent conservation work in the curved garden thanks to the DCMS Culture Recovery Fund. This work will be carried out on the original eighteenth-century walls within the curved garden; 'Capability' Brown's final masterpiece and the only one of its kind to survive the centuries intact. Although the wider garden project is on pause for now, read on to discover more about the work we will be carrying out in 2020 and 2021. Berrington’s walled garden and pleasure grounds was the final landscape masterpiece of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Commissioned in 1775, the curved walled garden is the only one of its kind to survive and thanks to our supporters, they are now able to begin the urgent restoration work needed to save this unique vestige of Georgian garden design. The rare curved walled garden at Berrington Hall - Image courtesy of Berrington Hall What is happenening in the garden? From Wednesday 28 October, work began to carefully and sensitively deconstruct the existing and former farmyard buildings in the curved walled garden. These buildings are having a detrimental impact on the original eighteenth century curved wall. This work is necessary to ensure the brickwork does not continue to deteriorate and that this internationally significant garden is preserved for generations to come. This work will continue until mid-November. The wider garden project is on pause for now, but this vital element of the conservation work has been made possible by the DCMS Culture Recovery Fund. We're very grateful to DCMS for supporting this project and allowing us to save 'Capability' Brown's final curved walled garden and the only one of its kind to survive the centuries intact. The curved garden will be closed during this time, but you’ll be able to see the work in action from a designated viewing area. From 16 November until mid-March 2021, work begins on urgent repair work and conservation of the curved garden walls. This work will be taking place inside the curved garden itself, but you will be able to see some of the brick work repairs in action from the kitchen garden. Come and see the project unfold on your next visit and rediscover the gardens, whether it’s for health and wellbeing or encountering enchanting seasonal displays. Although much of our work has been put on hold for now, our long-term plan is to revive and reimagine the walled garden and pleasure grounds, developing the space to showcase creative arts, high horticulture and community engagement to create a 21st century vision for an 18th century garden. As a conservation charity, they rely on the support of visitors to ensure that they can carry out these large scale projects to keep places like Berrington here for everyone, for ever. Contact a member of the team about how you can get involved and support the project on your next visit. Full details can be found HERE
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Construction is now complete on the £9 million state-of-the art Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security with the building officially handed over by contractor, Speller Metcalfe. When the new centre officially opens in spring 2021 on Skylon Park, Hereford Enterprise Zone, Herefordshire will be home to the UK’s leading centre of excellence in cyber security, supporting innovation and industry in this growing sector. The centre is a joint venture between the University of Wolverhampton and Herefordshire Council and part-funded by the Government’s Local Growth Fund, via the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Despite work being temporarily halted on the site due to pandemic lockdown restrictions in March, Speller Metcalfe carried out a phased return with a reduced workforce, in line with revised protocols and protective measures enabling progress. The new building, designed by Birmingham based Associated Architects, has generated 80% spend locally within 30 miles of the project which includes subcontractors Folbig Fabrications, Hereford Asbestos Services, Herefordshire Council Building Control and Quickskip, based close to the site at Rotherwas.Councillor David Hitchiner, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: Mandy Thorn is Chair of the Marches LEP, which invested £2.82m of Local Growth Funding into the project. She said: Zone Chairman, Andrew Manning Cox, said: Professor Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: Adrian Speller, Technical Director of constructor Speller Metcalfe, said: Warren Jukes, Director at Associated Architects, said: Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security will offer a package of tailored security testing, training, Research & Development and sector expertise to businesses and investors. Supported by the university’s Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute (WCRI), the centre will also be home to 16 cyber SMEs and well as offering product testing and certification, CPD and short courses and cyber conferences like the recent Cyber Fringe Festival attracting experts from across the globe. The 2,000 square metre building will provide significant resources for research and development across three cyber laboratories, advanced training facilities as part of the University’s Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute and additional business space for up to 16 cyber companies. The centre, which secured £2.82m of funding via the Marches LEP’s Growth Deal with Government in 2017, is part of the new Cyber Quarter at Skylon Park, already home to numerous defence and security sector businesses. The new centre incorporates a full height glass atrium to provide a dual break-out space and function hall, alongside the main three storey building that houses business suites, innovation rooms, IT workshops and a ‘Cyber Range’ – a cutting edge facility that will defend against the global rise of hacking. Anyone interested in courses offered or businesses looking for incubation space can find out more about the Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security on the website.
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Herefordshire Council are providing free school meals over the Christmas holidays to help those who already get free school meals during term time, hopefully this will be an extra help - particularly if you have been financially affected by the pandemic. If you have an eligible child you will receive a local supermarket voucher for the value of £75 to cover the cost of food for the two week Christmas holiday period. Herefordshire Council will be issuing free food vouchers direct to parents and carers of pre-school age children. If you haven't heard from the team then please email them HERE. For older children, your school will give out the vouchers. Your school will contact you in good time to let you know if you are entitled to the vouchers and how to get them. If you have a child that receives free school meals during term time but haven’t received a voucher, please get in touch with your child’s school as soon as possible.
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Resurfacing works scheduled to take place between Wednesday, 16 December and Friday the 18 December along Green Croft, Redhill Hereford have now been postponed. The works have been rescheduled to take place during the school half term week of Monday, 15 February 2021.
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Congratulations to the The Stagg Inn at Titley it's good to see you in the new The Good Pub Guide for Herefordshire Dining Pub of the Year once again. Keep up the great work! Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! #goodpubguide #herefordshire #positivehereford
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Lawful owners of certain weapons can begin to surrender them to the police from today as part of a three month scheme launched by the Home Office. The weapon surrender scheme runs from today, Thursday 10 December 2020 until Tuesday 9 March 2021, where those owning particular weapons can hand them over to police and submit a compensation claim from the Home Office. The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 contains measures to make it unlawful to possess certain offensive weapons– including rapid firing rifles and specific types of knives such as flick knives and zombie knives. West Mercia Police will be accepting offensive weapons – those detailed in the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 - at front counters at the following police stations; Kidderminster, Redditch, Worcester, Hereford, Telford and Shrewsbury. Those with legally held firearms that are affected are being contacted directly by the Firearms licencing unit with specific instruction on surrender and compensation. Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: “Supporting this Home Office initiative is part of our commitment to tackling violence together with our partners and the public. It is only by working together that we will reduce violence including street violence and domestic abuse. “For those weapons that are not detailed in the Offensive Weapons Act, there will also be knife bins at every station so they can be deposited safely.” If you have information about someone you suspect to be in possession of an illegal weapon, you can contact West Mercia Police through the 101 number or via our website. Any information received is always dealt with in the strictest confidence. If you have information but don’t want to speak to police, then you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website Crimestoppers-UK.org They are 100% anonymous and totally independent of the police. They never ask your name, they cannot trace your call or I.P address and no one ever knows that you’ve passed on information. Young people can find advice by visiting Fearless.Org Full details on the Home Office surrender scheme can be found here.
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Massive congratulations to our good friend Giovanni Calandra who is today celebrating 10 years of trade in Church St, Hereford with his fabulous store Calandras Menswear. Calandras Menswear Church Street Hereford. In Giovanni's own words; We couldn't have said it any better!! Now is the perfect time to pop in if you're looking for that special gift for Christmas..
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A huge congratulations to firefighter John Nicholls. This week he was presented with his 30 year service award. John joined Kingsland fire station in June 1990 and has given 24 hour “on call” availability throughout his long career. A fantastic achievement. Well done John #herefordnews #positivehereford
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Here's some festive Christmas Cheer to brighten your day.
Hereford Voice replied to megilleland's topic in Open Forum
ha ha that brought a smile to us this morning -
Joe William Stafford pleaded guilty to being over the legal limit with 89 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath (legal limit is 35) when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford this week. Police were called after receiving reports that a motorist had driven the wrong way along a one-way street and had crashed into the Central Bakery in Leominster before fleeing the scene back in November which we reported here. We have been advised that Mr Stafford had sent the bakery and a letter of apology along with a cheque for £500. Magistrates in Hereford disqualified Stafford from driving for 18 months and fined him £326 with costs of £135 and a £34 victim surcharge which he must pay. Hannah Lewis who is a director of the bakery has been in touch with us and she has informed us that the police have not been in touch to inform her of the court case and merely took a statement over the phone. A police officer arrived the following day (5th of November) asking her to sign her statement but she is very disappointed not to have heard back from the police since. Hannah also told us that she had received a letter from Mr Stafford along with a cheque for £500 and has repeatedly asked for advice from the police about this but is very disappointed that she has yet not received a single reply.
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Joe William Stafford pleaded guilty to being over the legal limit having 89 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath (legal limit is 35) when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford this week. Police were called after receiving reports that a motorist had driven the wrong way along a one-way street and had crashed into the Central Bakery in Leominster before fleeing the scene back in November which we reported here. Mr Stafford had sent the bakery a cheque for £500 the court was told. During an interview with Police, Stafford said he had been drinking wine while driving and was guilty as charged but had drove into the bakery shop front purely by accident while he was reaching to pick something up in his car. Magistrates in Hereford disqualified Stafford from driving for 18 months and fined him £326 with costs of £135 and a £34 victim surcharge which he must pay.
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Police are appealing for witnesses following a collision at Moreton-on-Lugg, Hereford, where a woman sadly died. At around 1.50pm on Tuesday 8 December a Nissan Micra was travelling along the C1120 towards the A49 when the collision occurred. Police Sergeant Andy Wortley said: “The vehicle was travelling along the road when it was in collision with a bridge which crosses over the River Lugg. “While investigations are on-going to establish the circumstances surrounding this incident, we are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dash cam footage to come forward.” Sadly, the driver, who was in her 80s and the only occupant in the vehicle, died at the scene and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time. Anyone with information or footage is asked to report it here on the West Mercia Police website or call 101 quoting incident 301i of 8 December or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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It may be the season of good will but please consider that everything may not be as it seems. In recent weeks Hereford Cops (Hereford city SNT) has seen an influx of Romanian Nationals who are begging and claiming to be homeless and hungry. On making enquiries the Police have established that these individuals are part of a travelling group of beggars from South Wales. Police have also today removed 3 Romanian nationals from the City Centre again claiming to be homeless and begging. CCTV tracked these individuals to a waiting vehicle where they were spoken to and established they are all housed in Boston, Lincolnshire and have travelled to Hereford to beg. Please!!!! If you want to give money to the homeless please consider doing so through a registered charity otherwise you should consider that your “donation” to some of those on the streets may not be used for the purpose it was intended. Source: Hereford Cops
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Emergency services responded to reports of a serious accident in Moreton-on-Lugg early this afternoon. A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said:
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Herefordshire is one of the first area's outside of hospitals to offer the vaccine as part of the national roll out. Bridge Street Sports Centre in Leominster will initially receive 975 doses next Monday with the elderly and vulnerable being vaccinated first. Those people will be invited to attend for their inoculation either by letter or text message. Once people have had their first vaccination, they will make an appointment to return for their second dose around 3 weeks later.
