Hereford Voice

A man who drove whilst drunk and skipped a red light which led to a collision that seriously injured two people last year has been jailed for his reckless actions. Loic Freeman, aged 26 and of Bullinghope in Hereford, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday, Thursday 12 August, where he was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to three years and nine months reduced to two years and six months to allow for his guilty plea for the first offence, with the same sentence being given concurrently for the second offence reduced to 20 months in recognition of his guilty plea. He was also sentenced to an extended period of disqualification from driving of 15 months with a further period of three and a half years to run on his release from prison. Officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary's Roads Policing Unit attended the collision on Halfpenny Bridge in Lechlade at the end of May last year shortly before 10pm which involved Freeman, another vehicle and members of the public who were watching the NASA launch of the SpaceX rocket. Upon attendance it was found that Freeman's car, an Audi A5, had collided with a Mercedes-Benz which was travelling along a narrow bridge operated by traffic lights. Freeman had driven through a red light when the vehicle he was driving collided with the Mercedes, it caused the car to spin, mount the pavement and collide with a wall. A group of four pedestrians were in the area at the time with one woman, 47-year-old Nadine Wood from Lechlade, being pinned between the Audi and a wall which caused serious injuries. She was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by air ambulance and was later treated for fractures to her right leg and pelvis, both of which were life changing. As a result of the collision she now has multiple metal plates in her pelvis and blood clots within her lungs. She is still suffering from her injuries more than a year after the collision and has reduced mobility. The front seat passenger of the Mercedes, a man in his 40s from Swindon who does not wish to be named due to still coming to terms with what happened, suffered life changing injuries to his abdomen. He was taken to Great Western Hospital in Swindon where he received an operation to fit a stoma and nearly died twice. He too is still suffering from his injuries and like Nadine Wood has had several operations as part of his on-going treatment and care. Freeman walked away from the scene leaving the pedestrian, Nadine Wood, trapped between his car and the side of the bridge screaming in agony, and when officers attended his whereabouts were unknown. There were a large number of members of the public and emergency service workers who were able to assist officers in locating Freeman, who was found nearby. He was detained by officers from Wiltshire Police, who noted that he smelt strongly of alcohol when he admitted to driving the car at the time of the collision. Officers required Freeman to provide a sample of breath and conducted the roadside breathalyser procedure, with a reading of 127; this being nearly four times the drink drive limit. He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle whilst over the prescribed alcohol limit and causing serious injury by dangerous driving before being charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving earlier this year. Gloucestershire Constabulary has now released dashcam footage of the collision, with permission from the victims, which shows the recklessness of Freeman's actions and the impact it had on those who were in the area at the time.PC Tim Griffiths said: Dashcam footage from the Mercedes Benz which was involved and shows the collision can be found here ➡️ https://we.tl/t-fZKjt37lac (warning, footage shows point of impact of both vehicles)

A man has been found guilty of the murder of Neil Parkinson, who was found dead in Cotheridge in Worcestershire last December. Neil, who was 66, from Clifton-Upon-Teme was leaving his partner’s property in Cotheridge on Saturday 12 December when it is believed he was attacked at the end of the driveway. He and his vehicle were driven to a layby on the Ankerdine Road and set alight. Earlier today (Thursday 12 August), Mark Chilman, 52, from Pencombe, in Bromyard, was found guilty of murder by jury. Mark Chilman He will be sentenced on Monday 16 August at Worcester Crown Court.Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Dean Jones, from West Mercia Police’s Major Investigation Unit, said:

After discussions with the Ward Councillor, who has been in discussion with parish council, residents and local businesses, the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport has asked that the works planned along the B4224 at Fownhope village and Fiddlers Green, which were due to commence on 23rd August 2021 are postponed to later in Autumn, therefore the B4224 will NOT be closed during this period. Photograph courtesy of Google Maps We had planned to deliver these works during the school summer holiday to minimise disruption to commuters and school traffic, but in response to concerns over the impact on local tourism and leisure, particularly following the full easing of COVID restrictions, these works will now be delivered during Autumn – the exact dates to be confirmed in the next couple of weeks.

Initial analysis from the Knife Angel Hereford team shows that at least 102,000 people visited the statue during its recent visit to the city. Photograph courtesy Jon Simpson In addition, more than 700 school children took part in associated workshops to learn about and discuss issues related to violent crime. A further 30 free to attend events were organised for the general public, including sessions about coping with stress after lockdown and bereavement workshops. The Herefordshire Walking Festival even included a visit to the Knife Angel along two of its routes! During its four week stay, the Knife Angel became a focal point for visitors to the city. Nearly 200 volunteers were recruited to provide advice and information. These included Samaritans and Vennture team members who were available to offer additional support for those who needed it. Thousands of photographs were taken of the Angel, including stunning shots from the official photographer, Jon Simpson. The Knife Angel was free to visit, but nearly £11,000 was donated on site by members of the public. Thanks to their generosity and to grant awards from West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Police, The National Lottery Community Fund, High Sheriffs of Herefordshire (2020/1 & 2021/2), Eveson CharitableTrust, Community Safety Partnership and the Clocktower Foundation, the Knife Angel team has gathered a legacy fund of more than £30,000 to continue with its work to raise awareness of the devastating impact of violent crime. The Knife Angel’s visit to Hereford was organised over 18 months by a core team, led by Alison Davies and Meryl Cain. Alison, who lost her own son to knife crime in 2018, says: More than 350 knives and two guns were surrendered to the two Knife Angel amnesty boxes (one located at the Knife Angel site at Hereford Cathedral, the other at Hinton Community Centre). These will now be melted down to produce a commemorative sculpture for the city. The Knife Angel left Hereford in the early hours of 12 July. It is currently at its home base in The British Ironworks in Oswestry, awaiting its next public appearance in Chelmsford, Essex in the September. Partner organisations We are very grateful for the support of the following organisations: John Campion West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Police, The British Ironwork Centre, The Chapter of Hereford Cathedral, Hereford Diocese, Herefordshire Council, The Herefordshire Community Foundation, The Clocktower Foundation, Herefordshire Business Board, Golden Valley Web Design, Herefordshire High Sheriffs (20/21, 21/22), Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire, Hereford Voice, Signs & Labels Hereford, Safeguard Medical, The Green Dragon Hotel, Wyvern Flooring, Tudor Building Supplies, Hereford Rotary, Herefordshire Lieutenancy, The Beaumont Trust, West Mercia Youth Justice Service, Gabbs Solicitors, Your Herefordshire, Hereford College of Art, Herefordshire & Ludlow College, No Wrong Door/HVOSS, BBO/HVOSS, Close House, The Samaritans, Vennture, Hereford City Youth Council The National Monument Against Violence & Aggression - The Knife Angel The Knife Angel is a stunning 27ft tall, 3.5-ton sculpture of an angel made out of 100,000 confiscated knives received from 43 Police Forces across the UK. Originating from The British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry and created by sculptor Alfie Bradley, it took two years to construct. Prior to lockdown, the Angel toured around the UK and has become a national monument against violence and aggression in all its forms.

Thanks Alex be good to see you

Looking forward to seeing you mate

Ian and rowsentinel have endured a terrible 48 hours but they’re still going. Ian has no power on board and just one channel of communication left. It’s a very difficult situation but he can row, he’s going in the right direction and he can use a compass to navigate. Food stash! Then, like a gift from the Gods, he found a stash of food he’d forgotten about Beef jerky, nuts and dried fruit and hot chocolate. He’s so chuffed, it made a huge difference to his morale at the toughest of times. rowsentinel now need your help… We’d love to get the charity total past £100,000 to give Ian a massive push in these really difficult days. Please spread the word about the huge effort that this former #specialforces soldier is making. Donations for St Michael's Hospice - Hereford and the Special Air Service Regimental Association https://hfd.news/guy #HerefordVoice | #HerefordNews | #SASRegiment

Three men have been sentenced at Worcester Crown Court for a total of more than 16 years in prison for drugs offences. Pictured left to right - Keith Hill 47 | Lewis Plant 22 | Bradley Reader 20 Keith Hill, aged 47, of Ridgemoor Road, Leominster, was stopped by officers on June 30, 2020, while driving a van in Leominster. A quantity of heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine was found hidden under a seat. A search of his home was later carried out and officers seized a torch which was a fully working stun gun. Keith Hill was bailed for further enquiries. While officers investigated Hill’s offences they discovered he was involved in transporting Class A drugs from Liverpool into Herefordshire. He then used others to distribute heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine throughout the county. On 12 March 2021, officers carried out four simultaneous search warrants in Leominster and Kington as part of the investigation. In total officers recovered just under 1kg of Class A Drugs which had a potential street value of approximately £100,000. Equipment used to compress the drugs was also found at one of the properties as well as £7,000 in cash. Lewis Plant, aged 22 of Hawkins Court, Hereford and Bradley Reader, aged 20 of Tan Y Bryn, Holyhead, were both distributing Class A drugs in Leominster and Hereford and were arrested as part of the operation. Keith Hill was also further arrested at that time. Hill was sentenced on Thursday 5 August to 12 years - reduced to 9 years for an early guilty plea - for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of criminal property. Plant was sentenced to 6 years - reduced to 4 years 10 months for an early guilty plea - for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Reader was sentenced to 3 years - reduced to 2 years 3 months for an early guilty plea - for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Detective Inspector Matt Cartwright said: “Following the initial arrest of Keith Hill we were able to identify that he was distributing drugs throughout Herefordshire. “I welcome the sentences handed down to these three men. It demonstrates that we will not tolerate any form of drug dealing and those caught should expect a severe prison sentence. “Tackling drugs and organised crime is a force priority and we will continue to pursue those involved. Our teams have worked tirelessly to uncover this county line and the criminality within it. We continue to work closely with our communities who share vital intelligence with us so that we can help protect people from harm. “I urge anyone who is concerned that drug dealing is happening in their street or town to please contact us, or alternatively Crimestoppers – an independent charity – and we will investigate.” West Mercia Police’s Protect campaign aims to tackle serious and organised crime together and is underpinned by a four P principle – Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare. If you have information but don’t feel comfortable speaking to police, you can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers. It is 100% anonymous, they never ask your name and they cannot trace your call or I.P address. You can contact them online or by calling 0800 555 111.

From the people at Hereford City Life ...this is a consumer brand of the Hereford BID HerefordBID_Hospitality_Watermarked_YouTube_H264.mp4 The fabulous local businesses featured in the video are: En BBQ Saxtys Venue Nightclub Castle House Hotel Green Dragon Hotel Left Bank King Street Kitchen The Courtyard Lupa

Ian was upside down, up to his neck in a flooded cabin, in the middle of the Atlantic in the pitch black. His navigation books are destroyed. He has a rudder so he can steer and he has water and food, but everything is soaking wet. He’ll know what’s possible once he’s checked himself and the boat but he’s a very determined, very special man. With 4 days of bad weather still to come, Ian is checking what he can but he’s lost most of his power, a lot of kit and communications equipment.He is battered and bruised but feeling strong. He has lost AIS (the alarm) so the coastguard is alerting other ships of his location. Former SAS soldier Ian is rowing 3400 miles solo from NY to the Isles of Scilly without GPS! He hopes to raise £500,000 for charity more details rowsentinel.com Latest update an hour ago: 10:00am Ian is continuing to row towards the IOS and has less then 600 miles to go. He’ll do everything that he can to complete the challenge. Good luck Ian we are following your progress.

A man from Sutton St. Nicholas, Hereford, who stole £87,640 worth of sheep has been sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday 4 August to eight months imprisonment. A proceeds of crime hearing is scheduled to take place on 24 November. Daniel Smith, 25-years-old, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft at Hereford Magistrates’ Court on 7 July 2021. The sheep were stolen from four locations in fields in the Marden, Sutton St Nicholas and Cross Keys areas of Herefordshire between 2 November 2020 and 26 January 2021. One of the victims identified sheep being sold as those stolen from his farm and subsequently 92% of the stolen sheep were recovered over the following two days in March 2021. Wildlife Crime Officer, PC Josh Kitchen of West Mercia Police, said: “We are pleased with the result of this investigation and hope that it reassures the farming community that livestock theft will not be tolerated and that police will fully investigate these incidents. “Livestock thefts across the UK totalled £2.3million in 2020 and the act often causes suffering for the animals and additional financial pressures for farmers. “I would like to thank the farmers involved for their assistance in this investigation as well as the cooperation of Hereford Livestock Market. Without their assistance it is unlikely these sheep would have ever been recovered.” If you suspect any stolen sheep are being sold please contact Wildlife Crime Officer Josh Kitchen on 07773053436.

On our recent visit to the Town Hall our friend John Marshall explained the history of the Coat of Arms and we are so pleased that he has put all of the incredible history into writing for your reading pleasure! It's been 376 since Hereford was under siege from the Scottish! The infamous battle resulted in the creation of Hereford's Coat of Arms, and the two stories are closely intertwined. In 1189, King Richard I gave the City its first royal charter, and with it came Hereford's first Coat of Arms, but the remainder of the design dates much later, to 1645, at which time the realm was in a state of Civil War. The City of Hereford stood for the King, and was stationed with Royalist troops. The garrison for the City, however, was very small, no more than 150-200 men at most. Then, a large Scottish force of 14,000 men marched to attack Hereford - mercenary troops fighting for Cromwell. They surrounded the City with the intention of capturing it, confidant that they could defeat the vastly outnumbered Royalists. However... the citizens of Hereford joined with the soldiers in the garrison, enacting the duties of fighting men so well that they kept the invading Scottish troops at bay for approximately five weeks. The enemy was unable to make a single penetration of the City's defences during this time, their only achievement being the destruction of one span of the old bridge over the Wye and dislodging a few stones from the City walls. In the end, the Scots gave up trying to capture the City and retreated, leaving the Royal Standard flying in triumph over the City. King Charles I, upon hearing of this, was delighted and full of praise for the citizens of Hereford. So much so, that he visited the City in order to thank them personally for their success, and made the Grant of Arms which the City now possesses. The shield on the coat was given ten crosses in white and blue, representing the surrounding forces of the Scottish troops. The motto for the City, which is also on the Coat, was granted; INVICTAE FIDELITATIS PRAEMIUM - which means; "Reward for faithfulness unconquered". A lion crest can now be seen on the top of the Coat, signifying loyalty and defence of the Crown. The helmet below the lion is also very rare, and is only found on the Coat of one other authority in England - the City of London. Full story of the Coat of Arms HERE

I met up with Keith Marston yesterday morning to discuss how we can move forward with our Duck Pond Project. We have agreed our next clean up day will be on Sunday 24th October from 0900-1400. I think we need to have a good general clean up, remove any litter and objects from within the Pond, where it's safe to do so. There is plenty of weeding and the clearance of overgrowth from the immediate area around the main part of the Pond and surrounding gardens as well as the other end near to the Fosse. As a group we can check the fencing and decide an action plan for a bigger event in the Spring of 2022, but at least we can get things moving in October. We have already secured funds for aeration pumps and we will also look at purchasing these with a view to having them installed hopefully in the Spring or sometime next year. A full nature plan is what is required with tree surveys etc so we are looking forward to discussing all of these ideas with Herefordshire Council and Hereford City Council. There are some local groups who are also keen to get involved such as our Friends of the Castle Green. I have left a message for George Watkins at the Castle Hotel and I have had a good long chat on the phone tonight with Jim Kenyon to see how we move this forward. Jim has some really good ideas, which we welcome. So please let us know if you can Join us again folks? We need your help! You all did amazing work with us on this project and we would love to see you all again this time. Make a note in your diaries! SUNDAY 24th OCTOBER 2021 - 0900-1400

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service deployed boat crews from Hereford and Worcester stations, a drone was used from Ledbury Fire Station and another fire crew from Fownhope were all mobilised to reports of a person in the River Wye in Hereford. A Police helicopter was seen hovering over the River Wye using a search light and emergency services were near to the Bunch of Carrots. The incident was finally left with West Mercia Police We reported the story late last night here https://hfd.news/kud

Here's a wonderful photo of one of the regular coal trains crossing the river along the Great Western Way from our Old Hereford Pics archive. Who remembers when the trains were active along the GWW?

Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on the U71005 - Sellack Boat, Kings Caple in Herefordshire

Leader of Herefordshire Council, Cllr David Hitchiner, has announced changes to Cabinet Member portfolios, to take effect from 1 August 2021. Leader of Herefordshire Council, Cllr David Hitchiner Councillor Pauline Crockett will step down from Cabinet due to personal reasons, but will continue her duties as a ward member. Councillor Felicity Norman is the new Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Wellbeing, and Councillor Jenny Bartlett will continue as Cabinet Support Member. Councillor Diana Toynbee’s Children’s and Family Services portfolio returns to the full list of responsibilities which Councillor Felicity Norman had when she had this portfolio, but with the addition of Councillor Kath Hey who is appointed as an additional Cabinet Support to support Young People’s Attainment, including post-16 education, training and skills development. This additional support role is important to reflect the responsibilities that Councillor Toynbee has concerning the Improvement journey in Children’s Services and also the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and to ensure that the county’s education and skills are aligned and delivered effectively. The new Cabinet will come into effect from Sunday 1 August 2021: Councillor David Hitchiner - Leader of Herefordshire Council / Corporate strategy and budget Councillor Liz Harvey – Deputy Leader of Herefordshire Council / Finance, Corporate Services and Planning Councillor Diana Toynbee - Children’s and Family Services, and Young People’s Attainment Councillor Gemma Davies - Commissioning, Procurement and Assets Councillor Ellie Chowns – Environment and Economy Councillor Felicity Norman - Health and Adult Wellbeing Councillor John Harrington - Infrastructure and Transport Councillor Ange Tyler - Housing, Regulatory Services and Community Safety

West Mercia Police wrote; Hereford Video https://youtu.be/10BTI0woGfU Leominster Video https://youtu.be/cWlN_NLBJtk #HerefordVoice | #HerefordNews | #LeominsterNews

‘Hereford City Life’ backed by Hereford BID are launching the ‘Hereford Gift Card’! They are launching a brand new gift card to help encourage customers to spend their money with local Hereford businesses. The Hereford Gift Card is a pre-paid ‘Master Card’ based programme, that can be accepted by independents and nationals within Hereford city centre. Consumers The new Hereford Gift Card can be purchased as a gift for a family member or friend or even to give to someone to say thank you. The gift card is just like any other gift card that you see on the high street and you will be able to use it to spend in many of the local shops, cafés, restaurants and bars and all participating businesses in Hereford City Centre including Marks and Spencers, Primark, New Look, Timothy Hawkins Gallery, Saxtys, Pleasance and Harper, Toni and Guy, Fox and Mabel...to name but a few however, a full list of those participating businesses will be provided once the gift card is launched in the next few months, just in time for Christmas!! Businesses This scheme is another great way to encourage visitors to shop and spend with your business and can benefit many sectors, including retail, hospitality, leisure and service. How do I register? To register your business as an approved Hereford Gift Card location, please visit the registration page here https://hfd.news/kwj and follow the steps outlined. Costs Being an approved location for the Hereford Gift Card will cost you nothing other than the levy you already pay to us. Every penny the customer spends on the card will be loaded on the card too - there are no hidden fees! What if I have more questions? If you have more queries about the Hereford Gift Card and registering your businesses, you can find FAQs on the Hereford BID website using our link - https://hfd.news/2so or alternatively, please feel free to contact Hereford BID by email info@herefordbid.co.uk

Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover – a new way for managing waste Reducing the amount of waste we produce, and reusing and recycling where possible, benefits the county and the environment, and is the aim of a new waste strategy for Herefordshire agreed at the council’s cabinet meeting today (29 July). The new waste strategy sets out the changes that will be taking place to the way that household and business waste is collected and then treated, and schemes that support and encourage a reduction in the amount of waste being produced. These include: Reduce – promoting schemes that reduce the amount we throw away such as community fridge schemes Reuse – supporting organisations that repair and reuse items, community share schemes and encouraging donations to charity Recycle – composting garden waste, supporting people to recycle more Recover – introducing a new kerbside food waste collection and producing energy from food waste The small proportion of waste remaining will only then go to landfill. The strategy also sets out changes to the black bin and recycling collections based on feedback from a resident consultation held earlier this year, when around 3,500 people told us what worked well for them and what could be improved about their kerbside collection service. A number of pilot schemes will trial these changes to see what works best, so that they can be introduced across the county in the most effective way.Cllr Gemma Davies, cabinet member commissioning, procurement and assets said: The new waste strategy, as well as the outcome of the rubbish and recycling consultation, can be found on the Herefordshire Council website.

Police in Hereford are appealing for information following a racially aggravated assault in the city. The incident happened in the Church Street area of the city at around 4.00pm on Wednesday 7 July 2021. The victim sustained facial injuries as a result. Officers are appealing for any witnesses to come forward with information and are particularly interested in identifying the man shown in the image below. If you have any information please contact PC Karol Kujawa on 07971 395081 quoting incident number 369i of the 7th July 2021 or report anonymously using the Tell Us About section of the website.

Following on from our article yesterday here 👉 https://hfd.news/hwo Andrew Thompson, aged 52, Hereford, has been charged with attempt murder and will appear in Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday 29 July). He has been charged in relation to an incident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday (27 July) in Dartmouth Court, Hereford. The cordons have now been released and we would like thank the community for their patience and help with our investigation.

Officers have arrested a 52-year-old man from Hereford on suspicion of attempted murder. The arrest was made after police were alerted to an incident at an address in Dartmouth Court at 2.12am on Tuesday 27 July. A man has received treatment for stab injuries to his neck and abdomen, he is now in a stable condition. A cordon remains in place at Dartmouth Court. The 52-year-old remains in custody while the investigation continues. We are asking for members of the public that may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area of Dartmouth Court between 2am - 3am on Tuesday 27 July to please contact us via the website or via 101 quoting reference 55i of 27 July.

The Centre, which is owned by the Council and managed by Social Enterprise and Registered Charity Halo Leisure was forced to close in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The original plan was to reopen in August 2020 along with all other leisure facilities, however, this wasn’t possible due to severe and deliberate damage caused to the roof of the Centre through vandalism. Since then the contractors working on behalf of the Council have made the building watertight and repaired the substantial water damage caused by the vandalism. The Centre is now due reopening ahead of schedule today. Alex Haines, Halo Partnership Manager said: Cllr Gemma Davies, Cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets, said: