Hereford Voice

Construction is now complete on the £9 million state-of-the art Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security with the building officially handed over by contractor, Speller Metcalfe. When the new centre officially opens in spring 2021 on Skylon Park, Hereford Enterprise Zone, Herefordshire will be home to the UK’s leading centre of excellence in cyber security, supporting innovation and industry in this growing sector. The centre is a joint venture between the University of Wolverhampton and Herefordshire Council and part-funded by the Government’s Local Growth Fund, via the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Despite work being temporarily halted on the site due to pandemic lockdown restrictions in March, Speller Metcalfe carried out a phased return with a reduced workforce, in line with revised protocols and protective measures enabling progress. The new building, designed by Birmingham based Associated Architects, has generated 80% spend locally within 30 miles of the project which includes subcontractors Folbig Fabrications, Hereford Asbestos Services, Herefordshire Council Building Control and Quickskip, based close to the site at Rotherwas.Councillor David Hitchiner, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: Mandy Thorn is Chair of the Marches LEP, which invested £2.82m of Local Growth Funding into the project. She said: Zone Chairman, Andrew Manning Cox, said: Professor Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: Adrian Speller, Technical Director of constructor Speller Metcalfe, said: Warren Jukes, Director at Associated Architects, said: Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security will offer a package of tailored security testing, training, Research & Development and sector expertise to businesses and investors. Supported by the university’s Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute (WCRI), the centre will also be home to 16 cyber SMEs and well as offering product testing and certification, CPD and short courses and cyber conferences like the recent Cyber Fringe Festival attracting experts from across the globe. The 2,000 square metre building will provide significant resources for research and development across three cyber laboratories, advanced training facilities as part of the University’s Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute and additional business space for up to 16 cyber companies. The centre, which secured £2.82m of funding via the Marches LEP’s Growth Deal with Government in 2017, is part of the new Cyber Quarter at Skylon Park, already home to numerous defence and security sector businesses. The new centre incorporates a full height glass atrium to provide a dual break-out space and function hall, alongside the main three storey building that houses business suites, innovation rooms, IT workshops and a ‘Cyber Range’ – a cutting edge facility that will defend against the global rise of hacking. Anyone interested in courses offered or businesses looking for incubation space can find out more about the Cyber Quarter – Midlands Centre for Cyber Security on the website.

Herefordshire Council are providing free school meals over the Christmas holidays to help those who already get free school meals during term time, hopefully this will be an extra help - particularly if you have been financially affected by the pandemic. If you have an eligible child you will receive a local supermarket voucher for the value of £75 to cover the cost of food for the two week Christmas holiday period. Herefordshire Council will be issuing free food vouchers direct to parents and carers of pre-school age children. If you haven't heard from the team then please email them HERE. For older children, your school will give out the vouchers. Your school will contact you in good time to let you know if you are entitled to the vouchers and how to get them. If you have a child that receives free school meals during term time but haven’t received a voucher, please get in touch with your child’s school as soon as possible.

Resurfacing works scheduled to take place between Wednesday, 16 December and Friday the 18 December along Green Croft, Redhill Hereford have now been postponed. The works have been rescheduled to take place during the school half term week of Monday, 15 February 2021.

Congratulations to the The Stagg Inn at Titley it's good to see you in the new The Good Pub Guide for Herefordshire Dining Pub of the Year once again. Keep up the great work! Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! #goodpubguide #herefordshire #positivehereford

Lawful owners of certain weapons can begin to surrender them to the police from today as part of a three month scheme launched by the Home Office. The weapon surrender scheme runs from today, Thursday 10 December 2020 until Tuesday 9 March 2021, where those owning particular weapons can hand them over to police and submit a compensation claim from the Home Office. The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 contains measures to make it unlawful to possess certain offensive weapons– including rapid firing rifles and specific types of knives such as flick knives and zombie knives. West Mercia Police will be accepting offensive weapons – those detailed in the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 - at front counters at the following police stations; Kidderminster, Redditch, Worcester, Hereford, Telford and Shrewsbury. Those with legally held firearms that are affected are being contacted directly by the Firearms licencing unit with specific instruction on surrender and compensation. Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: “Supporting this Home Office initiative is part of our commitment to tackling violence together with our partners and the public. It is only by working together that we will reduce violence including street violence and domestic abuse. “For those weapons that are not detailed in the Offensive Weapons Act, there will also be knife bins at every station so they can be deposited safely.” If you have information about someone you suspect to be in possession of an illegal weapon, you can contact West Mercia Police through the 101 number or via our website. Any information received is always dealt with in the strictest confidence. If you have information but don’t want to speak to police, then you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website Crimestoppers-UK.org They are 100% anonymous and totally independent of the police. They never ask your name, they cannot trace your call or I.P address and no one ever knows that you’ve passed on information. Young people can find advice by visiting Fearless.Org Full details on the Home Office surrender scheme can be found here.

Massive congratulations to our good friend Giovanni Calandra who is today celebrating 10 years of trade in Church St, Hereford with his fabulous store Calandras Menswear. Calandras Menswear Church Street Hereford. In Giovanni's own words; We couldn't have said it any better!! Now is the perfect time to pop in if you're looking for that special gift for Christmas..

A huge congratulations to firefighter John Nicholls. This week he was presented with his 30 year service award. John joined Kingsland fire station in June 1990 and has given 24 hour “on call” availability throughout his long career. A fantastic achievement. Well done John #herefordnews #positivehereford

ha ha that brought a smile to us this morning

Joe William Stafford pleaded guilty to being over the legal limit with 89 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath (legal limit is 35) when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford this week. Police were called after receiving reports that a motorist had driven the wrong way along a one-way street and had crashed into the Central Bakery in Leominster before fleeing the scene back in November which we reported here. We have been advised that Mr Stafford had sent the bakery and a letter of apology along with a cheque for £500. Magistrates in Hereford disqualified Stafford from driving for 18 months and fined him £326 with costs of £135 and a £34 victim surcharge which he must pay. Hannah Lewis who is a director of the bakery has been in touch with us and she has informed us that the police have not been in touch to inform her of the court case and merely took a statement over the phone. A police officer arrived the following day (5th of November) asking her to sign her statement but she is very disappointed not to have heard back from the police since. Hannah also told us that she had received a letter from Mr Stafford along with a cheque for £500 and has repeatedly asked for advice from the police about this but is very disappointed that she has yet not received a single reply.

Joe William Stafford pleaded guilty to being over the legal limit having 89 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath (legal limit is 35) when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford this week. Police were called after receiving reports that a motorist had driven the wrong way along a one-way street and had crashed into the Central Bakery in Leominster before fleeing the scene back in November which we reported here. Mr Stafford had sent the bakery a cheque for £500 the court was told. During an interview with Police, Stafford said he had been drinking wine while driving and was guilty as charged but had drove into the bakery shop front purely by accident while he was reaching to pick something up in his car. Magistrates in Hereford disqualified Stafford from driving for 18 months and fined him £326 with costs of £135 and a £34 victim surcharge which he must pay.

Police are appealing for witnesses following a collision at Moreton-on-Lugg, Hereford, where a woman sadly died. At around 1.50pm on Tuesday 8 December a Nissan Micra was travelling along the C1120 towards the A49 when the collision occurred. Police Sergeant Andy Wortley said: “The vehicle was travelling along the road when it was in collision with a bridge which crosses over the River Lugg. “While investigations are on-going to establish the circumstances surrounding this incident, we are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dash cam footage to come forward.” Sadly, the driver, who was in her 80s and the only occupant in the vehicle, died at the scene and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time. Anyone with information or footage is asked to report it here on the West Mercia Police website or call 101 quoting incident 301i of 8 December or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

It may be the season of good will but please consider that everything may not be as it seems. In recent weeks Hereford Cops (Hereford city SNT) has seen an influx of Romanian Nationals who are begging and claiming to be homeless and hungry. On making enquiries the Police have established that these individuals are part of a travelling group of beggars from South Wales. Police have also today removed 3 Romanian nationals from the City Centre again claiming to be homeless and begging. CCTV tracked these individuals to a waiting vehicle where they were spoken to and established they are all housed in Boston, Lincolnshire and have travelled to Hereford to beg. Please!!!! If you want to give money to the homeless please consider doing so through a registered charity otherwise you should consider that your “donation” to some of those on the streets may not be used for the purpose it was intended. Source: Hereford Cops

Emergency services responded to reports of a serious accident in Moreton-on-Lugg early this afternoon. A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said:

Herefordshire is one of the first area's outside of hospitals to offer the vaccine as part of the national roll out. Bridge Street Sports Centre in Leominster will initially receive 975 doses next Monday with the elderly and vulnerable being vaccinated first. Those people will be invited to attend for their inoculation either by letter or text message. Once people have had their first vaccination, they will make an appointment to return for their second dose around 3 weeks later.

The Government have today issued the following press release: Extensive damage reported on Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) area of River Lugg in Herefordshire. Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission mount joint investigation into damage reported on SSSI area of the River Lugg in Herefordshire. Legal notices were served and officers have attended the site to gather evidence. Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission mount joint investigation. Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission have joined forces to investigate a series of unconsented works on the river Lugg at Kingsland in Herefordshire. The area has SSSI status due to its environmental importance. With the support of West Mercia police, officers from Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission came together on the scene last week with officers from Herefordshire Council, to investigate and seek formal evidence for the alleged offences. A legal notice requiring the works to stop immediately was served on the landowner by Natural England last week, while the Forestry Commission issued a stop letter requiring an end to any further felling work. The Environment Agency also requested no further works to be carried out on the river last week. Emma Johnson, Natural England area manager, said: The three agencies came together to jointly investigate last week following reports of activities including dredging, illegal felling of trees and profiling of the river banks. The works have the potential to cause significant, long term ecological harm to nearly 1.5km of the river. Keith Jones, area director for the Forestry Commission said: Dave Throup, area environment manager for the Environment Agency, added: Further information: Natural England is responsible for ensuring the protection of SSSI areas, the Forestry Commission is responsible for issuing and regulating tree felling permits and the Environment Agency is responsible for flood risk management, fish and spawning and the way rivers function. Natural England has regulatory powers to prevent damage taking place to SSSIs and to take appropriate enforcement action, including prosecuting offenders where damage occurs. Felling trees without the authority of a felling licence issued by the Forestry Commission, where one is required, currently carries a penalty upon conviction in a magistrates’ court of £2,500 or twice the value of the timber felled. In certain circumstances, the Forestry Commission is empowered to serve a Restocking Notice upon anyone committing an illegal felling offence, either with or without having secured a conviction, which compels the individual served to restock the land with trees. Failure to comply with the notice may result in a separate offence being committed, which already carries a penalty of an unlimited fine. Source

In future the council will need to provide a food waste collection. Will this reduce your household waste? Herefordshire Council need to know your views on what the future of rubbish & recycling collection looks like to you in the county: Take the survey

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have been at the scene of the fire at Special Metals in Holmer Road Hereford since late this afternoon with support from Leominster Fire Station crews.

Vehicle failed to stop for Police and a pursuit commenced, after some handy work from Leominster Police and the bed of nails it soon came to an abrupt end! Both occupants arrested.

International singer Feargal Sharkey most widely known as the lead vocalist of punk band The Undertones in the 1970s and 1980s, and for solo works in the 1980s and 1990s has condemned the recent work carried out along the banks of the River Lugg in Herefordshire and has urged the Environment Agency and others to prosecute the perpetrator in a Tweet. In another Tweet, Sharkey challenges the Environment Agency (Midlands) asking them why didn't they act after the were alerted to the work that was taking place at the River Lugg. Environmental campaigning Sharkey is a lifelong fly fisherman and has campaigned against the pollution of British rivers. We reported on this story and in a follow up article earlier this week and now many questions are being asked even though there are some local people who are pleased with the work that has been done. What are your thoughts?

One of the Renaissance wall paintings at Church House Farm in Herefordshire. Photograph: Courtesy of John Stevenson Article: The Guardian 5th December 2020 It's not only rivers that are at risk with this urge to modernise and improve for the natural beauty of things to disappear.

Statement: The landowner has given an interview in The Telegraph today 5th December. You can read it here

Starting to take shape now with the new furniture arriving today.

Congratulations to the urology team at Hereford Wye Valley NHS for being the first users of the Ambu aScope 4 Cysto in the Europe! A disposable flexible cystoscope. Improving a great service for their patients.

Following widespread condemnation of the eco vandalism on the River Lugg, the Environment Agency said;

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust have highlighted this destruction to a section of the River Lugg, in Herefordshire. One of the most beautiful and important rivers in the UK, has been intentionally destroyed over a stretch of approximately 1.5km with huge repercussions for wildlife downstream. Herefordshire Wildlife Trust has discovered that the river and its banks have been bulldozed, straightened and reprofiled into a sterile canal, with all bankside and riverside habitats completely obliterated. The Lugg flows from its source in Powys through Herefordshire before meeting the River Wye just outside Hereford. Its riverbanks, gravels and beds of water crowfoot are home to crayfish, otters and salmon, lampreys and dragonflies and a host of rare river wildlife. The river is so important for willdife that it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in its lower reaches. This should give it multiple layers of protection, with statutory agencies such as Natural England, the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission and Herefordshire Council all given a statutory duty to protect the river from harm.