Hereford Voice

West Mercia Police Detective Sergeant James Moore said: Officers attended and found a man and woman had been involved in a violent disorder and the woman suffered knife injuries to her hand. The woman, aged 21 from Wales, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and has since been bailed. The man, aged 22, also from Wales fled the scene and has today been arrested for the same offence and remains in custody. Two men were believed to have fled the scene but were arrested shortly after on the M5. One aged 26 and the other aged 27, both from Northampton, were arrested for conspiracy to commit robbery and drug supply offences and have since been released whilst the investigation continues. Enquiries are still ongoing and police are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen a grey Nissan Qashqui in the area at this time. Anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact the police on 101 quoting reference 00248i of 5 March or you can report online through the 'Tell Us About' section of the website. #herefordvoice #herefordnews #hereford

Here is one of our favourite exclusive photographs of Hereford Cathedral from our archive. We have not seen such a spectacular photograph of our Hereford Cathedral as this one in a long time! #herefordvoice #hereford #herefordshire

The previous bridge had completely rotted away but this new bridge near Canterbury Close is superb, credit where credit is due. Thank you to Parish Councillors Adrian Bridges, Colin Warne and Phil Rudd with much needed help from Bert.

Hereford Voice | Councillor Sessions - Cllr. Liz Harvey Part 3 - Part 3/3 🔷 Council tax - 60% of the net income pays for social care. Council tax makes up 70% of net income 🔷 In this session Councillor Harvey continues to explain about Counil tax and answers some of the questions put to her this week (please note that this was actually recorded yesterday Friday 5th March) We would like to take this opportunity to thank Cllr Harvey for agreeing to be be put under the spotlight this week. She will answer the remaining questions of the next few days. More Councillors will be engaging with you this year as part of our 'exclusive' Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions'

Hereford Voice | Councillor Sessions - Cllr. Liz Harvey Part 3 - Part 2/3 🔷 Council Tax Rise 🔷 In this session Councillor Harvey explains about the council tax rise of 4.99% for 2021. (please note that this was actually recorded yesterday Friday 5th March before the council tax setting meeting) Councillor Harvey will be answering the questions from our previous topic here https://hfd.news/897ed in session 3/3 to follow #herefordvoice #hereford #herefordshire #hfdvcs

This is broken down into 3 sessions this is part 1/3 🔷 Council Tax £161 Million Cost Required 🔷 In this session Councillor Harvey explains the breakdown of costs to the council and grants received etc.. Councillor Harvey will be answering the questions from our previous topic here https://hfd.news/897ed in sessions 2/3 and 3/3 to follow #herefordvoice #hereford #herefordshire #hfdvcs

🔷 Budget and Council Tax Setting Explained 🔷 Herefordshire Council tax setting meeting is tomorrow (Friday 5th March) which is formally ratifying all the parish precepts, the fire authority and police charges and the county council tax rise which have each already been debated and agreed by their respective authorities. Councillor Harvey will be answering the questions from our previous topic here over the weekend. #herefordvoice #hereford #herefordshire #hfdvcs

The Knife Angel Hereford team is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a £10,000 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund. Alison Davies and Meryl Cain are joint leaders of the KAH Team bringing the Knife Angel to Hereford, Alison said: Plans are progressing well to bring the Knife Angel to Hereford Cathedral this summer. In the event dates have to be adjusted in line with Public Health England’s advice, further announcements will be made. Throughout its time in the city, people will be able to visit the Knife Angel (socially distanced or as required by COVID restrictions) free of charge. Contingency plans will be put in place to hold the above listed events remotely, if physical events remain prohibited. The Knife Angel stands 27ft tall and is made from over 100,000 knives and blades received from 42 police forces across the UK. Created by Alfie Bradley out of the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, the Knife Angel has toured around the UK and has become recognised as a National Monument Against Violence and Aggression. The Knife Angel Hereford team would welcome additional donations or offers of support from Hereford businesses or individuals. For further information, please visit: https://knifeangelhereford.co.uk/ or email knifeangelhereford@gmail.com. There is also a JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/knifeangelhereford

We published this article in May 2020 on a A £2 billion package to create new era for cycling, walking and trials for e-scooters. Last Thursday we published another article here highlighting that Beryl Bikes had recently launched e-Scooters and e-Bikes and trials for e-scooters across some cities in the UK were already taking place. We can today reveal that Herefordshire Council have been unsuccessful in their first bid for e-Scooter trials however, all is not lost because the council have been advised that they are still being considered for any expansion of the trials. #herefordvoice #herefordnews #hereford #herefordshire

Cabinet Member - Finance and Corporate Services - Councillor Liz Harvey has agreed to be put under the spotlight to answer your questions in the second series of our 'exclusive' Q & A 'Councillor Sessions'. #herefordvoice #hfdvcs

Rail and Bus for Herefordshire in partnership with West Midlands Railway launch a new project for Ledbury Railway Station under the banner of 'Your Community Your Fund' Ledbury Town Ledbury is an historic medieval market town on the West Midlands Railway network. It owes its origins to the church and the establishment of St Katherine’s Hospital for travellers by the Bishop of Hereford c.1231 at a crossing of medieval pack-horse routes. The hospital remains todays as well as its Master’s House from which the establishment and small farm was supervised. Around the cross roads grew the medieval town which is now a jewel of heritage buildings from Elizabethan, Georgian and Victorian times. The Railway The railway arrived in 1861 after considerable engineering works boring tunnels through the Malvern Hills and spanning the valley of the Leadon at Ledbury by a magnificent viaduct which still carries the trains today. The station at Ledbury was a fine building which also had a licensed refreshment room. There was a large goods yard and a small locomotive shed. In 1885 a branch line through the town to Newent and Gloucester was built with a superb skew bridge over the Hereford Road. The line closed in the 1950s and today it is a town trail that will take you from the station to the town centre. Town Grows - Railway Declines By the 1960s Ledbury was a growing town but the railway was in decline. The reshaping of British Railways (the Beeching Report) saw the closure of many stations and lines. Ledbury was lucky to retain its trains but the station was reduced to an unstaffed halt and the splendid buildings were demolished. The station and trains grew remote from the town as cars and buses became the main form of transport. In the late 1980s a transport geographer living in the town negotiated with British Rail to open a small wooden ticket and information office at the station and operate as an agency. This was eventually agreed and it became one of the forerunners of community rail linking the community and its station. The enterprise still functions today. Rediscovering the Railway The project of the late 1980s was but a beginning. Rail usage began to increase. Between 1998 and 2018 the numbers increased by over 100% from 101,387 to 216,606 passengers per annum (source: Government annual station usage statistics). In 2021 Ledbury is set to further build on the previous success with a new project at the station. The project, funded through a grant from the West Midlands Trains Community Fund, with additional support from Ledbury Town Council and Ledbury Civic Trust, will enable a new glazed display cabinet to be positioned at the station containing an art map of the town and its heritage buildings together with a history of the town and its railway in original calligraphic script. Local community artists will be producing the art and calligraphic work and the project will be managed for Rail & Bus for Herefordshire by local transport geographer Gareth Calan Davies. This is an exciting community project designed to bring station, community and town even further together whilst promoting Ledbury as a jewel of a heritage town on the West Midlands Rail network. It will help encourage visitors to the town and strengthen the community whilst at the same time supporting and encouraging use of the train service. Find out More and Keep in Touch Regular news items about the project will be produced including more info about the history of the town and railway together with introductions to the artists involved in the project. To keep in touch contact Gareth Calan Davies, project manager for RBfH onghal@btinternet.com telephone 01531 633594 www.rbfh.org.uk To find out more about this and other community rail projects throughout the West Midlands contact Fay Easton Stakeholder & Community Manager at West Midlands Railway onFay.Easton@wmtrains.co.uk www.wmr.uk/about-us/your-community-your-fund PDF attached Town and Railway Powerpoint V5.pdf

Last night at 21.55 a meteor was captured by many cameras and dash cams across the UK. We receieved many reports from across Herefordshire as well as people hearing a loud bang The UK Meteor Network captured this spectacular footage of the meteor entering the atmosphere on their own camera.

Having Your Say | Hereford Voice Councillor Sessions. At Hereford Voice our slogan has always been 'Having Your Say' and through our network we are going to give you the opportunity to ask your questions to some of our Councillors. Cabinet Member - Finance and Corporate Services - Councillor Liz Harvey has agreed to be put under the spotlight to answer your questions in the second series of our 'exclusive' Q & A sessions. Rules: Abuse will Not be tolerated and offensive comments will be deleted and may also result in that person being banned. Please ask sensible questions on any subject that Cllr Harvey maybe able to address and answer in her capacity at Herefordshire Council. Councillor Elizabeth Harvey Herefordshire Council tax setting meeting is this coming Friday 5th March, which is formally ratifying all the parish precepts, the fire authority and police charges and the county council tax rise which have each already been debated and agreed by their respective authorities. Cllr Harvey is more than happy to explain all about that however, please be minded that there is no scope on Friday to revisit the 4 99% county tax uplift. Please ask your questions, we have set out a few examples below; Finance Council Budget Council Tax Value for money Corporate Services #herefordvoice #herefordnews #hereford #herefordshire #hfdvcs

Having Your Say | Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions' Q&A Continued - Part 6 🔷Transport Strategy (Bypass Bikes, Bridges)🔷 These are divided up into 3 separate responses - part 3/3 At Hereford Voice our slogan has always been 'Having Your Say' and through our network we are going to give you the opportunity to ask your questions to some of our Councillors. Cabinet Member - Infrastructure and Transport Councillor John Harrington agreed to be put under the spotlight and to answer as many questions put to him in our first exclusive 'Councillor Sessions' series here https://hfd.news/eec Today in part 6 of our series Cllr Harrington responds to questions about the Transport Strategy Summary part 3/3. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Cllr Harrington for agreeing to be the first of many councillors who will be engaging with you all this year as part of our 'exclusive' Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions'

Having Your Say | Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions' Q&A Continued - Part 6 🔷Transport Strategy (Bypass Bikes, Bridges)🔷 These are divided up into 3 separate responses - part 2/3 At Hereford Voice our slogan has always been 'Having Your Say' and through our network we are going to give you the opportunity to ask your questions to some of our Councillors. Cabinet Member - Infrastructure and Transport Councillor John Harrington agreed to be put under the spotlight and to answer as many questions put to him in our first exclusive 'Councillor Sessions' series here https://hfd.news/eec Today in part 6 of our series Cllr Harrington responds to questions about the Transport Strategy Review part 2/3. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Cllr Harrington for agreeing to be the first of many councillors who will be engaging with you all this year as part of our 'exclusive' Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions'

Having Your Say | Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions' Q&A Continued - Part 6 🔷Transport Strategy (Bypass Bikes, Bridges)🔷 These are divided up into 3 separate responses - part 1/3 At Hereford Voice our slogan has always been 'Having Your Say' and through our network we are going to give you the opportunity to ask your questions to some of our Councillors. Cabinet Member - Infrastructure and Transport Councillor John Harrington agreed to be put under the spotlight and to answer as many questions put to him in our first exclusive 'Councillor Sessions' series here https://hfd.news/eec Today in part 6 of our series Cllr Harrington responds to questions about the 'Hereford Bypass' part 1/3. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Cllr Harrington for agreeing to be the first of many councillors who will be engaging with you all this year as part of our 'exclusive' Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions' #herefordvoice #herefordnews #herefordshire #hfdvcs

Hereford Voice understands that the new 'e-Bikes' will be coming to Hereford in the near future, would you also like to see the e-Scooters across the city? The new e-Scooters are already being trialled across the UK and have been well received by the pubic. In a news brief the company wrote; Since the very beginning of our company, we've focused everything we do on getting more people in cities on bikes. Today, we're really excited to be bringing the Beryl e-Scooter to the streets, and opening up another micromobility option to even more people. A new option in Beryl Bays Our network of Beryl Bays across our operating areas make it easy for riders to find bikes and e-bikes, while keeping pavements clear of clutter. Now, there'll be another option available in the bays - the Beryl e-Scooter, which uses the same geo-fencing technology as our bikes and e-bikes. Going for a longer trip with lots to carry? An e-bike might be the choice for you. Need to get somewhere quickly without breaking a sweat? Choose an e-scooter. Fancy an active journey around town? The classic Beryl pedal bike is there for you. New ways to get around With the COVID-19 pandemic restricting capacity on public transport such as buses, national and local governments have been working hard to find new ways to help people get around cities without getting in a car. Beryl e-Scooters are being launched as part of a trial run by the Department for Transport, to understand how they can safely and efficiently add to existing transport networks. We're excited to learn how our riders use scooters to get around, and to develop the scheme in partnership with local authorities to make sure there are bays located where they're most needed. We'll also be working closely with partners in the local community to educate users on how to safely and responsibly use scooters. Our operations team will be on hand to make sure scooters have batteries charged and ready to go, and to respond to reports from the community when scooters need to be moved or rebalanced to another location. Designed for a nice ride Since the beginning of Beryl (when we were still a small bike lights company called Blaze!) we've cared about good technology and good design. Our Beryl Bike has won many fans for being a quick and nimble ride, suitable for all type of riders. We wanted our e-scooter to be the same - a comfortable option to encourage everyone to choose micro-mobility over a car journey. Our e-scooter has 12" front wheels and front suspension forks for a comfortable and stable ride. An extra wide standing board makes it easy to ride and the "always on" lights keep you visible whatever the time of day or the weather. A truly multi-modal city Today, we launch Beryl e-Scooters in Norwich. They'll join Beryl Bikes and Beryl e-Bikes that have already been warmly adopted by residents, students and visitors alike to get around. All three will be available to hire from the same app and account, making it easy and convenient to choose the best option for your trip. We're looking forward to seeing the Beryl e-Scooter land in more cities throughout the UK and beyond - stay tuned for our next launch! Phtoto | Beryl e-Scooters are parked in marked Beryl Bays and parklets, keeping pavements tidy for everyone Photo | New Beryl e-Bike #herefordvoice #herefordnews #hereford

Sites set up across the county to give workers better access to COVID-19 rapid testing Essential workers across Herefordshire, who cannot work from home, are being urged to join an initiative to help drive down the number of COVID-19 cases by doing twice-weekly rapid tests (known as Lateral Flow Tests). Four council test centres for people without COVID-19 symptoms are now open for bookings in Herefordshire. They are in Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Ledbury and Leominster, and critical businesses and essential workers who need to attend a workplace, are invited to use the testing facilities. In addition, tests for people without symptoms will also start to become available at selected community pharmacies across Herefordshire. The scheme is part of the Government’s Community Asymptomatic Testing Programme and is being run locally by Herefordshire Council. Around one in three people who are infected with COVID-19 have no symptoms so could be spreading the disease without knowing it. Broadening testing to identify those showing no symptoms will mean finding positive cases more quickly, and help break the chain of transmission. With its targeted approach, this programme aims to improve the detection of positive cases so people can isolate and prevent spreading the disease in the workplace and reduce the prevalence of the virus in some of the highest risk areas. It is being used in addition to the established testing venues, which are for anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 in Herefordshire. Eligible workers can book an appointment at a community asymptomatic test site by following the link on the Council’s website. The rapid tests produce a result in up to 2 hours and people are notified by text message or email. Anyone who does not receive their result within 12 hours, should take another rapid test. The rapid testing sites in Herefordshire are: Hereford City - ThePoint4, Venns Ln, Hereford, HR1 1DT Monday: 8am – 2pm Tuesday: 12:30pm – 6:30pm Thursday: 8am – 2pm Friday: 12:30pm – 6:30pm Saturday: 9am – 1pm Ross-on-Wye - Ryefields Centre, Grammar School Close, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7QD Monday: 8am – 2pm Thursday: 12:30pm – 6:30pm Ledbury – The Master’s House, Bye St, Ledbury HR8 1EA Tuesday: 7:30am – 12noon Friday: 2pm – 6:30pm Leominster - Old Priory, The Priory, Leominster, HR6 8DA Monday 12:30pm – 6:30pm Wednesday 8am – 2pm The first community pharmacy currently offering rapid tests is: Westfields Walk Pharmacy, Leominster, HR6 8HD Book a community pharmacy test here. Herefordshire Consultant in Public Health Sarah Smith said: Health Minister Lord Bethell said: Baroness Dido Harding, Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said: To protect yourself and others, you must remember: Hands. Face. Space. Hands – wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water often, and as soon as you get home - use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. Face – wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet. Space – stay at least 2 metres away from anyone you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble.

When Mayor of Hereford, Kath Hey, was invited to join the independent Town’s Fund board, she welcomed the chance to work towards an ambitious vision where Hereford’s unique rural heritage would complement sustainable future development. The Towns Fund board, called #StrongerHereford, is made up of local leaders, businesses and communities who have put forward a bid for £25 million to Central Government. The bid was the culmination of months of extensive engagement with people across Hereford and it was instrumental for the City Council to be part of that process to ensure a strategic and cohesive connection. “This is very much about future proofing the city for the next generation” said Kath. “The City Council is very much about being at the heart of our communities by connecting them, providing grants and an overall commitment to make sure they’re supported. But of course, our many communities are all different so there was a concerted effort to discover how we can make significant improvements whilst retaining what we love about Hereford.” The guidelines for the bid stipulated that projects needed to focus on improved transport, broadband connectivity, skills and culture. As Kath continues “Hereford needs to recover following Covid when the time is right. Too many people have lost their livelihood and young people have continued to migrate away from the city. Focusing on skills and growth seems particularly pertinent”. “The Towns Fund is all about levelling up so essentially making Hereford an even better place to live, visit and work in. The public were equally passionate as we were to embrace our rich heritage whilst improving quality of life.” January saw a milestone with the bid (called the Town Investment Plan) submitted to Central Government. It’s quite an ambitious plan which has evoked strong reactions across the city. But the plan is one that was created fairly and with a clear vision. “You’ll recognise that the plan features connectivity as a theme and it builds on the community transport legacy already in place” says Kath. “But when we talk about connectivity, we also mean people as well as transport links and that means having things to do.” The process wasn’t without its challenges and it’s no surprise about how passionate discussions on which projects to support were. What was absolutely clear was a mutual desire to create something that integrated all parts of the city. But what next for those projects that didn’t make the final cut? Kath says “This really brought to light how many dedicated people are doing inspiring things in the city. As a group we felt we can continue to support them, connect them to the right people and provide guidance on how to secure funding that’s a better fit”. “We had to continually refer back to our vision to put forward projects that have the best chance of successful funding. Each project is like a part of a puzzle and together they create something fantastic. But we were also conscious that there were so many projects that whilst not suitable for this funding, we didn’t want to forget.” Hereford City Council is actively looking to work with other partners that are working towards enhancing the city. Contact them for more information.

Let's hope they are occupied soon

Hereford City Council approved a grant of £1,510.38 for Hereford Canoe Club, which will go towards purchasing another two canoes for use of the club’s members. Hereford Youth Canoe Club is a voluntary club providing boat-loads of positive paddle-sport opportunities for the young people of Herefordshire. Vic Gamage, representing the Canoe Club, explained to City Councillors that the application covered the costs of two canoes large enough for their teenage members; the existing canoes simply cannot support the members and larger ones are needed. The Canoe Club has unfortunately lost much of their income over the last year due to the Covid-19 restrictions which have been in place, and so assistance was needed to cater to their members. Like many of our Youth Clubs, the Canoe Club has been fighting against the tide of uncertainty which the Coronavirus Pandemic has brought about. Mayor Kath Hey expressed her appreciation for the work the Youth Canoe Club does, and the importance of encouraging young people to undertake outdoor exercise and activity. City Councillors unanimously agreed to grant £1,510.38 for the purchase of two large canoes as stated in the application. For more information on Hereford Youth Canoe Club, visit their Facebook page. #herefordvoice #herefordcity #herefordnews #hereford

The council's public realm contract for providing services includes highways, public rights of way, parks and open spaces, street cleaning and street lighting. Balfour Beatty were awarded the contract in 2013 and the procurement for the contract set out to achieve the following objectives: 🔸Ensuring our roads, public open spaces and streets are accessible, safe, clean and well-maintained 🔸Maintaining the delivery of essential services 🔸Achieving value for money, facilitated by process improvement and transparency through open book accounting 🔸Achieving service delivery which is efficient and responsive to local needs and priorities and 🔸Contributing to the regeneration of the economy and social capital in Herefordshire At Hereford Voice our slogan has always been 'Having Your Say' and through our network we are going to give you the opportunity to ask your questions to some of our Councillors. Cabinet Member - Infrastructure and Transport Councillor John Harrington agreed to be put under the spotlight and to answer as many questions put to him in our first exclusive 'Councillor Sessions' series here 👉 https://hfd.news/eec Today in part 5 of our series Cllr Harrington responds to questions about the 🔸BBLP - 'Balfour Beatty Living Places' Contract🔸 We would like to take this opportunity to thank Cllr Harrington for agreeing to be the first of many councillors who will be engaging with you all this year as part of our 'exclusive' Hereford Voice 'Councillor Sessions' #herefordvoice #herefordnews #herefordshire #hfdvcs

Herefordshire Council’s project provides new state of the art facilities for pupils and staff at Marlbrook Primary School New state of the art facilities opened for pupils and staff at Marlbrook Primary School at Green Croft this week following a £6 million investment project by Herefordshire Council. The council funded sustainable scheme has provided six new classrooms, a new hall and a special hygiene and physio room. The school has also benefited from new netball courts and improvements to the car parking area. Local company, Morgan Sindall Construction, were contracted by the council to carry out the work which they completed in time ready for when pupils return to school after February half term. The school – rated Outstanding by Ofsted, has experienced a significant rise in pupil numbers in recent years and the council’s investment has enabled the size of the school to be significantly increased. Councillor Felicity Norman, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families, and Councillor Gemma Davies, Cabinet Member for Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, said they were delighted that the scheme had been completed on time and within budget by a local construction company, using the council’s new project management system. Head teacher Tracey Kneale said the opening of the new facilities to pupils and staff was a much-needed boost to Herefordshire primary school education in the midst of the continuing coronavirus situation. Robert Williams, Area Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, added:

This gentleman of the sport once owned and had a financial share in The Temple bar in Ewyas Harold Herefordshire and can be seen in the pub in this photograph taken in May 1984. Professional snooker player Doug Mountjoy playing at the Temple Bar in Ewyas Harold. 03-05-1984. His last season on the tour was 1996/1997 and he then went on to coach in the Middle East for two years before coaching back in Wales. Doug Mountjoy was from Tir-y-Berth, Gelligaer, Glamorgan, Wales. He was on the professional snooker circuit during the sport's golden era of the late 1970s and 1980s, and remained within the top 16 of the world rankings for 11 consecutive years. He won both the 1978 UK Championship and the 1979 Irish Masters, and reached the final of the 1981 World Snooker Championship where he lost to Steve Davis. He also finished in second place at the 1985 Masters. Doug Mountjoy | Photo Credit: PA Sport Doug Mountjoy passed away on Sunday 14th February which was Valentine's Day - RIP

13 year old Frank has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Frank has osteosarcoma a rare bone cancer and is having intense treatment in Birmingham and Hereford Hospitals. Let's help Frank achieve his bucket list and give him and his family all the love and support that we can. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/joanne-smith-659?utm_term=pEYkxxNAM Frank has already received some wonderful messages of support from celebrities and football starts including - Sir Kenny Dalglish, Matt Lucas, Phil Neville, Alan Shearer, Jamie Carragher to name just a few and the list is growing rapidly. More details and updates can be found on the Team Frank Facebook page. #herefordvoice #herefordnews #hereford