Hereford Voice

Free Parking in Ross-on-Wye Oh look, just 7 minutes later, a quick opportunity to score some interaction and more clicks! 👇 Of course they don't follow our every posts 😂 Hereford Voice - Leading The Way 😉

At around 7.05pm yesterday (Thursday 4 July) officers were called to a fire on Charles Witts Avenue in Hereford. When officers arrived a 33-year-old man was sadly found dead at the scene. His death is being treated as suspicious and an investigation is underway. A woman, aged 56, was taken to hospital for further treatment. A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody while enquiries continue. Detective Inspector Catherine Taylor, said: “Police, accompanied by fire and ambulance services, attended a house fire last night, where a man was found to have suffered serious injuries. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene. “His death is currently being treated as suspicious and an investigation has been launched to establish the circumstances. At this stage all lines of enquires are being explored. Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this difficult time.”

Jesse Norman (Conservative) holds his seat in Hereford and South Herefordshire Full results below 👇

Ellie Chowns (Green) wins seat from Sir Bill Wiggin in North Herefordshire Full results for North Herefordshire below 👇

The 34-year-old serial killer was on trial at Manchester Crown Court accused of the attempted murder of a baby girl, known as Child K. It comes after she was convicted last August of the murder of seven babies. Lucy Letby appearing in the dock at Manchester Crown Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA) (PA Wire) The 34-year-old was convicted of attempting to murder the child, referred to in court as Baby K, following a retrial. In a statement, Baby K's family described having to endure a "long, torturous and emotional journey - twice". "Today, justice has been served. But it does not take away the extreme hurt, anger and distress that we have all had to experienced," they said. Last August, Letby was convicted by a different jury of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neo-natal unit between June 2015 and June 2016. However, a verdict on the allegation relating to Baby K could not be reached, and a retrial was ordered, heard at Manchester Crown Court.

Whitbread, the owner of Beefeater, announced plans earlier this year to close 126 of its "lower-performing" restaurants due to a drop in foot traffic at some sites. A spokeswoman for Whitbread told the Hereford Voice that Beefeater locations in Hereford and Ross-on-Wye will close this week. "After many years serving the community we can confirm the Starting Gate and Travellers Rest are closing their doors on July 5. We are committed to working hard to enable as many as possible of our affected team members to stay with us by taking other vacancies across the business through recruitment." Both restaurants are attached to Premier Inn hotels, also owned by Whitbread. Plans to run the Beefeater in Hereford as a Premier Inn restaurant for the time being have been confirmed, but only for the use of the hotel guests. Whitbread, which operates more than 840 Premier Inn hotels in the UK (as well as a further 51 in Germany), has decided to close some of its less profitable food and beverage outlets in an effort to improve the overall business’ performance.

Today is Armed Forces Day 🇬🇧 This was apparently a more important topic👇 We then reiterated our gratitude to our armed forces with our topic at 08:24 👇 This promoted a quick response... just 3 minutes! (we reckon this could be a new record, of course we're not leading the way for others to follow 😉) It's all in the timing 🙂

Good to see the progress of the work at the Blackfriars Stand at Hereford FC ⚽ Our topic created a very swift response within 9 minutes 😉 Now on a roll.. 😀

The roads across Herefordshire are in a terrible state however, let's show the roads that have been resurfaced We are clearly the benchmark place to go for ideas for topics 🤔 👇

Herefordshire Crematorium has joined the growing list of crematorium and cemeteries nationwide to join the ‘Letters to Heaven’ initiative, which gives grieving people a chance to send messages to their departed loved ones. The idea first came about when a young girl in Nottinghamshire expressed a wish to send letters to her grandparents, and the concept has been adopted in Local Authority areas across the country. In 2023, Hereford Crematorium was contacted by two local ladies who had been impressed by the story and wanted to see if something similar could be done in Hereford. The Crematorium then purchased a white post box and Ursells of Ross, local memorial masons, kindly donated the memorial book which explains the purpose of the post box. The boxes are free for anyone to post a letter to their loved ones, or, if it is a special occasion, they can post birthday cards, anniversary cards, Mother's Day and Father's Day cards, Christmas cards and holiday postcards. Letters, messages, or cards posted in the boxes will be treated respectfully, and will never be opened or read. John Gibbon, Direct Services Manager at Hereford Crematorium said: “We are pleased to be a part of the ‘Letters to Heaven’ initiative. Losing a loved one is the most difficult experience any of us will go through in life, and writing these letters, which are treated sensitively and confidentially, will hopefully be a help to people working through the grieving process.”

📣 UPDATE | How To Temporarily Access Belmont Medical Centre Surgery. Following on from the incident in which a vehicle crashed into the Doctors Surgery last Thursday morning, see our news article here 👉 https://hfd.news/ibVlu, as you can see the surgery is boarded up, as the building is possibly unsafe in the area which took the impact. Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt, which is a miracle, two people were given medical attention at the scene. The surgery offer the following advice: ▪️If you have an appointment please report to the window. ▪️Prescription inquired can be posted via the letter box or by email belmont.prescriptions@nhs.net ▪️All enquires to be made by telephone on 01432 354366 (not the window). #HerefordVoice | #HerefordNews | #HerefordshireNews | #HerefordCommunity | #HerefordLife | #HerefordZone | #Hereford

Sad News As Hereford Lads Club FC Pull Out Of Hellenic League Premier Division And Hereford Leagues With Immediate Effect 𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 "It is with deep disappointment that we wish to inform you that the Hereford Lads Club 1st Team, Lads Club Reserves and Lads Club Colts will be pulling out of the Hellenic League Premier Division and Herefordshire Leagues with immediate effect. Following years, and in the case of many of us, decades of hard work, we are disappointed to find ourselves in the position that we find ourselves in. Lads Club committee feel there is no place for senior football for these teams. Over the past 10 years, we’ve progressed from the Herefordshire leagues, to Step Five and the Hellenic League Premier Division. We’ve progressed as a team, but unfortunately a number of decisions made by the Club, it’s Chairman and Trustees, mean that we are no longer in a position where we can continue. The budget offered by the club for the forthcoming season is around half of what we believe would even give us a chance of remaining in this division, plus with other local clubs showing ambition and working at getting extra sponsorship to remain sustainable, the lack of effort from those above us at the club mean that we are fighting a tougher battle every week. We’d like to thank all the players who have played for us over the years, many of them without getting paid. Whether it’s promotions, the County Cup winning season or cup runs, we have plenty of memories to take away from this memorable spell at the club. We’d also like to thank those people who supported us over the years, whether it be by attending fixtures or through sponsorship. It’s meant a lot to us and we can’t thank you enough. It’s been an incredibly difficult decision to make, but we only wish the club could’ve matched our ambition for a stable, competitive club in Step Five. More information in the next few days of thanks and moments in our history will be posted. Thank you for the memories. Daniel Moon, John Haycox and Stephen Ellerton" Hereford Voice - This is such sad news, thank you for all that you have done for the club.

Councillor Bob Matthews was ward member for Credenhill and Group Leader for the True Independents It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the death of Councillor Bob Matthews yesterday (Thursday 20 June 2024). Councillor Matthews was one of our longest serving councillors, working as a councillor at the start of Herefordshire Council becoming a unitary authority on 1 April 1998. As well as working for his constituents as ward member for Credenhill, Councillor Matthews was Group Leader for the True Independents, and a committee member on the Scrutiny Management Board and the Employment Panel. He also served on a number of outside bodies and joint committees. Councillor Jonathan Lester, Leader of Herefordshire Council said: “On behalf of all Herefordshire Councillors I want to express our sadness at the death of Councillor Bob Matthews. “Cllr Matthews dedicated so much of his life to serving the public, shaping, influencing and improving the decisions of this council. He was a very active champion of local democracy, and extremely passionate and active in representing his constituents, benefitting so many people over his many years of service. “Many members of this council were encouraged to stand as a councillor as a result of his active engagement and passion around the role councillors play in serving this county. He will be missed by us all. “Our deepest sympathies are with his family, friends and colleagues.” As a mark of respect the Union Flag at the Shirehall will remain at half-mast until the day of Councillor Matthews’s funeral. The Union Flag at the Town Hall will fly at half-mast until Monday 24 June, and then the Armed Forces Flag will be raised at full-mast for the day to mark Armed Forces Week. The Union Flag will then fly at half-mast from Tuesday 25 June until the day of Councillor Matthews’s funeral.

A motorists has crashed into the Doctors Surgery at Belmont this morning. All emergency services are at the scene. We are not sure if anyone was injured. The building has been severely damaged. Paramedics are at the scene together with Police and Fire Service. More to follow...

The fabulous new K9 Doggy Deli opens in the Maylord Orchards Atrium on Saturday 29th June! It was great to catch up with owners Mark and Jo earlier and discuss their new unit. They told Hereford Voice; "Ace k9 Doggy Deli will be selling natural dog treats and chews and some dog related accessories. We will be providing tea, coffee and some cakes (for humans haha) and puppucinno's for the doggies and some freebie treats. So hoping it will be a success as we are fully aware of footfall in this location. As im sure you are aware Maylords isnt visited as much these days due to closure of Wilko etc. Mark and I so want to make the Atrium at Maylord Orchards a vibrant shopping centre again. Fingers crossed it will entice other retailers in with the other units opening soon. Just need Hereford peeps to support it. This is a 13 week pop up at the moment but so hope we get the support and we can make it permanent. At the moment we have a permanent position at Hereford High Town Market on a Saturday this has proved very popular and successful. We are so excited and can't wait to open on Saturday 29th June" Web | https://ace-k9-menu.co.uk 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗜𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁! Hereford Voice wish Mark and Jo the very best of luck with their new venture!

Environmental lawyers fighting to halt alleged industrial scale chicken production pollution in the River Wye say their case has been strengthened by a recent court ruling affecting farming practices. A team at law firm Leigh Day is preparing a major nuisance claim against Avara Foods Limited and its parent company Cargill, alleging that industrial scale chicken farming in the River Wye catchment area is polluting the River Wye and surrounding land. The claim will demand that Avara and Cargill clean up the river, stop the pollution and compensate the community for damage. The claim will allege that the unsustainable expansion of large-scale industrial chicken production in the Wye catchment area has deteriorated the River Wye. A recent judgment in a separate legal challenge to the Environment Agency over the way it enforces Farming Rules for Water said farmers would have to change their system for spreading manure on agricultural land. Six further points by the judge reinforce the claim against Avara and Cargill, say the River Wye nuisance claim legal team. In the judgment, it was said: “the Wye is also a valuable recreational resource, providing the opportunity for tourism and outdoor pursuits such as fishing and kayaking”, para 4. “the impact of pollution on the water quality of the Wye and the consequences which have followed in relation to its nature conservation value are widely recorded and undisputed”, para 135. “there are water quality issues in the Wye related to phosphate limits being exceeded within the catchment”, para 6. “In recent years the Wye has been the subject of extensive pollution in the form of high concentrations of phosphorus in the river’s water. The consequences of this include the development within the river of substantial algal blooms, turning the river green, interfering with its ecology and leading to an impact upon key species, such as ranunculus or the water crowfoot family of plants, the presence of which justified the original designation of the Wye as an SAC”, para 5. “address[ing] the issues affecting [the] favourable conservation status” of the designated conservation sites in the RWC is a “necessary priority”, para. 142. “The evidence also suggests that the effect of the algal blooms also impacts upon the recreational and tourist use of the river”, para. 5. Those points acknowledging the importance of the River Wye and its pollution by excess phosphorous, boost the nuisance claim by reinforcing the need for accountability of the polluters for the damage to the Wye, says Leigh Day. This adds weight to the private legal claim, which says the Wye is heavily polluted because excessive amounts of poultry manure is being produced across land within the river catchment through the industrial activities of the large US group, leading to a substantial increase in levels of phosphorus in the soil. This then runs off and leaches into the river, reducing oxygen and causing widespread algal blooms along the length of the river system, which turn the water an opaque green before decaying and causing foul odours and sickness. In the judgment, handed down on Friday 24 May 2024, after examining the Environment Agency’s enforcement of regulations that govern the amount and timing of the application of organic manure and artificial fertiliser that can be spread on agricultural land, the judge ruled that farming practices will have to change. Now farmers will be limited in the amount of manure they can spread in the autumn and winter, when the nutrients in the manure will not be taken up, in favour of spring application when the nutrients are required by the growing crop. Leigh Day partner Oliver Holland, who leads the private law claim, said:  “The pollution of the River Wye is a story of private exploitation and government failure. The legal system offers a solution for the people and wildlife that are being impacted. “Private law claims empower communities to obtain court orders which force private companies to stop polluting, to pay for the damage they have caused, and to clean up the river.”

So we have not updated this for a while but some things remain the same. Some friends of ours got in touch and we discussed breaking the news of their new store opening in Maylord Orchards. We published the article 👇 Guess who spotted this on our page (because he scans it regularly) 🤠

Leading up to the event, the Wye Float River and Music Festival received £5000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This funding has played a crucial role in amplifying the festival's impact, allowing us to reach a broader audience and positively influence our local community. Mark your calendars for the 10th of August 2024! Prepare to be part of the unforgettable Wye Float River and Music Festival, a unique blend of adventure and music. The day kicks off at 11:00 a.m., with the float commencing at noon and live music keeping the party alive until 11:30 p.m. Experience the thrill of our inflatable river float adventure, a one-of-a-kind activity where you drift along the picturesque River Wye. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking scenery and create memories that will last a lifetime. “We're proud to showcase the finest local musical talent with a diverse line-up of bands and solo artists that guarantees something for everyone to enjoy” - Darren Mason, Festival Organising Committee. But the festival is more than fun and music. At Wye Float, we're committed to making a lasting impact on our community. We invite you to volunteer with us; we seek individuals to help us with stewarding, river safety, music and production, event promotion, and river clean-ups. Through regular clean-ups of the River Wye, we aim to make it more accessible and safer for all users. Your participation is crucial in making this event a success and in creating a stronger, more connected community. Don't miss out on this must-attend event! Join us at Hereford Rugby Club for a day filled with floating, live entertainment, bouncing castles, face painting, a climbing wall, and local arts and crafts stalls. Float and Festival tickets from £28. Please note that participants in the float must be 12 years or older, and wearing buoyancy aids is strongly advised for everyone's safety. And here's some great news: children under 11 can enter the music festival for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. Adult festival tickets are priced at £6, making it an affordable and fantastic day out for families and friends. Don't miss the Wye Float River and Music Festival, where adventure, music, and community come together in perfect harmony. See you there! Buy tickets www.wyefloat.com 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿: Hereford Voice

The much needed improvements will include new student accommodation along with a new stand on the site. Original Planning Application P240412/PA7 'Application for prior notification of proposed demolition of Blackfriars End vacant stand, groundsman atore, toilets, United in the Community building, entrance stalls and the redundant former ‘Blackfriars public toilets’ 📷 Hereford FC

Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection Team have secured another prosecution as part of the ongoing fight against fly tipping. Mr Ashley Jones (25), of Stone Street, Hereford, appeared at Hereford Magistrates court on 3 June 2024, where he pleaded guilty to a total of ten charges of fly tipping and failing to secure the transfer of waste to an authorised person. The court heard how in June 2022, Jones embarked on a fly tipping spree that would last eight months. Jones, who was trading as ‘AJ gardening & landscaping’ used Facebook to advertise gardening and landscaping work where he provided separate quotes for removal of waste created as part of his work. Officers discovered that general waste found in a field in Bosbury had been dumped by Jones on 27 June 2022 following a paid removal of waste organised on Facebook. Following this, large tipper loads of gardening and landscaping waste were found fly tipped in fields and roadsides of Grafton Lane and Merry Hill Lane. Officers searched the fly tipping and traced the waste back to customers who had employed Jones to carry out landscape gardening waste and who had paid him to remove the waste. Jones failed to co-operate with the investigation and failed to produce any waste transfer notes to demonstrate any legitimate waste disposals. While the case was being prepared for prosecution, further large fly tips of landscaping waste appeared on the roadside of Bullingham lane and in a gateway off Gatehouse road in Hereford. Officers were once again able to trace this waste back to Jones who had removed the waste as part of his landscaping business. Jones again refused to co-operate with the investigation and a second prosecution case was submitted to the courts. Jones was handed an 18 month community order, required to attend 25 Rehabilitation activity days, attend a 12 month mental health treatment plan, ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and pay fines and costs totalling £2414. The maximum penalty for fly tipping is a £50,000 fine and/or 5 years imprisonment. Charles Yarnold, Herefordshire Council’s Head of Public Protection, said: “Fly-tipping is a deeply selfish act that continues to blight our beautiful county and costs the taxpayer money to clean up. Nobody should have to put up with waste strewn across green spaces simply because one individual thinks they can make a quick profit.” “Once again our Community Protection team have secured another successful prosecution against a Herefordshire fly-tipper. We are pleased with the court's decision and hope this acts as a deterrent to others.” All householders have a duty of care to ensure that the waste they produce is disposed of correctly and they have documentation to show who they have transferred the waste to and keep those records for at least 2 years. Mr Yarnold added: “I would like to remind residents looking to get rid of waste to ensure the person or trader offering the service is doing so legitimately and is registered with the Environment Agency. Make sure you get the correct paperwork, including an invoice or receipt for the waste with contact details.”

Hereford Freedom Church have submitted a revised planning application for; "Proposed fascia sign above doors, fascia sign lettering Freedom Church and fascia sign logo. All internally illuminated" Revised Application This application for advertising consent proposes the installation of a Lightbox above the porch entrance and illuminated lettering across the long street elevation of 100 Commercial Road. These two elements are designed to be in step with the Art Deco design of the building and represent a limited change to the facade. A previous advertising consent application related to this building was withdrawn (P233317/A). The withdrawn application included a large mural and a digital screen along with other changes and overall, was a more significant visual change to the building. Original Application Revised proposal for advertising consent This revised application represents a scaled-back approach, and takes into account the design of the building and the character of the Conservation Area. Previous application for advertising consent The previous, withdrawn application proposed two vinyl fascia signs, four demountable hoarding panels, one Gloshine LED video wall and vinyl signage to the existing building shutter. The proposals were not physically intrusive on the building, however they did represent an evident visual change to the street elevation. The application received 18 representations, eight of these were in support and ten were objections to the proposals. Planning Application P241428/A

MandM, the online retailer specialising in reduced priced branded fashion and sportswear, is pleased to confirm the opening of its new headquarters in Hereford Old Market’s former Debenhams store on 20th May 2024. Taking over the first and second floors of the building, the 47,000 sq. ft space is large enough to house the 280 staff members who are making the move from Leominster, where MandM has been situated for 30 years. The additional employees, numbering in the hundreds, will continue to work out of the distribution centre at Moreton-on-Lugg. MandM tasked ADT Workplace architects to create an office environment that promotes sustainability, creativity and inclusivity. Holly Simpson, Interior Designer at ADT Workplace, shares her insight on the office redesign brief: "[TT1] With features to support wellbeing, inclusivity and sustainability integral throughout, the vibrant new space incorporates a variety of workplace settings to offer a truly agile and flexible office environment. Central to the design is a striking architectural staircase, which as well as delivering the wow-factor as people move around the space, facilitates movement between floors, improving connectivity and communication between teams. The design concept takes inspiration from Scandinavian design principles, which has an emphasis on simplicity, minimalism and functionality to enhance comfort, collaboration and productivity. The neutral colour palette, combined with tones from natural materials such as stone and wood, promotes a calming and peaceful atmosphere, with splashes of colour added throughout via planting, decoration and furniture, adding a touch of warmth and vibrancy. In addition, there is an abundance of natural light owing to the stunning floor-to-ceiling windows, supported by soft lighting features, further enhancing employee comfort and wellbeing. We have loved working with the MandM team to bring the design vision to life over recent months. The new office signifies a real step change in the way people across the business will work, collaborate and develop, so we’re excited to see what the future holds as the team settles into their new home." On the move, Mike Tomkins (Chairman of MandM) says: “We are delighted that MandM is relocating to our new offices in the City of Hereford. As we continue to grow our business and invest in our infrastructure and colleagues, it’s now the right time for us to expand and find a new home which allows us to continue that growth trajectory. Moving to Hereford and taking over the vacant former Debenhams site was a natural move, allowing us to invest back into Hereford as well as giving us the space to grow our team and operations. We will work to make Hereford an eCommerce hub for the region, supporting our future ambitious plans to grow in both the UK and Europe. Our new office offers modern facilities that creates an environment that promotes creativity, collaboration, and a sense of community for all our colleagues. We have new photography studios, open collaborative spaces, social kitchens as well as facilities that are designed to encourage colleagues based locally to cycle and walk to work. With the workforce coming into the office, we expect that our move will have a positive impact on the area, adding anywhere between £500,000 and £1 million to the local economy a year. The move also brings about new opportunities. We currently have 11 vacancies and are recruiting for several job roles ranging from sustainability managers to IT developers to join the team at our new office.” Vicky Morgan, who has been with MandM for 20 years and is one of the longest serving employee, shares her thoughts on the office relocation: “We are all looking forward to working in our new offices in Hereford. The new facilities will make a massive difference in our day-to-day operations, and it is exciting to have witnessed the business grow over the past 20 years. I have always enjoyed working at MandM – the people and spirit are brilliant and now we will have great new surroundings to match.” MandM is also committed to supporting the local and wider communities. During the move, the company donated the Leominster office furniture to local schools and St. Michael’s Hospice. The business continues its philanthropic efforts supporting the Teenage Cancer Trust raising over £2.6m in the last 19 years in addition to a recent partnership with Harris Federation, London where MandM have donated football kits to all 54 school academies (6,300 kits) worth £250,000. About MandM Big brands, Low Prices, Direct to You. MandM is all about big brands, at low prices across fashion, outdoor and sportswear for men, women, and children. MandM has non-stop deals on over 300 big brands, always up to 65% less than RRP. All year round. Web | mandmdirect.com

Environment Agency prosecutes after routine sampling results. Court told how water company broke permitted levels 3 times in 10 months. The Environment Agency has successfully prosecuted Welsh Water Ltd for breaking conditions of an environmental permit at a sewage treatment works near Hereford between August 2020 and June 2021. At Worcester crown court on Friday 7 June, Welsh Water entered a guilty plea and were fined £90,000 for exceeding permitted levels of sewage effluent into the River Wye from the Kingstone and Madley sewage treatment works. The company were also ordered to pay costs of £14,085.05 and a £190 surcharge. The court was told that officers from the Environment Agency were alerted to an issue following routine sampling results in July 2021. The environmental permit states that during monthly sampling visits, Welsh Water must not discharge effluent containing more than 7 milligrams per litre of biochemical oxygen demand on more than 2 occasions in a 12-month period. From 6 August 2020 to 19 June 2021, the sampling system showed that Welsh Water allowed levels to exceed the permitted levels on 3 occasions. On 8 August 2020, the levels were recorded at 13 milligrams per litre; on 19 May 2021, levels were recorded at 74 milligrams per litre; and 19 June 2021 levels, were recorded at 41 milligrams per litre. The court was told that such levels indicated that the treatment works was performing very poorly and that it was extremely unusual to have this many breaches in a 12-month period. A report concluded that this showed “either poor operational management, inadequate asset provision or a mixture of both.” Welsh Water, in mitigation, said on the first 2 occasions, they could not identify a “root cause” for the permit breaches. On the third occasion, the company said the breach had occurred during a “significant storm.” Adam Shipp, a senior environment officer at the Environment Agency and who led the investigation, said: Incidents like this are preventable and are completely unacceptable. Water companies are aware that their activities have the potential for serious environmental impacts, and they know that we will take action when they cause pollution. The charge: Welsh Water, between 5 August 2020 and June 20 2021, at the Kingstone and Madley sewage treatment works, in Herefordshire, failed to comply with, or contravened, an environmental permit condition, namely condition 8 (a) (i) of environmental permit AH1001901 (as modified from March 31 2015). By exceeding the permitted level of 7 milligrams per litre of biochemical oxygen demand within the discharge from the said works to the Coldstone Brook on 3 occasions within the said period.

Herefordshire Council is welcoming the introduction of new sanitary bins in many male public toilets in the county. Sanitary bins are already a regular feature in women’s public toilets, but remain a rarity in men’s toilets, despite a third of men aged 65 and over suffering some form of incontinence. The lack of facilities to dispose of sanitary products can have a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing, with many men avoiding going out, resulting in isolation and loneliness. Matt Pearce, Director of Public Health, said: “There are widespread and organised campaigns aimed at tackling period poverty, but relatively little attention paid to support men who have issues with incontinence. It is an important topic, with figures showing that a third of men aged over-65 experience urinary incontinence and 1 in 20 men aged over-60 live with bowel incontinence. “The lack of support and infrastructure is having a real impact on countless men, but Herefordshire Council is ahead of the issue on this, and we are pleased to have been able to install these sanitary bins. They are a simple way to provide the opportunity and support for men who are affected by incontinence to live their lives without fear or embarrassment.”