Hereford Voice

A beautiful sunset over Much Marcle and it looks like this fine weather will continue today. Photo courtesy of Janey Cotton (Forever Hereford and Beyond)

Please avoid having a bonfire during the Coronavirus lockdown period. Right now with this fine weather the ground so dry it can fuel the flames, spread to neighbouring gardens, properties and endanger lives. It also increases respiratory problems. We reported two fires yesterday, this one at Dorstone and another near Much Marcle both attended by Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service but there were a lot more across the counties. Let's all stay safe and be sensible during these challenging times.

Debenhams has announced that more stores are to permanently close. Following on from our article on our Facebook Page last week and this article from last year. The retailer confirmed that four of its premises would not be reopening once the coronavirus lockdown is lifted, impacting 200 staff. The news comes just a week after it revealed that seven other stores across the country were to close, following the company's collapse into administration. Stores in Southampton, Swindon, Kidderminster and Borehamwood are the latest closures confirmed on Friday. Thankfully, Hereford store is still safe at the moment..

Do you enjoy gardening? Well Allensmore Nurseries Ltd have just launched their new national delivery mail order website ‘Golden Valley Plants' No minimum order, you can order just one plant if you would like to and then pay a delivery charge. Orders over £95 will be delivered free of charge. Check them out and keep it local! #HerefordVoice #KeepItLocal #HfdLocal

The show never aired in the end, programming was rescheduled. We wrote to Will Millard and expressed our disappointment having advertising the show and asked when when will it be aired, he kindly responded

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have reported another fire this afternoon. Photo courtesy of HW Fore & Rescue Service Crews from Ross on Wye, Newent and water carriers from both Ledbury and Leominster are in attendance at a barn fire, near Much Marcle. Photo courtesy HW Fire & Rescue Service.

Peterchurch Fire Station crew this afternoon attended a grass fire measuring approx. 100 x 100 metres at Merbach Hill, Dorstone, beaters and back packs used to extinguish and control the fire. Photographs courtesy of Peterchurch Fire Crew Hot spots dampened down.

Kingsland Fire Station crew showing their appreciation to the NHS and Carers. We also appreciate the work that the First and Rescue service provide, thank you!

Planning for Banner Advert on Street Sign Refused. A planning application was submitted to advertise a Fish & Chip shop on a 'banner advertisement' to be positioned under a street sign located on the corner off, Springfield Road and the C1131 Withies Road, Withington, Hereford, The advertising banner would have been placed on a privately owned boundary wall on the entrance house of Springfield Road. Reason for refusal: Were the planning dept right to refuse? Planning Application P200200/A

Captain Tom Moore has been honoured with a special Pride of Britain Award for his astonishing fundraising walk that inspired the nation. The army veteran has so far raised £28million for NHS Charities Together by walking 100 laps of his garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, before his birthday on April 30. It is with no surprise that he has already received thousands of birthday cards. You can also send Capt. Tom a virtual birthday message using the hashtag #makeacardforTom. (or should it be Sir TomMoore?) At 8pm will you clap the NHS, Carers, Key Workers, Armed Forces and Captain Tom Moore?

'Thank you' to the fabulous biomedical scientists and technicians, the Infection Prevention team at the microbiology dept at the Wye Valley NHS who have been processing all the COVID19 samples locally to ensure prompt diagnosis for the people of Herefordshire! Photo courtesy Evelyn Williams

Happy St George's Day Who remembers when this knight rode into Hereford? This brilliant photograph from our archive captured outside Hereford Cathedral.

Check out 'The River Wye with Will Millard' this Thursday at 19.30 on BBC2 and BBC iPlayer. This is a short 3 part series. Writer and angler Will Millard begins his journey down the River Wye in the wild mountains of Mid Wales. He goes in search of the river's source on the slopes of Plynlimon, before learning how a local sheep farmer has diversified by turning some of his land into a destination for petrolheads. He explores how a legacy of heavy industry polluted the entire Wye catchment, acidifying its waters and damaging the ecosystem. Now an environmental charity is working hard to right the wrongs of the past with some basic chemistry and some heavy machinery. The way rivers are viewed is changing and Will takes a detour off the main river up one of its tributaries to reflect on the benefits of being immersed in nature. After spending a night in the wilds, Will explores how the waters that feed the Wye have been harnessed as a valuable natural resource. The upper reaches of the River Wye are also an important sanctuary for a diverse range of wildlife, but what we see today is just a fraction of what the river must once have been and could be once more. Will goes in search of a river-dwelling animal that hasn't been seen on a Welsh river for centuries. As an obsessive angler, Will couldn't make a journey down the Wye without trying to hook a fish or two. He's never caught Wye salmon, the river's most iconic species, and it's not going to be easy. We might be stuck indoors for now, but you can escape to the source of the River Wye at 7:30pm this Thursday on BBC Two

Please be safe and vigilant when going out and about on your daily exercise! A small slip down a riverbank or canal can be fatal. Look out for other people when on your travels near water. Hereford Voice is supporting the NFCC Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Week to raise awareness of the risk of accidental drowning and reduce the 263 deaths that occurred in 2018 in the UK.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service 'Blue Watch' today in Hereford showing their appreciation to all their fellow Key Workers. Thank you!

Herefordshire Council | Talk Community. Looking after each other? The weekend is the perfect time to call friends, neighbours and relatives to see how they are coping and to check they are ok during this difficult time. If someone you know is having trouble please call 01432 260027 or visit the Talk Community website HERE What is Talk Community? Herefordshire Council Talk Community COVID-19 response team has been set up to provide help and support where it’s most needed in Herefordshire, to identify and support the most vulnerable residents in the county. The response team is made up from volunteers based around the county so they can reach people no matter where they are located, or how isolated their location. This is a worrying and challenging time for many, so in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 they are working with community organisations and local businesses to help connect people to support in their local area. They will continue to provide reassurance and support over the coming weeks, helping you to live well in your own home for as long as is needed. If you are worried about how you might cope in the coming weeks, have gaps in your support plan or need extra assistance, then the Talk Community’ COVID-19 response team can help you. You can complete our request for support form / Request for help from community volunteers HERE Call them on 01432 260027 or email talkcommunitycovidresponse@herefordshire.gov.uk Local support and assistance If you would like to volunteer to help support elderly, frail, disabled, and vulnerable people and families in Herefordshire, please complete our volunteering form HERE Health advice Follow NHS advice if you have coronavirus symptoms as described on their website HERE There is currently no specific treatment for coronavirus. It's therefore important to follow the latest NHS advice and stay at home guidance for people with confirmed or possible coronavirus infection on the gov.uk website. This will help stop the spread of coronavirus and help protect others in your community while you are infectious.

He's only gone and done it!! WOW! Captain Tom Moore has surpassed the £20 Million! Should we now think about addressing him Sir Tom Moore? Captain Tom Moore just keeps smashing incredible feat after feat. He has just raised an unprecedented £20 million for the NHS, to help support them during the COVID-19 global health emergency and the numbers are still growing!

Our friend Kyle has made the BBC HERE with his Captain Tom illustrations, congratulations Kyle!

Advice to landowners and the public when accessing public rights of way and open spaces The government’s priority is to save lives and the best way to protect yourself and others from illness is to stay at home. However, exercise is still important for people’s physical and mental wellbeing and many people look to take their daily exercise outside. The extended restrictions on movement announced by the government also apply to public rights of way and everyone must follow government rules and advice for the safety of all. Please be aware that some people live in very close proximity to public rights of way, which can be through gardens, schools and farmland. Make sure you consider everyone’s need for social distancing, treat each other with respect and remember that some people may be in self-isolation because of illness or other vulnerabilities. The risk of the Coronavirus being passed on to others from people using public rights of way and other paths and trails is considered to be very low as long as everyone follows the government’s social distancing rules. Advice to landowners Landowners do not have the legal right to block or obstruct public rights of way. However, in very limited circumstances where large numbers of people are using such routes, landowners may consider the following temporary measures: Tying gates open if it is safe to do so, so that walkers do not need to touch the gate Temporarily displaying polite notices that encourage users to respect local residents and workers by following social distancing guidelines and consider using alternative routes that do not pass through gardens, farmyards or schools Offering an alternative route around gardens and farmyards only where it is safe to do so (you must gain permission from relevant landowners and make sure the route is safe for users and livestock) provided that the original right of way is maintained All temporary measures must be lifted as soon as social distancing guidelines are relaxed Advice to the public If you do choose to take your daily exercise outside, make sure you follow the government’s social distancing when accessing countryside or public open spaces local to you. Stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily You can leave the house for one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household only Even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres (3 steps apart) apart from anyone outside of your household Follow the Countryside Code If walking your dog in areas used by other people, you should walk your dog on a lead to ensure you can safely keep 2 metres away from others. Take home your used tissues and litter Ensure you wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you return home. Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available

'Thinking of you’ service set up for loved ones to keep in touch with patients There was no image, so we have created this one which has been endorsed by the trust for us to use. A new ‘thinking of you’ service has been set up for loved ones to keep in touch with patients staying in hospitals across the county, whilst ward visiting remains suspended. Wye Valley NHS Trust has introduced the new service to help keep patients and their family and friends in contact with one another during Covid-19. The service is available seven days a week and messages will be delivered by hospital staff to patients on the wards at Hereford County Hospital, Leominster, Bromyard and Ross Community Hospital. Catherine Davies, associate director of nursing at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: The relative of a Trust patient said: What you need to do to send a message to your loved one: Choose one family member or friend to send the letter Include the patients full name, date of birth and ward/department where they are an inpatient Email the letter and the above details to Thinkingofyou@wvt.nhs.uk

Please sign this petition to give fundraising veteran Captain Tom Moore a knighthood. Captain Tom Moore This petition has already gained almost 500,000 signatures! This amazing motivational hero deserves to be awarded a knighthood. World War Two veteran Tom Moore who is walking 100 lengths of his back garden before his 100th birthday has already raised over £17 million for the NHS in just one week and the amount is still growing. This petition calls for him to be recognised in the next honours list, which is due to be published on the Queen's official birthday in June. Sonia Wilson, an NHS midwife, started the petition, explaining that Captain Tom has received huge support on Social Media with the hashtag #KnighthoodforCaptainTom trending. Please sign the petition here

The artist has also created these awesome supportive illustrations.

Captain Tom Moore 100th Birthday Badges! Our friend Kyle Dowling (artist)has created these fantastic birthday badges to celebrate Captain Tom Moore's 100th birthday. Hereford Voice appreciates this nice gesture and is happy to share this idea from the artist however, we are not involved in any sales or profit whatsoever. You could also celebrate by changing your profile photos to a 'Happy Birthday' badge or maybe wearing a birthday badge for Tom and sending him your wishes with a photo. Captain Tom has so far raised over £17m for the NHS. If you prefer, you can purchase a badge and wear it with pride both to celebrate Captain Tom's 100th birthday and as a symbol of your support for both Tom's brilliant fundraising effort for the wonderful NHS.| 50% from all profit will go directly to Captain Tom's fund. You can purchase your badges here HERE or you can donate direct HERE #HerefordVoice #CaptainTomMoore #TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay

Life Saving: Lock's Garage now has defibrillator on-site. This is much welcomed life-saving equipment! A post on their Facebook page reads: