The
place for information on Ross-on-Wye and the Wye Valley
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26th
October 2011 |
CIDER FESTIVAL RAISES £1,500 IN MEMORY OF ALAN WOOD |
2011
has been a very busy year for Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry
Co. Ltd. Immediately after the extremely successful festival,
the team went straight into the new cider and perry making
season! As you may have read, all the apples and pears are
falling early so there was no respite after the hectic weekend;
it was a case of clear up and start pressing the fruit.
The
team up at Broome Farm, Peterstow raise a fantastic amount
of money for charities with their brilliant events and at
this year's festival a wonderful £1,500 was raised
on behalf of Ross Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of
Alan Wood, founder of Wyenot.com. This fantastic amount
of money was raised in various ways, including the Friday
and Saturday raffles, donations from stall holders, people
paying to throw wet sponges at many 'volunteers' placed
in the stocks and from the sales of food.
Mike
Johnson presented the cheque to Alan's partner, Tina and
Pauline McRae from Macmillan Cancer Support on Tuesday,
11th October. In addition to this, funds were raised throughout
the 2010 / 2011 season for the following good causes:
£500
went to to Bees for Development, ( http://www.beesfordevelopment.org
), a charity which assists beekeepers living in poor and
remote areas of the world, and raises awareness about the
value of beekeeping for poverty alleviation.
£500
was also donated to Tamwed ( http://www.tamwed.org ). Tamwed’s
aim is to increase the quality of life among poor and marginalised
people in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu, India.
£600
to was raised for Cancer Research UK .
The
dates for the 2012 Cider Festival are Friday, 31st August,
Saturday, 1st and Sunday, 2nd September. Tickets will be
available from June / July 2012. Book yours early to avoid
disappointment!
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NMike Johnson of Ross Cider & Perry Co. with Tina Jones presenting
a cheque to Pauline and Brian McRae of Macmillan Cancer Support,
watched by some of the Broome Farm team, Tomas Michalik, Kate Healey,
Elizabeth Lovell and Kate Bollands. |

Broome Farm regular, Paul 'Bad Boy' Craggster gets a soaking, all
in a good cause. |

In loving memory of Alan from his friends at Broome Farm. |
26th
October 2011 |
TDCC
TO HOST JUMPSTART SESSIONS . . . . . . .
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The committee of Tudorville & District Community Centre
are jumping for joy after securing a grant from Herefordshire
Housing to start new play sessions at their refurbished
community centre. The grant has allowed them to buy in the
services of local charity, Jumpstart Kidz, who provide soft
play sessions for families with pre-school aged children.
From
1st November, Jumpstart will run weekly soft play sessions
on Tuesdays from 10:00am to 12 Noon at TDCC on Walford Road
in Ross-on-Wye.
The
sessions are open to everyone and there is no need to book
in advance. Sessions will cost £2.50 for one adult and child,
plus £1 for each additional child. Jumpstart sessions are
a great way for young children to play with each other and
with their parents / carers. Mums, Dads, grandparents and
carers can enjoy meeting others and having a chat while
the little ones burn off that extra energy.
Active,
creative play is important for the development of very young
children, both for physical development and for their creativity
and imagination. A typical session includes a chance to
play on the soft play equipment, dressing up, play games,
sing songs and listen to stories. The children can choose
what they want to do and will get to climb, run, build,
jump, slide and explore. It's also good for babies, as there
are sensory toys and special equipment to keep them stimulated
and entertained. There is information available on the variety
of services for families within the county, as well as occasional
visits from people specialising in family services.
Mags
Smith, Development Manager for Jumpstart said, 'We are delighted
to have been awarded this contract and are really looking
forward to working in Tudorville. Our groups are informal
and friendly so there's no pressure on you. You can sit
and play with your child or join in the chat with other
parents, as you wish. You'll make new friends and get some
good advice on parenting. If you haven't tried a Jumpstart
session yet, then come and join in the fun!'
Michelle
Kings, Treasurer for TDCC said, 'We are thrilled to have
secured the grant from Herefordshire Housing to allow Jumpstart
sessions to start at TDCC. A survey carried out when we
first formed TDCC 18 months ago indicated that many local
people would like to see a mother and toddler group up and
running in Tudorville again so we are very happy to now
be in a position to offer this.'
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26th
October 2011 |
PRIDE OF HEREFORDSHIRE AWARDS 2011
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Dr. Simon Lennane.
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Congratulations
to Dr. Simon Lennane of Alton Street Surgery, Ross-on-Wye
who was selected as 'Health Champion 2011' in the recent
Pride of Herefordshire Awards.
Dr.
Lennane, in partnership with the Herefordshire library service,
developed the Books on Prescription scheme whereby people
who suffer from mental health issues are provided with access
to a range of books that can help make a real difference
to their lives. Also placed in this category were the Walk
Leaders of Herefordshire, a group of volunteers who lead
walking groups under the organisation of the Sports Development
and Physical Activity section.
Roger
Phillips, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for enterprise
and culture said, 'This illustrates that the range of cultural
services has so much to offer people that want to improve
their health and well being. There is strong evidence to
show that reading and walking can help people relax , reduce
anxiety and increase their overall sense of well being.
Congratulations to the award winners.'
Anne-Marie
Dossett, Reader Development Librarian said, 'We are hoping
the next stage of Books on Prescription will be to develop
a collection for young people. There are lots of self-help
books for young people and it will be good to provide the
best ones in our local libraries so they can be borrowed
for free.'
Alan
Wood was nominated for the Entrepreneur award by long time
friend Nick Stephens. Sadly, as many readers will know,
Alan passed away in June after a courageous battle against
cancer, after the nomination was made. His partner, Tina
Jones was invited to accept Alan's award on his behalf.
Although
not the winner of the category, Alan would have been proud
to be chosen as a finalist in the awards. The winner was
Helen May, from Hereford, who set up her own care agency
in Hereford H M Care and now employs 20 staff.
Alan's
daughter, Sarah was nominated for the Adult Carer Award
by Tina, who says that she would have found it very difficult
to manage Alan's care without Sarah's help. The winner of
this category was Tony Hodden who went on to be selected
as overall winner in the 2011 Pride of Herefordshire Awards.
Tony
Hodder won the award for Adult Carer for establishing Close
House which not only provides youth facilities but also
supports youngsters in tackling alcohol and drug addiction,
bereavement and mental health issues. His nomination form
said, 'Now the disadvantaged young people in the St Martin's
area of Hereford area have the benefit of such a dedicated
community worker who is someone who can really lay claim
to the title of being the Pride of Herefordshire.'
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Tina Jones and Sarah Wood with their 'Finalist' certificates at
the 2011 Pride of Herefordshire Awards ceremony. |
This
is the fifth year the awards have been run by Herefordshire
Council, NHS Herefordshire, the Herefordshire Partnership,
West Mercia Police and the Hereford Journal. President of
the Royal Horticultural Society, Elizabeth Banks DL, from
Hergest Croft Gardens, Kington, was the guest speaker for
the event which was held at the Three Counties Hotel, Hereford.
Mrs. Banks gave a very interesting and entertaining overview
of the history of the society and her family.
Leader
of Herefordshire Council, Councillor John Jarvis said, 'This
is the first time I have attended this annual awards ceremony
and I was very impressed with the stories that were told.
The judges have had a difficult task in deciding on the
winners but I think we should all celebrate the fact our
county has so many worthy people striving to make Herefordshire
a better place to live and work in.'
Other
category winners at the awards ceremony, who each received
a cheque for £100 and a special trophy to keep for a year,
were:
Learner:
Matthew Robinson, who left school with disappointing GCSE
results but has since studied for a Level 2 NVQ and, whilst
working for Herefordshire Council, is also studying for
a Level 3 Accountancy diploma and GCSE English.
Courage:
Tallon Kingsmill-Poole, 18, who saved a boy and his mother
from a house blaze in Holme Lacy, Hereford. Tallon, from
Ludlow, was doing some building work in the area when he
noticed the fire and rushed in to save the pair.
Young
Carer: Luke Dowey, 16, who cares for his mother, who has
considerable health problems, and two siblings. Luke also
volunteers with St John Ambulance and his ambition is to
become a paramedic.
Environmental
Champion: Bodenham Flood Protection Group which was born
out of the severe floods of 2007 and has since raised funds
and worked together to ensure the village is protected against
future flooding by ensuring water culverts are cleared.
Youth
Community: Hannah Burgess from Ledbury who has volunteered
for a series of sporting events, set up a photography club,
actively coaches and umpires under eights and under 13s
cricket and rugby, as well as helping Ledbury cricket and
rugby clubs.
Adult
Community: Richard Thompson and Jo Pewsey from Kilpeck who
run an annual pantomime. Richard has also raised large sums
for charity while Jo works for Herefordshire Voluntary Action
and runs a monthly coffee morning for older residents as
well as providing a weekly post office morning in the village
hall.
Alan,
saying that, like Alan, he wanted to put something back
into the community he lives in and loves. The work he has
done is fantastic and Alan would feel honoured and very
proud of our friend. Well done Nick!
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From back, left are: Helen May, Luke Dowey, Babs Mitcheson from
Bodenham Flood Protection Group, Hannah Burgess, Richard Thompson
and Jo Pewsey.
From front, left are Matthew Robinson, Tallon-Kingsmill-Poole, Tony
Hodder and Dr. Simon Lennane. |

Overall winner, Tony Hodder collects his award from Andrew White
(Head of Development) Midlands for Sanctuary Group and 2010 winner
Tony Larkin. |
26th
October 2011 |
ROSS
CLOCK TO CHIME IN TIME FOR REMEMBRANCE DAY |
Herefordshire Council is to carry out repairs to the Market
Hall clock in Ross. The chimes mechanism on the clock in
Ross will be repaired by clock maker Smith of Derby in the
week beginning 31st October. The replacement mechanism is
currently being made by the clock maker in time for its
installation.
The
repairs are to be carried out in time for the annual Remembrance
Day ceremony so that the two minutes silence can be marked
and observed.
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26th
october 2011 |
WHATS
HAPPENING IN ROSS-ON-WYE THIS WEEK? |
The 'Spooky' time of year is upon us and lots of Hallowe'en
fun will be going on over this coming weekend. On Friday,
the Hope
& Anchor are holding a Hallowe'en karaoke and JD's
are holding spooky events too.
On
Saturday there is a Hallowe'en party going on at the Eagle
Inn, from 7pm, moving on up to Charlies Bar later in the
evening. Lots of fun andgames will be going on and prizes
will be given for the best dressed up male and female.
I
hope you all have a fun weekend.
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26th
October 2011 |
COFFEE AND CATCH UP AT THE JOHN KYRLE HIGH SCHOOL |
John
Kyrle High School is operating an innovative programme to
assist new Year 7 students to settle into school. During
the Autumn Term, Head Teachers from every Primary School
are invited in to meet their former pupils and discuss how
they are finding the transition to High School. Headteacher,
Nigel Griffiths, joins the group later to be updated on
progress from students and Headteacher colleagues.
He
said, 'We have been running this programme for a number
of years and it is really nice to see the excellent interaction
between Year 7 students and the people who were such an
important part of their lives for many years. We rarely
pick up any issues and if we do, they can be easily addressed.
Indeed, every year our Primary School Partners are preparing
students so well for the step up to High School that students
seem to settle in even more quickly than before.'
Tony
Griffiths, Headteacher at Goodrich Primary, said he was
delighted to regularly have this opportunity to meet his
former students. The induction programme for new Year 7
students at John Kyrle was outstanding and began with visits
for students when they were in Years 5 and 6. They had no
worries about joining the school and he was very pleased
with the positive reports he had received from students
and the progress they had made.
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Head Teacher of the John Kyrle High School, Nigel Griffiths with
Tony Griffiths and some former students of Goodrich Primary School. |
26th
October 2011 |
CARDS
FOR GOOD CAUSES OPENING SOON . . . . |
Cards
for Good Causes will be available from Tuesday, 1st November
but this year the popular festive shop will be hosted by
Mary Sinclair-Powell at Ross Information Service, 36 Broad
Street, Ross-on-Wye.
Cards
for Good Causes raises money for at least 30 charities.
There will be the usual fantastic range of cards and Christmas
goods available as well as the choice of purchasing gifts
including local crafts and clothing. The card shop is run
by volunteers and if you feel that you would like to help
out by putting in a few hours, why not go along and have
a chat with Mary?
The
shop will be open 10.30am to 4pm Monday to Saturday inclusive
from 1st November until 12th December. Just look out for
the 'Father Christmas' on the street.
To
volunteer or make enquiries please call in to the shop,
telephone 01989 563056 or email on msprosecottage@hotmail.co.uk.
You only have to do as much or as little as you wish to.
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26th
October 2011 |
JESSE OPENS WORLD LEADING REFRIGERATION .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TECHNOLOGY
CENTRE IN HEREFORD |
Supermarket
giant, Morrisons and local firm Arctic Circle have launched
a world leading new Refrigeration Technology Centre in Hereford
to develop the greener, more efficient refrigeration systems
of the future. The collaborative project, which was officially
opened by local MP Jesse Norman, will provide a practical
training facility for engineers and a new national test-bed
for cleaner, natural refrigerants.
The
Centre, built at Arctic Circle’s plant on the Rotherwas
Industrial Estate, will significantly speed up the development
of low emissions systems. Morrisons, the UK’s fourth largest
food retailer, already uses new low emissions technology
in its eco-stores, such as the one recently opened in Peterborough.
As well as new refrigerators, the stores use other innovations
such as rainwater harvesting, solar walls, LED lighting
and solar panels to reduce their carbon footprint dramatically.
Steven
Butts, the Head of Corporate Responsibility at Morrisons
said, 'The award winning site is a key part of our programme
to reduce our carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2020. We
have already invested over £100 million in new refrigeration
equipment over the last four years.'
After
opening the centre on Friday, 14th October, Jesse said,
' “I was delighted to open the new Refrigeration Technology
Centre in Hereford. It is a great example of the cutting
edge technology which is springing up all over the county,
and a welcome investment by both Morrisons and Arctic Circle
in the long term future of Herefordshire.
We
need this kind of hi-tech green growth if we are to achieve
the county’s full potential.'
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Jesse Norman MP opens the new, world leading Refrigeration Technology
Centre. |
26th
October 2011 |
ANIMALS OF THE FOREST AT QUEENSWOOD COUNTRY PARK |
A
number of carved wooden sculptures have been installed at
Queenswood Country Park and Arboretum and were officially
opened by President of the Royal Horticultural Society,
Elizabeth Banks on Monday, 17th October, in her role as
Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire. Elizabeth is also
a past chairman of the Queenswood Coronation Fund, the charity
associated with Queenswood who raise money for and provide
advice on the management of the arboretum and she unveiled
one of the sculptures at the ceremony watched by children
from Wellington School.
On unveiling the sculpture, Elizabeth said, 'They are wonderful
sculptures and will prove great fun for children to find
while exploring the woodlands. They also provide something
for everyone regardless of age; beautiful carvings of woodland
birds and animals, enriching any visit to Queenswood.'
The
two carvers, Steve Elsby and Harry Thomas, who produced
the sculptures, were also at the launch. The seven sculptures
consist of a range of animals and birds, native and exotic
and are located in appropriate areas of the arboretum that
reflect the type of habitat they would live in. The trail
(a trail guide will be available from the shop at Queenswood
and on the council's web site) will lead visitors through
the arboretum providing opportunity for fun and learning
as well as appreciation of the sculptures for all ages of
visitor to Queenswood.
Funding
for the sculptures has come from the government's Playbuilders
scheme. The idea for using the funding for an animal-themed
sculpture trail followed the interest shown when Steve Elsby
carved a crocodile at Queenswood in the autumn of 2010.
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.jpg)
Children from Wellington Primary School with Elizabeth Banks, DL,
and sculptors Harry Thomas and Steve Elsby at the launch of Queenswoods
new sculpture trail. |
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