Hereford Voice

The footbridge on footpath BM5 which links St Michaels’ church to Bodenham Loop Walk has now been completed and it is now fully accessible for all users.

A different perspective ....

We have acquired an email sent from Cllr Paul Rone to the 'Independent Group' who hold the largest coalition majority at Herefordshire Council.

As you will see in the email he sent on the 28th of July below Councillor Rone says 👉"Closing The Old Bridge Is Fine" 👈 in Hereford however, just a few days later on August 1st in this video published by our friends at Your Herefordshire, he says something completely different...

Cllr Paul Rone owns several businesses in Hereford including the Saracens Head Pub where the footpath running along the side of the river remains closed to the public, he also owns his own city taxi.

As you know Hereford Voice are very supportive of our local businesses and it’s great to see the recent reports showing footfall has increased in the city. The statement signed by some businesses today about a vote of no confidence, talk about years worth of vanity projects, so is it really fair to blame everything on an administration who have only been in for less than a year.

In recent days this story 👉 https://hfd.news/vdo of a road project hit with procurement snag was published by our friends at Sunshine Radio - Herefordshire Council leaders have revealed a procurement failure meant they would not have been able to award the contract to build the £27m southern link road in Hereford.

People might not like these new temporary changes which the Government have asked all councils to look at it but at least Herefordshire Council are being honest and transparent about their projects.

Online shopping has increased massively across the UK and as a result shops all over the country are closing, it’s not about people not being able to get into the city, it is that many people feel safer shopping online.

So regardless of the emergency measures currently in place in Hereford, footfall is increasing, so clearly people can get into the city.

What are these businesses and others going to do to attract people into their shops? You simply can’t just blame the council, who to be fair, cannot force people go into shops.

 

#HerefordVoice #HerefordNews

The company had warned at the start of August that it was considering such a move, but had not given precise details.

The closures come as the company formally launched a CVA in a bid to restructure the Group and keep it afloat.

The company, which currently has around 454 restaurants in the UK, said on Tuesday it has finalised a proposal to reduce its restaurant and rental costs via a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

It said that although the majority of its restaurants were profitable before lockdown was imposed, earnings had been declining across the Pizza Express estate for the last three years.

It added that the reduction in revenue caused by the enforced closure of all restaurants, the cost of reopening and the UK’s uncertain economic future meant its rental costs were no longer sustainable.

Pizza Express, which is majority owned by Chinese firm Hony Capital, also confirmed it had hired advisers from Lazard to lead a sale process for the business.

Here is the full list:

Aberdeen - Belmont Street

Aylesbury

Barnstaple - Three Tuns

Biggleswade

Billericay

Birmingham - Corporation Street

Birmingham - Mailbox

Bournemouth - Post Office Road

Bramhall

Bristol - Berkeley Square

Bristol - Regent Street

Bromsgrove

Bruton Place

Charlotte Street

Chippenham

Dalton Park

Darlington

Dudley - Merry Hill

Earls Court - Earls Court Road

Edinburgh - Holyrood

Formby

Fulham Palace Road

Glasgow – Princes Square

Glossop

Gosforth

Grantham

Halifax

Hampstead

Hatch End

Hereford

Heswall

Ipswich - Lloyds Avenue

Leeds - Crown Street

Leeds - Horsforth

Ludlow

Lymington

Melton Mowbray

Midhurst

Milton Keynes 

Moseley

New Brighton

Newcastle

Newport - Isle of Wight

Newport - South Wales

Northallerton

Nottingham - Goosegate

O2 Finchley

Orpington

Oxford - Oxford Castle

Poole

Port Solent

Ramsgate

Reading - St Mary's Butts

Scarborough

Sheffield - Devonshire Street

Sheffield The Moor

Shirley

Southport - Old Bank

Stafford

Staines

Stoke

Stourbridge

Sudbury

Torquay

Uxbridge

Wakefield

Walsall

Wapping

Wardour Street

Weston-super-Mare

Whiteley Village

Whitstable

Wrexham

The man who sadly died after being involved in a collision in Whitney on Wye has been named as Peter Lamb aged 42, from Hereford.

The collision happened on the A438 at around 12.50am on Sunday 9 August and involved a Skoda and Honda.

Peter’s family have paid tribute to him:

Quote

"Peter was an outgoing lad, living life to the full, who enjoyed going fishing and was a talented footballer. He was a hard worker and nothing would phase him. He would do anything to help. Peter will be sorely missed by his family and friends"

Police are still appealing for witnesses and anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101 quoting incident 65 of 9 August or call Crimstoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Alternatively information can be reported on the West Mercia Police website under the section Tell Us About https://www.westmercia.police.uk/

Traffic Lights: We have campaigned for many years to 'trial' turning off some of the traffic lights in Hereford. The main problem we have witnessed is the Asda junction where the A465 Belmont Road meets the A49 Ross Road.

As we have always said, when these lights are out of action and you will of heard our slogan many times - 'THE TRAFFIC JUST FLOWS' when the lights are out however, while we wait in anticipation for a possible trial, they could at least change some of the traffic lights to 'Part-Time' between say 7pm-7am, similar to those that have been successful for years in Gloucester. 

(Pedestrian lights would clearly remain in full operation activated by pressing the button in the usual manner)

How many times have you found yourself sat waiting on the traffic lights when there are hardly any vehicles around, especially during the early hours.

We have several campaigns about traffic lights and documented details and videos can be accessed via our website here 👉https://hfd.news/a4m👈

✅ Sign our Part-Time Lights petition 👉 https://bit.ly/3WKVNlB

✅ Sign our 'Lights Out' trial petition 👉 https://bit.ly/3DFrgfY

#HerefordVoice #HerefordNews #Hereford

 

This is disgusting and getting out of hand and another clear intent to harm cyclists riding along the trail as well as people and animals.

 

Photographs taken at Little Drybook in the Forest of Dean.

Police have asked the riders to call 101 if any further evidence of this is found or if anyone has information regarding who the culprit (s) are.

Leominster Fire Station crews extinguished a large vehicle which was well alight on arrival, stopping the fire spreading to surrounding trees and overgrowth. A49, Dinmore Hill over the weekend.

#HerefordVoice #Leominster #Herefordshire

Local Business: CN Trophies have a fabulous stall in the Hereford Butter Market.

Offering a comprehensive range of quality trophies, medals, plaques, ribbons, shields awards, pet tags all complete with a first class engraving service enabling the buyer to personalise their own purchase. 🥇🏆🎗🎖

CN Trophies have a team of qualified professionals who work efficiently and to the highest standards. They pride themselves on an outstanding customer service experience and offer quality products at keen prices.

Website 👉 https://www.herefordcntrophies.co.uk  Email: contact@herefordcntrophies.co.uk

📞 01432 357737

#HerefordVoice #HfdLocal #HVLocal

Continued;

📷 Nicola Goodwin

Hereford Mayor Cllr Kath Hey attended the renaming of the Canary Bridge (formally the Greenway bridge). The bridge has been offially renamed in memory of The Canary Girls who worked in the Rotherwas Munitions Factory.  

📷 Nicola Goodwin

#HerefordVoice #Hereford #HerefordNews #CanaryGirls #VEDay75

Hereford Mayor Kath Hey attended the commemoration of VJ Day in St Peters Square yesterday

#LestWeForget #VJDay75

When you do not need to wear a face covering

In settings where face coverings are required in England, there are some circumstances where people may not be able to wear a face covering. Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings, and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.

This includes (but is not limited to):

children under the age of 11 (Public Health England do not recommended face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)

people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability

employees of indoor settings (or people acting on their behalf, such as someone leading part of a prayer service) or transport workers (see section 6) - although employers may consider their use where appropriate and where other mitigations are not in place, in line with COVID-19 Secure guidelines

police officers and other emergency workers, given that this may interfere with their ability to serve the public

where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress

if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate

to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others - including if it would negatively impact on your ability to exercise or participate in a strenuous activity

There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering:

if asked to do so in a bank, building society, or post office for identification

if asked to do so by shop staff or relevant employees for identification, for assessing health recommendations (e.g. by a pharmacist), or for age identification purposes including when buying age restricted products such as alcohol

if required in order to receive treatment or services, for example when getting a haircut

in order to take medication

if you are delivering a sermon or prayer in a place or worship

if you are the persons getting married in a relevant place

if you are undertaking exercise or an activity and it would negatively impact your ability to do so

Face coverings are not required in restaurants with table service, bars, and pubs. If removing your face covering to eat or drink in an indoor premises with a café or designated seating area, then you can remove your face covering in this area only.

Face coverings are not required in restaurants with table service, bars, and pubs. If other indoor premises have a café or seating area for you to eat and drink, then you can remove your face covering in this area only. You must put a face covering back on once you leave your seating area. If removing your face covering to eat or drink in an indoor premises with a café or designated seating area, then you can remove your face covering in this area only.

The government’s guidance for keeping workers and customers safe during COVID-19 in restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services clearly advises that designated indoor seating areas for customers to eat or drink should at this time only be open for table service, where possible, alongside additional infection control measures.

Exemption cards

Those who have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering should not be routinely asked to give any written evidence of this, this includes exemption cards. No person needs to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about their reason for not wearing a face covering.

Some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering. This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.

This is a personal choice and is not necessary in law.

Access exemption card templates

For exemptions in different parts of the UK please refer to the specific guidance for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The reason for using face coverings

Coronavirus (COVID-19) usually spreads by droplets from coughs, sneezes and speaking. These droplets can also be picked up from surfaces, if you touch a surface and then your face without washing your hands first. This is why social distancing, regular hand hygiene, and covering coughs and sneezes is so important in controlling the spread of the virus.

The best available scientific evidence is that, when used correctly, wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of coronavirus droplets in certain circumstances, helping to protect others.

Because face coverings are mainly intended to protect others, not the wearer, from coronavirus (COVID-19) they are not a replacement for social distancing and regular hand washing. It is important to follow all the other government advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) including staying safe outside your home. If you have recent onset of any of the most important symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19):

a new continuous cough

a high temperature

a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste (anosmia)

you and your household must isolate at home: wearing a face covering does not change this. You should arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19.

How to wear a face covering

A face covering should:

cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably

fit comfortably but securely against the side of the face

be secured to the head with ties or ear loops

be made of a material that you find to be comfortable and breathable, such as cotton

ideally include at least two layers of fabric (the World Health Organisation recommends three depending on the fabric used)

unless disposable, it should be able to be washed with other items of laundry according to fabric washing instructions and dried without causing the face covering to be damaged

When wearing a face covering you should:

wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before putting a face covering on

avoid wearing on your neck or forehead

avoid touching the part of the face covering in contact with your mouth and nose, as it could be contaminated with the virus

change the face covering if it becomes damp or if you’ve touched it

avoid taking it off and putting it back on a lot in quick succession (for example, when leaving and entering shops on a high street)

When removing a face covering:

wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before removing

only handle the straps, ties or clips

do not give it to someone else to use

if single-use, dispose of it carefully in a residual waste bin and do not recycle

if reusable, wash it in line with manufacturer’s instructions at the highest temperature appropriate for the fabric

wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser once removed.

Full details and other links on the government website can be found HERE

Even though it is now compulsory not everyone can wear one. Be mindful not to challenge anyone as not all disabilities or health conditions are visible.

This information relates to the use of face coverings in public spaces where social distancing is not always possible. It is important to follow all the other government advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) including staying safe outside your home.

What a face covering is

In the context of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, a face covering is something which safely covers the nose and mouth. You can buy reusable or single-use face coverings. You may also use a scarf, bandana, religious garment or hand-made cloth covering but these must securely fit round the side of the face.

Face coverings are not classified as PPE (personal protective equipment) which is used in a limited number of settings to protect wearers against hazards and risks, such as surgical masks or respirators used in medical and industrial settings.

Face coverings are instead largely intended to protect others, not the wearer, against the spread of infection because they cover the nose and mouth, which are the main confirmed sources of transmission of virus that causes coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

If you wish to find out more about the differences between surgical face masks, PPE face masks, and face coverings see the MHRA’s (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) regulatory status of equipment being used to help prevent coronavirus (COVID-19).

When to wear a face covering

In England, you must wear a face covering in the following indoor settings (a list of examples for each is included in the brackets):

public transport (aeroplanes, trains, trams and buses)

transport hubs (airports, rail and tram stations and terminals, maritime ports and terminals, bus and coach stations and terminals)

shops and supermarkets (places which offer goods or services for retail sale or hire)

shopping centres (malls and indoor markets)

auction houses

premises providing professional, legal or financial services (post offices, banks, building societies, high-street solicitors and accountants, credit unions, short-term loan providers, savings clubs and money service businesses)

premises providing personal care and beauty treatments (hair salons, barbers, nail salons, massage centres, tattoo and piercing parlours)

premises providing veterinary services

visitor attractions and entertainment venues (museums, galleries, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, cultural and heritage sites, aquariums, indoor zoos and visitor farms, bingo halls, amusement arcades, adventure activity centres, funfairs, theme parks, casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, indoor play areas including soft-play areas)

libraries and public reading rooms

places of worship

funeral service providers (funeral homes, crematoria and burial ground chapels)

community centres, youth centres and social clubs

exhibition halls and conference centres

public areas in hotels and hostels

storage and distribution facilities

You are expected to wear a face covering before entering any of these settings and must keep it on until you leave unless there is a reasonable excuse for removing it. More detailed advice on the application of these requirements in different settings can be found in the Government’s guidance for working safely.

You should also wear a face covering in indoor places not listed here where social distancing may be difficult and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.

Face coverings are needed in NHS settings, including hospitals and primary or community care settings, such as GP surgeries. They are also advised to be worn in care homes.

Enforcement measures for failing to comply with this law

Premises where face coverings are required should take reasonable steps to promote compliance with the law.

The police can take measures if members of the public do not comply with this law without a valid exemption and transport operators can deny access to their public transport services if a passenger is not wearing a face covering, or direct them to wear one or leave a service.

If necessary, the police and Transport for London (TfL) officers have enforcement powers including issuing fines of £100 (halving to £50 if paid within 14 days). As announced we will bring forward changes which mean fines for repeat offenders will double at each offence, up to a maximum value of £3,200.

Cont..

West Mercia Police are asking people in the Eign Gate, Whitecross Road area of Hereford, to be vigilant after two reports of sexual assaults on Whitecross Road in the early hours of the morning.

The first was on Sunday 26 July 2020 at 00:30 when a woman was walking home after a night out with friends. She was approached by a man offering her money before he attempted to assault her. She was able to run to a nearby house and raise the alarm. She described him as white, aged approx. 21 years old, possibly Eastern European, with dark hair and a slim build. He was wearing a hooded top.

The second assault was on Monday 10 August, 2020 again at approximately 00:30. Another woman walking home after a night out was approached by a man who offered to walk her home and then is believed to have assaulted her. She described him as white with a skinny build and wearing a baseball cap.Det Insp Mark Peters said:

Quote

 

"These incidents are very concerning and we are conducting numerous enquiries to trace the offender or offenders. Part of this is appealing to the public for information if anyone saw anything or has any information that might aid the investigation.

“At this stage we are keeping an open mind but there is a possibility these assaults could be committed by the same person.

“We want people to be alert to and aware of these incidents to keep themselves safe, and to work with us to identify the person or persons involved. As per our normal advice, try to avoid walking home alone or book a taxi if possible; and if you do walk home alone then avoid headphones and stick to well-lit roads. However I do want to reassure people that incidents such as this are rare in this area.

"We have officers working to provide support to the victims who have, understandably, been left extremely shaken.“

 

Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to call police on 101 quoting reference: 0040_i_100820. Or you can report it online via the West Mercia website. If a crime is in progress or someone is in danger always call 999.

“If you don’t wish to speak to police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111. They never ask your name or trace your call and you could help prevent a crime and keep your community safe.”

Herefordshire crisp producers Sean Mason and Mark Green are championing another taste of Herefordshire with the launch this week of their new flavour, Herefordshire Sausage and Mustard.  This time the Two Farmers duo has teamed up with well-known rare and wild meats producer, Tudges. The Tudge family has been rearing Berkshire pigs for over 20 years in Herefordshire and like other producer partnerships that two Farmers are working with they put low food miles, quality and sustainability at the heart of what they do.  

Sean comments

Quote

"This new addition will really compliment our current range and we hope meets our retailers' and consumers' requests for new discovery flavours. The Tudge family has an excellent reputation in the county and we felt that a Herefordshire Sausage and Mustard would be a winning flavour"

The Tudge partnership fits well with the Two Farmers philosophy of being kind to the planet and managing the countryside in a sustainable way. Two Farmers is the UK's first sustainable crisp brand, pioneering the UK's first plastic-free and compostable crisp packet.

The launch follows other good news as the brand has recently been nominated by leading grocery trade title, The Grocer, as Startup of The Year and this week the duo has reached the finals of the Great British Food Awards. 

For more information visit www.twofarmers.co.uk

 

A microbudget UK Horror Feature is being made in Herefordshire. It's called "Wyvern Hill" and on its way very soon.

UK horror director Jonathan Zaurin is to tackle his first feature film later this summer and it already looks like it’s one to keep an eye on. 

Wyvern Hill is described as ‘the story of one woman’s struggle with reality’ as a series of gruesome killings is shaking the small county of Herefordshire, UK. It tells the tale of Beth, a woman in her sixties who starts to show signs of early Alzheimer’s. Her daughter and son in law move into an old house large enough to accommodate the three of them so that they can look after Beth during this difficult time, that house… Wyvern Hill. It isn’t long before Beth begins worsen but is it her Alzheimer or is there SOMETHING in the house. 

I recently had a little chat with Jonathan to find out more about Wyvern Hill, what we can expect, how he feels tackling his first feature and when we can expect to see this new UK horror.  

What can people expect from Wyvern Hill? 

I think people coming into Wyvern Hill can expect a twisted, violent tale with plenty of twists and turns along the way… but also hopefully a very moving drama about a set of characters that are very unusual for this type of horror films.

We tried to create an atmospheric, brutal horror that will deliver on tension, suspense and visceral horror but also to create a true drama in which you will get to love and care for the characters who are thrown into a horrible situation.

It’s two films in one in a sense, but that’s something that always interested me, the fluidity of genre, I don’t see it as stiff, I see it as a multitude of potential combinations of narrative conventions, plenty of which we haven’t seen yet! 

How are you feeling about your coming feature as a Director? How have you been preparing? 

To be honest, nervous is the first word that comes to mind haha! 
Look here’s the thing about Wyvern Hill, it’s a microbudget, we’re really not spending that much money (total budget around 5k) and we were prepared for it to be exactly that, a (hopefully) high production value microbudget film… but then it started growing (while the budget stayed the same) and now we have a tonne of amazing people involved! For example our main actress Pat Garett who has spent the first half of her career working with Jim Henson and Frank Oz on things like The Muppets Christmas Carol and The Little Shop of Horrors amongst other things. 
And so since we started the production the cast has grown to welcome some incredible, established and rising, actors! And the crew has grown to welcome some amazing talent which I can’t quite reveal yet ha! But also the usual suspects and collaborators, first of all my wife Sarah who always produces, Jérome Bardon who is a consistant figure at LBS films, having produced and written a number of films for us but also Mike Coombes who has been a longtime friend and collaborator and who was Georgie in Portrait(s) , Joe Nurse who played Baby Gerald in Santa Baby, Pete Bird with whom I worked on several shorts and Michael Sanchez, the genius from Belgium who is slowly becoming our official composer as he did the music for both The Pit an Santa Baby! the special effects are being 
As far as preparing, again it’s a microbudget film so the idea is to try and get as much as my knowledge and time allows me to get done, myself. So on this I am officiating as director, DoP and editor and currently we are in a phase where I swear a lot and try to do my shot by shot breakdown between the thousands of emails from cast and crew all day everyday! 

When are you due to start shooting? 

We are due to start shooting with a very limited Cast and crew end of August. These are the first wave of scenes which we are shooting before our main actress arrives to Hereford. Then things start seriously kicking off on 11th September. 
We’re having to do that also because we obviously want to protect our cast and crew from Covid which represents as you can imagine, quite a challenge on production. 

What are your plans for the film upon completion? When is your proposed release date? 

The plans are to tour the festivals and find a distributor! We are already having those conversations with some fairly interesting people…  
We are basically fairly confident with that though, part of our History at LBS Films is that we, over the last 4 years, have created a series of Award Winning shorts for ridiculously low amounts of money (from £80 to a maximum of £300), all of which ended up being actually VERY profitable both financially and artistically, despite the (almost) total lack of distribution opportunities for shorts! In that respect we were lucky to meet Tood Rodgers at Meridian Releasing who gave our films a huge platform, and now Todd is a producer on Wyvern Hill! 
So in a sense the feature is a logical continuation of what we’ve been doing but hopefully with the proper potential channels for distribution available to us! 

How did you come across the script? 

A few years back I did a BA (Hons) at Hereford College of Arts. My last year was spent making a film called Dirt and we had a course leader replacement halfway through. Long story short the new course leader was Keith Temple, a fairly well known and very talented TV writer who worked on basically every major UK show. 
We clicked immediately and we expressed the idea of working together at some point. I hired Keith to play a part in my then new short film The Pit and from there a conversation started. 
Keith had an idea for a horror film but he was a bit nervous about writing it as he had never written pure horror (although his Dr Who episode comes close). So I told him that if he wrote it… I’d get it made. 
Initially it was called Suburban Shadows, and a lot of work and a year and half later, there it is, ready to shoot: Wyvern Hill.

Source

21 hours ago, megilleland said:

Received this email from Jesse Norman MP today 12th August 2020. As they say all publicity is good publicity. The only good news is that a bypass is possible and that it should go east as Jesse submitted to the Department of Transport and Herefordshire Council years ago

 

Dear Martin,

As you may have seen, I was delighted to welcome the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to Hereford yesterday as he visited the County Hospital and the site of the new Hereford Medical Centre. 

It was fantastic for him to see the work being done to replace the old hutted wards with new builds, with the PM even getting his hands dirty with some plastering work in the new units. But I was also extremely pleased to show him the site of the new Medical Centre, which will bring five GP services across Hereford city under one roof with some brilliant new facilities.

The centrepiece of his visit was the announcement of £2 million in new funding for the Hospital A&E Department, alongside the previous £23 million for the new build. This, combined with the £9 million for the new Medical Centre, will make a huge difference to healthcare in the County. 

Finally, it was great that he was able to make the time to meet lots of staff, and to recognise all their hard work to keep us safe in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. He got a terrific reception from everyone, and was clearly delighted by the visit.

A big day for Herefordshire!

With all good wishes, as ever,

Jesse

_____________

This goes back 10 years at least

26th November 2011
Jesse Norman MP, Hereford, believes east is best road route

14th January 2016
Change of direction sought by MP Jesse Norman in link road and bypass debate

Thank you Martin, we may use Jesse's words too 🙂

The PM talking with hospital staff and nurses 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Hereford County Hospital this week, one of the twenty hospitals getting a major new upgrade thanks to a boost in NHS funding. 

In a letter to sent to our member Megilleland Jesse Norman said:

Quote

Dear Martin,

As you may have seen, I was delighted to welcome the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to Hereford yesterday as he visited the County Hospital and the site of the new Hereford Medical Centre. 

It was fantastic for him to see the work being done to replace the old hutted wards with new builds, with the PM even getting his hands dirty with some plastering work in the new units. But I was also extremely pleased to show him the site of the new Medical Centre, which will bring five GP services across Hereford city under one roof with some brilliant new facilities.

The centrepiece of his visit was the announcement of £2 million in new funding for the Hospital A&E Department, alongside the previous £23 million for the new build. This, combined with the £9 million for the new Medical Centre, will make a huge difference to healthcare in the County. 

Finally, it was great that he was able to make the time to meet lots of staff, and to recognise all their hard work to keep us safe in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. He got a terrific reception from everyone, and was clearly delighted by the visit.

A big day for Herefordshire!

With all good wishes, as ever,

Jesse

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and local MP Jesse Norman

The PM also pledged making sure A&Es are ready for winter with a £300m package.

Mr Johnson was accompanied by local MP Jesse Norman, they also visited the new Station Medical Centre to witness how they are progressing with this project and to see some of the new facilities on site.

 

First photo is Whitecross Road (next to Tesco express) and second photo is Holmer street onto Whitecross Road

Photo's courtesy of: First = Phil Bosley and 2nd = Heather Louise

With the sudden severe storm and rainfall last night we saw flash floods across the city and across the county.

 
Asda junction, where the A465 meets the A49

Hinton road

Photographs courtesy of Joe James

The Prime Minister arrived in Hereford early this morning at Hereford County Hospital and said he can see how extra funding is helping them build new wards and prepare for winter as the government pledges an additional funding of £300m for NHS England.

The PM also gave his approval of Herefordshire Council temporary traffic scheme making the city safer for both pedestrians and cyclists and has made additional funding of up to £2 million available in order to support the scheme. 

Mr Johnson also supports a much needed bypass for the city.