Hereford Voice

Brewer's Passage - SNIK Artist's impression for Brewer's Passage - The artwork will be installed in March 2024. Internationally-acclaimed artists SNIK combine the creation of hand-cut, multi-layered stencils with haunting, ethereal portraiture from a male and female perspective. Their craft has seen the duo commissioned in locations as diverse as Aberdeen, Stavanger, Miami and Hong Kong. The peaceful subjects portrayed in their work are paired with the cycles of growth and decay in the natural world. They are living murals that change organically as the eras pass. Through this site-specific mural in Hereford, SNIK aim to connect the audience with one of the city's most valued and beautiful assets, the wildflower meadows. "Forget Me Not" portrays a figure embracing and harmonising with the resilient presence of the flora that envelops her. Serving as a symbol of our interconnectedness with nature, she embodies the care and acceptance necessary for nature's unfettered expansion and flourishing, which in turn supports our own growth.

The Commercial - Nomad Clan Artist's impression for The Commercial - The artwork will be installed in February 2024. Nomad Clan is the collective of AYLO and Cbloxx, an internationally-acclaimed, street art duo with bases in Manchester and Los Angeles. The duo marry power and pathos with a fine art showcase in their iconic, monumental murals around the world. Each mural has a strong significance linked to the environment it sits in, combining playful scenes from local heritage with stylised characters from tales they hear in the locations they visit. The main focus of their work is to proudly celebrate local history, folklore and heritage and reflect the socio-economic issues affecting the area. Their new commission will draw on the rich folklore and history of Herefordshire, fusing Alfred Watkins' ley lines and the astronomical orientation of Arthur's Stone with the legend of the Mermaid of Marden.

Bastion Mews - Emmeline North Artist's impression for Bastion Mews - The artwork will be installed in February and March 2024. Emmeline North is a multi-disciplined artist and designer. Her work is influenced by both the built and natural environments, combining architectural forms with fine botanical illustrations. She first began painting murals and decorative artwork for commercial and residential interiors around her home town of Leeds in the 1990s, and later trained in surface pattern design. Her growing portfolio of public art projects span both 2D and 3D surfaces and can now be found in Leeds, Batley, Dewsbury, Birmingham and York. Emmeline's new commission for Hereford is inspired by the floodplain meadows that straddle the River Wye, juxtaposed with the iconic structure of Canary Bridge, symbolising the community's battle to retain the meadow and ensure nature retains its place in the city.

The Herdsman - Curtis Hylton Artist's impression for The Herdsman - The artwork will be installed in February 2024. Curtis Hylton is an artist skilled in creating large-scale murals using spray paint. His trademark style of fusing flora and fauna can be seen across the UK, Europe and rest of the world. His goal is to create artwork that highlights biodiversity and inspires cultural change in the way we engage with nature - to encourage others to spend time outdoors, to influence a new generation of environmentalists or to simply enable people to reflect on their personal connections with the natural world around them. Curtis will be celebrating the strong farming heritage in Herefordshire and the site of the old cattle market in his artwork. Working at scale on The Herdsman pub on Widemarsh Street, he will bring some of that heritage back into the city with a new contemporary twist.

Eign Gate Underpass - Graphic Rewilding Artist's impression for Eign Gate Underpass - The artwork will be installed in March 2024. Lee Baker and Catherine Borowski co-founded Graphic Rewilding to create vast, nature-inspired, and attention-grabbing public art in often overlooked and unexpected spaces. They want to inspire people to connect and empathise a little more with the natural world, hopefully mitigating some of the negative effects of a lack of exposure to green space. Their large commission will see them transform Eign Gate Underpass, bringing some vibrancy, fun and colour to the city entrance and shrinking the public to the size of an insect to see things from their perspective. Graphic Rewilding will feature a range of native plants, flowers and insects in the artwork. You will be able to see the Snakeshead Fritillary, Yellow Jacket Iris, Foxglove, Emperor Dragonfly, White Tailed Bumblebee and much more.

Hereford Public Art Collection - Art + People + Place programme Street murals Hereford is about to transform as eight new public artworks are unveiled on our city streets. Locals and visitors will start to see artworks appear on gable ends of prominent buildings, and in underpasses and passageways across the city, throughout February and March 2024. The commissioned mural artists range from international and regional level to supporting local Herefordshire talent. The locations and artists are: Eign Gate Underpass - Graphic Rewilding The Herdsman - Curtis Hylton Bastion Mews - Emmeline North The Commercial - Nomad Clan Brewer's Passage - SNIK Capuchin Lane - Dermot Clarke Booth Hall Passageway - Gemma Flowers Union Passage - Estee Angeline A new sculpture trail An additional partnership project with Hereford College of Arts and Meadow Arts will celebrate the college's 170th anniversary in 2024. Drawing inspiration from old pictorial trade signs of the 17th and 18th centuries, this project will reimagine this tradition for the 21st century, reusing disused shop signage brackets to create a sculpture trail through the city. Enhancing the historic core of Hereford The new Art + People + Place programme, commissioned in partnership with Studio Response, is part of the £6 million Hereford City Centre Improvements (HCCI) project. The overall project aims to refurbish the historic core of Hereford through investment in the streetscape, landscaping and public realm, and is funded jointly by the council and Marches LEP. The public art project has been years in the making, bringing together local people, students, businesses and stakeholders from across the city to add creativity and vibrancy to our streets. We held a public consultation session in June 2023 which provided themes, ideas and locations that have fed into the final artworks. The Hereford Public Art Trail will launch in April 2024.

Emergency services responded to a single vehicle RTC last night in Hampton Bishop Hereford. A spokesperson from Hereford Fire Station told Hereford Voice "At 20:18 461 and 463 mobilised to a single vehicle RTC on the B4224, Hampton Bishop. All persons self extricated but required trauma care, suffering from multiple injuries. Fire Service Personnel administered initial trauma care before being handed over to the ambulance service. Crews then made the vehicle safe and assisted police with road clearance" Hereford Voice - '𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲'

A 35 year old woman was found dead at a house at Hope-under-Dinmore. Police said the death is being treated as "unexplained", with further enquiries ongoing.

The community of Hereford Cathedral were delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses The Duke & Duchess of Gloucester to visit the cathedral on Monday 19 February 2024. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester began their visit in the cathedral nave where they were introduced to a host of civic guests including The High Sheriff of Herefordshire, The Bishop of Hereford and representatives of Herefordshire Council. After being introduced to The Dean of Hereford, The Very Reverend Sarah Brown, the visit continued into the cathedral quire where a brief performance of the Father Willis organ was given by assistant director of music, Peter Dyke. The group were also given a demonstration of the Chamber Organ by director of music, Geraint Bowen. The group then separated into two with HRH the Duchess of Gloucester, who is Royal Patron of the Cathedral Music Trust, visiting the Song School in College Cloisters to meet the cathedral’s music scholars. HRH the Duke of Gloucester was taken around the cathedral by Chief Operating Officer Chris Milton to view some of the architectural highlights of the building. The group reconvened in the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library where they were invited to view Illuminate, the latest exhibition curated by the Library and Archives team. After meeting volunteers and viewing artefacts selected by the cathedral archivist, TRH departed for Gloucester Cathedral where they were attending Evensong later in the day. The Very Revd Sarah Brown said, “It was a pleasure to welcome TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to Hereford Cathedral. Known for their passionate support of cathedrals across the country, we were delighted to be able to share some of our musical and architectural treasures with the Duke and Duchess this afternoon. We are immensely grateful for their continuing celebration of cathedrals and their associated heritage; and for taking the time to visit us in Hereford.” Source | Hereford Cathedral

Ross-on-Wye Town Council will be moving offices at the beginning of March from the Corn Exchange on High Street to the new Town Hall at the former Old Chapel on Cantilupe Road, a building which is owned by the Town Council. It is hoped that the move will make the offices more accessible to members of the public with both location and facilities. The Council office opening times will remain the same, Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 1pm. The address of the new office is: Ross-On-Wye Town Council, Town Hall, Cantilupe Road, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7AN. Due to the impending renovation works at the Market House, Made in Ross will be moving into the former Town Council offices on High Street from March. Their opening hours will remain the same, Monday to Sunday 10am-4pm. The Tourist Information Point will remain at the Corn Exchange.

Photo courtesy of Saxon Hall Community Centre AMH HEALTHCARE LTD have submitted a planning application to Herefordshire Council for 'change of use from F2 to Ee for proposed 'dentist surgery' for part of Saxon Hall' Full details on planning application P240283/CD4 here

Hereford FC have confirmed that John Layton, who made over 200 playing appearances for The Bulls, as well as holding the positions of first team manager, assistant manager and youth team manager, has stepped into an ambassadorial role for the newly established Hereford United & Hereford FC Former Players’ Association. With a career deeply intertwined with the club’s rich history, Layton’s appointment aims to help bring together former players of both Hereford United and Hereford FC. c Photo courtesy of Hereford FC Layton, who still lives in the City, and whose father also played for Hereford United, expressed his enthusiasm for the position, “Hereford United holds a special place in my heart, and I am honoured to take on this role,” Layton said. “The history of Hereford United and Hereford FC is inextricably combined and both clubs’ legacies are not just about victories on the pitch, but about the bonds formed and the memories shared amongst players, staff and fans.” Layton is excited by the prospect of connecting past-players with the fans “It will be great to get former players involved with the supporters whenever possible” he said. Layton’s illustrious career at Hereford United spans decades, and is marked by stellar performances both as a player. His deep understanding of the club’s history, ethos and its impact on players’ lives uniquely positions him to spearhead the association’s initiatives. “I’ve experienced firsthand the impact this club can have on individuals,” Layton reflected. “It’s more than just a team; it’s a community. And I want every former player to know that they are an integral part of that community.” One of Layton’s primary objectives in his new role is to help establish a support network for former players, ensuring they have a warm welcome when returning to Edgar Street. “There’s nothing quite like the feeling of stepping onto the hallowed turf at Edgar Street,” Layton said. “It’s where dreams are born and memories are made. I look forward to sharing those moments with my fellow former players and reliving the glory days together.” Hereford FC General Manager, Jamie Griffiths said: “John has a fantastic association with The Bulls that stretches back over the decades, having played and managed Hereford United. “John has remained a regular attendee at Edgar Street over recent seasons and he was an obvious choice when we were looking to get someone on board. I have no doubt that his involvement will really help the Former Players’ Association to flourish and I’d like to thank him for agreeing to give his time and experience to the club once more.” Full story https://hfd.news/16piQ

Yesterday evening crews from Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service called to a fire in South Hereford. A spokesperson from Hereford Fire Station said; "461 and 462 mobilised to a “shed” fire in close proximity to a house in Belmont, Hereford. Crews requested further assistance “make pumps four” due to a significant fire involving a wooden shed and garage, starting to affect the roof space of the property. Firefighters deployed 2 x hose reel jets and a 45mm main jet to tackle the fire, stopping the fire entering the roof space itself. Crews also responded from Ewyas Harold and Peterchurch. A further reinspection of the incident is scheduled to ensure no further hot spots" 📷 HWFRS

Emergency services were mobilised to the scene on the A465 between Pontrilas and Llangua at around 4.05pm yesterday (Saturday). 📸 HWFRS Emergency services included two air ambulances, four fire appliances land ambulances and police. A spokesperson for Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said; "We were mobilised to a serious RTC on the A465 between Pontrilas and Llangua. Supported by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Abergavenny and Ebbw Vale. Two vehicles were involved, with one leaving the roadway and coming to a rest in the verge. Crews used Holmatro cutting equipment to deal with the entrapment and release the casualty. Working alongside Officialwmas (West Midlands Ambulance Service), the Midlands Air Ambulance and the Wales Air Ambulance multiple casualties were provided with trauma care before being conveyed to hospital. The incident was left with Gwent Police and West Mercia Police for collision investigation" The A465 remained closed for many hours following the incident.

A gross misconduct hearing, which concluded today (Thursday 8 February 2024), found that a former West Mercia Police officer would have been dismissed from the force had he not already resigned. The hearing upheld allegations that the conduct of former PC Richard Davis, 53, who was based in Herefordshire, breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour as set out in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020. An investigation by the anti-corruption unit (ACU) found that between December 2019 and January 2022, Davis had repeatedly been dishonest in communication with the vetting and ACU teams by knowingly providing false, misleading, or inaccurate verbal and written statements regarding his financial situation. He had seriously failed to manage his personal finances despite significant support from the force. Today’s hearing found that Davis’s actions breached the standards of honesty and integrity, orders and instructions, and discreditable conduct. Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Richard Cooper said: “Police officers and staff have a duty to disclose details of any financial difficulties to the force, both during initial vetting and throughout their career. This is essential to protect them from becoming vulnerable to blackmail or corruption, which can obviously have a detrimental impact on the public. “Richard Davis not only failed to follow the correct procedures, despite extensive support from the force, but actively and knowingly provided false information. This isn’t acceptable. “As a force we are realistic and compassionate and know that times are tough for many people at the moment. Support is readily available for officers who are open and honest about any financial difficulties they may be experiencing. “As illustrated by today’s outcome, we will not let individual officers undermine the credibility of the force by acting dishonestly and fraudulently.” Richard Davis will now be added to the College of Policing’s Barred List, banning him from working for a UK police service in the future. The outcome of the hearing is subject to the normal appeals process.

Here is some more fabulous images captured so brilliantly as usual by our friend and regular Hereford Voice Photo Studio member Just Jon Simpson Thanks Jon for showcasing our fabulous city in such a unique and positive way. #HerefordVoice | #Herefordshire | #PositiveHereford | #FabulousHereford | #EmbraceHereford | #Hereford | #VisitHereford

Plans to redevelop St.Nicholas House have been approved with conditions. The planning application was submitted to Herefordshire Council in September 2023 for St. Nicholas House, Berrington Street, Hereford for 'Proposed recladding envelope of existing building including new means of escape. New roof extension and boundary treatment' The building has been empty for a number of years and was previously used and was previously the Job Centre. We understand that St.Nicholas House was purchased by a local developer with plans to improve the aesthetics of the building as part of the redevelopment. Koda Architects were appointed to undertake this project and to develop and enhance the visual appearance of the building. 📸 Koda Architects | Oakfield Design

From 1 February 2024 it will be a criminal offence to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless your dog has a valid Certificate of Exemption. The first stage of the XL Bully ban came into force on 31 December 2023 meaning the breed was added to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. This means it is now an offence to: ❗ Sell an XL Bully dog ❗ Abandon an XL Bully dog or let it stray ❗ Give away an XL Bully dog ❗ Breed from an XL Bully dog ❗ Have an XL Bully in public without a lead or muzzle Since 31 December 2023, you can legally have your XL Bully in public provided that: 🔹 A muzzle is securely fitted, sufficient to prevent your dog from biting any person, and 🔹 The dog is on a lead being held securely by a person no less than sixteen years of age Find out more about the ban - Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Check if a dog is an XL Bully - Check if a dog is an XL Bully - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

During the early hours of Sunday morning these bikes were stolen from Wellington, Hereford. 1x GasGas 450 1x KTM 150 2x KX 80 If you any information please contact West Mercia Police on 101. Alternatively, information can be shared anonymously with the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Mums-to-be are to benefit from an expansion and refurbishment of the maternity triage unit at Hereford County Hospital, which opened this week. Left to right: Anna Nash - midwife, Amie Symes - Associate Director of Midwifery and Annette Arnold - maternity inpatient matron at Wye Valley NHS Trust. During the last month, building work has been underway in the old maternity triage unit knocking down walls and creating a much larger new maternity triage area. The unit features a new entrance area, waiting area, reception, modern adjustable lighting, additional assessment beds, and new equipment. The unit also benefits from a separate entrance on the second floor, which means that women no longer need to enter the maternity ward to access the triage service. The maternity triage unit provides assessment and care, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for women who have concerns regarding their pregnancy (from 18 weeks onwards) or their baby (up until they are 28 days old). Amie Symes, Associate Director of Midwifery at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted to be able to open our new expanded maternity triage unit, which provides additional space with modern facilities enabling our midwifery team to assess more women during their pregnancy. As a team, we are focused on continuing to improve our maternity services in Herefordshire and the new unit will help to enhance the experience of the women using this service. “Our specialist team of midwives are on hand to provide expert care and offer advice both at the maternity triage unit and via the telephone helpline. It’s so important that women with pregnancy related concerns such as abdominal pain, leaking of fluid, or changes in their baby’s movements, seek the appropriate advice and follow up care as soon as possible. We recommend that women contact the maternity triage helpline on 07990 986517, available 24/7, before attending the hospital, so that our team can advise accordingly.” To access information on the maternity triage unit visit www.wyevalley.nhs.uk and search maternity triage.

All exciting stuff!

We were kindly invited to The Pavilion, Castle Green earlier and to see the progress being achieved by the wonderful team at Vision Building and Development. Also huge thanks to Katie. This superb Friends of Castle Green project is on schedule to be completed before the end of the Summer and we can't wait to share all the finer details with you. We are looking forward to getting our LIVE HD Camera back online and to showcase this fantastic venue on the beautiful Castle Green overlooking the River Wye and Victoria Bridge. There is so much going on but we can't tell you anymore at this stage, so be sure to 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 Hereford Voice 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀.

We are reassured and more than confident that this will go to full planning committee in the coming weeks, however, we predict that the latest Lidl planning application for the Three Counties Hotel site will be approved in the coming weeks from what we hear on the grapevine.. You can see our original 'Breaking News' article from March 2022 here 👉 https://hfd.news/Lidl3 The Local Highway Authority also submitted a memorandum on 20th December 2023 (attached) explaining that the had no objections (with conditions) Following the redesign of the central area of the car park the local highway authority has no objection to the application subject to the below conditions. Conditions: CAB (2.4m x 43m), CAD Gates/barriers (setback 7m), CAE, CAJ (car parking to be provided in full prior to store opening), CAP (as per dwg 05 rev G by Corun), CAT, CB3 Informatives: I11, I09, I45, I08, I05, I14, I49, I54, I52, I51, I47, I37, I36, I35 Hereford City Council submitted their comments one 12th January 2024 stating that they have no objections; Dear Heather Hereford City Council Planning Committee has no objection to planning application 231703 however have comments. Whilst Councillors regret the loss of this hotel and tourism facility, they appreciate the need for an economy food store and associated employment south of the river which will be popular with local residents. Councillors have considerable anxiety about another unregulated junction on an already busy road and feel the proposed design is not respectful of the local environment. Kind regards Becci O’Reilly Administration & Events Manager It is evident from the original application that the majority of objections on the planning portal is certainly not popular with local residents! Which is what this letter (attached) states.... We had a petition signed from over a thousand local people as well as over 228 objections, which like ourselves was down to the main concerns over traffic congestion and safety of people using the notorious A465 Belmont Road. There were just 12 letters submitted in support of the application. The original application was withdrawn and a new updated application was submitted in June 2023 (P231703/F). This next part is interesting, Did you know? ALL of the original letters of objection and support together with a petition with over 1,000 signatures against the application cannot be taken into account even though the overall application is more or less the same - 'Demolishing the Hotel and building a Lidl supermarket' (We appreciate that the drive-thru coffee shop was removed and a few other tweaks made to the new application). We are confident that planning consultants know how to work the system because now the letters of objection or support are clearly going to be hugely diluted, which is the case with 41 objections and 10 letters in support as of the time of this topic 20th January 2024. 🤔 The A465 Belmont Road is renowned for daily traffic congestion. There is also a speed enforcement camera located directly opposite the entrance to the hotel which was installed for a reason! It will be interesting to see how this develops and we will highlight these issues which are only going to become much much worse with this development. A more suitable location would have been at Rotherwas in our view. Local Highway Authority.pdf Hereford City Council Comments.pdf

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet is to discuss approval of the awarding of a new waste collection contract at their next meeting on 25 January. Although this is a significant moment in the transformation of waste services in the county, there will be no immediate changes that residents or businesses need to be aware of. The existing Waste Collection contract with FCC will be extended to 31 August 2024, with the new contract to commence on 1 September. The new contract will last for an initial 8 years, with an option to extend by up to a further 12 years. Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst, Cabinet Member Environment, said: “The new waste collection service will help us to minimise waste and increase reuse, repair and recycling. It will also contribute to our investment in low carbon projects, and strengthen our stewardship of Herefordshire’s natural resources. “Environmental impact has been key to the development of the service specification, which will include extensive requirements to minimise waste, reduce energy and carbon emissions and enhance biodiversity. “As we have extended the existing contract until the end of August, residents and businesses will experience no changes to the current service, and we are committed to communicating clearly and in timely fashion with local people when any potential changes become clear.”