Adforton

QUIZ EVENING – Saturday 7pm, in Adforton Church community hall, in aid of church. Tickets £5 (including light supper). Licensed bar. Bookings 01568 770437.

MUSIC – Bare-knuckle Acoustic Ballardry performed by Howden Jones. Songs, music, anecdotes.

March 14, 7.30pm at Adforton Church community hall. Tickets £7. Licensed bar. Bookings 01568 770437.

Allensmore

DRAW WINNERS – Allensmore Church 100 club draw winners for February are: 1st Jane Cutforth, 2nd Louise Evans, 3rd Jill Owens and 4th Matthew Jones (Steaky).

Almeley

FLICKS IN THE STICKS – Today (Thursday) at 7.30pm, in Almeley village hall. The film this month is The Moo Man (U) filmed in the Pevensey Levels, about a maverick farmer, his unruly herd of dairy cows and the farmer’s attempts to turn his back on the cost cutting dairies and supermarkets; instead staying small and keeping his close relationship with the herd. Ample parking, cabaret seating, bar available, doors open at 7pm.

Aymestrey and Leinthall Earls

NATURE TRUST – The Aymestrey branch of the Nature Trust meets tonight (Thursday) in the parish hall at 7.30pm when Paul Oliver will give a talk on A Universe of Stars.

CHURCH – There will be a service of holy communion at Aymestrey on Sunday at 11am.

AYMESTREY FILM CLUB – Aymestrey Film Club has now been set up and will show films once a month in the parish hall.

The next film, Captain Phillips (12A) starring Tom Hanks will be shown on Sunday at 7pm. If you would like to get involved in the film club or have any suggestions please send an e-mail to filmclub@aymestrey.org. Organisers are looking for a few people to help set up the hall, sell tickets, serve ice cream and select the next film etc. If you would like to be informed of film showings then please send an e-mail to filmclub@aymestrey.org and organisers will put you on the mailing list and send you what’s on and when.

Or keep an eye out on the blackboards outside the parish hall.

QUIZ NIGHT – March 7 is quiz night. Start time in the parish hall is 8pm prompt. A charge of £5 per team of up to four members is made. Cash prize for the winning team. Refreshments are available.

COMEDY NIGHT – March 22 sees the return to Aymestrey of the very popular comedian, Andy Oakley. Tickets are now on sale at £10 each to include a ploughman’s supper and are available from Ruth Scamp 015658 709031, Ken Holland 01568 770367, Helen Roberts 01568 770486.

Ballingham and Bolstone

SEVENTIES NIGHT – Celebrate the 1970s in Ballingham and Bolstone village hall on Saturday.

Bring or wear something from the 70s, enjoy a four-course dinner then groove to the fabulous sounds of yesteryear. Tickets cost £20 and can be obtained from Sarah Thomas on 01432 840427.

Bishopstone

VILLAGE LOTTERY – Winning £25 on February 15, was Jean Thrupp with number 27.

Bodenham

TRAVELS WITH A CAMERA – Bodenham Chapel, today (Thursday), 7.30pm, featuring Railways in the Marches.

Bodenham Chapel, March 11, 7.30pm – A Passion for Patchwork presented by Gill Hollingsworth.

Admission £3 includes light refreshments. Contact Dave or Jenny Hill 01568 797531.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – There will be a Bodenham Neighbourhood Plan open meeting at the Siward James Centre on the Sunday from 10am till 4pm.

The neighbourhood plan could have far-reaching consequences for the village, so everyone is invited to look at what is being proposed.

PANCAKES AND TEA – Lugg Valley Friends cancer relief will be holding their annual Shrove Tuesday pancake and tea event at the Siward James centre on Tuesday from 3pm till 5pm.

Everyone is welcome.

GARDENING CLUB – The Bodenham Gardening Club will meet in the parish hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday when the speaker will be Noel Kingsbury and his topic will be Women, Men and Gardening.

PARISH COUNCIL – Bodenham Parish Council will meet at the Siward James Centre on Monday at 7.30pm. All parishioners are welcome to attend.

CORRESPONDENT – Martin Field, The Old School House, Burley Gate, Hereford, HR1 3QR, 01432 820074, commnews@ymail.com.

Bredenbury

HOBSON’S CHOICE – On February 28 Hobson’s Choice will be performing their sea shanties at the village hall. Tickets, to include a ploughman’s supper are £10, available from Jane Piggott 01885 482226 or Mari Nowell 01885 482442.

Bredwardine and Brobury

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH CLEAN- UP – On Saturday there will be a churchyard work day at St Andrew’s Church, Bredwardine, from 10am – noon. All volunteers will be most welcome. There is a variety of jobs to be done to keep the churchyard looking loved, and free refreshments for all who come to help. At the same time, there will be a coffee morning and a bring and buy stall in the church, so do come along and see the stirling work that the volunteers do, have some delicious elevenses and find a bargain or two.

The famous book stall will be there - dozens of excellent quality novels, cookery books, biographies, history books and almost any subject under the sun; all great value. Organisers look forward to seeing you. Contact Charlotte Sellar on 01981 500281 for further information.

FRIENDS OF ST ANDREW’S: MARCH 100 CLUB DRAW – The Friends of St Andrew 100 Club draw will take place on Thursday, March 6 at 8pm in the Red Lion Inn. Organisers look forward to seeing you at the event and good luck to all ticket holders. Contact Jen Maddison on 01981 500048 for further information about the club.

LOCAL CORRESPONDENT – If you have Bredwardine and Brobury news or events that you would like to appear in the County Times section of the Hereford Times, contact Kari Lawson on 01981 501077 or email karimlawson@me.com.

Bridge Sollars

BONUS BALL – Alan Morris won £25 with number 27 on February 15.

Dorstone

DORSTONE HISTORY SOCIETY – Will meet on Wednesday. Capel- y-Ffyn – Father Ignatius and Eric Gill with speaker David Harrison MA at the Dorstone village hall, 7.30pm for 8pm. Members free, non members £3. New members welcome to join at any meeting.

Eardisland

SHARE AND CARE – There will be a Eardisland local link ‘share a care’ get together today (Thursday). Come and join in for a chat and a cuppa in Eardisland village hall from 2.30pm. All Eardisland parishioners welcome free of charge. Feel free to bring a friend.

Eaton Bishop

FARMERS MARKET – Will be held on Saturday from10 am in the village hall – all the usual stalls, plus new pet food stall.

There will also be a seed swap event at this market – bring all surplus seeds along and see what other seeds can be picked up for the new growing season.

BEETLE DRIVE – On March 14 in the village hall, tickets in advance, £6 each to include food, bring your own drink. For Beetle Drive tickets phone Kathee on 01981 250357.

KARAOKE EVENING - Watch out for details, all proceeds from these events to village hall funds.

Further information phone Kathee on 01981 250357.

Ewyas Harold

EWYAS HAROLD SCOUT GROUP – Is holding a Bingo tomorrow (Friday) at Ewyas Harold memorial hall. Doors open at 7pm, eyes down at 7.30pm.

Everyone welcome.

VINTAGE FAIR AND AFTERNOON TEA – In aid of NSPCC/ChildLine. March 22, 10.30am – 3pm at Memorial Hall, Ewyas Harold, HR2 0EL, just off the A465 and loads of free parking. Featuring flower arranging demonstration by Dawn Russell of SHED. Stalls, quality raffle, tombola. Tickets £4 each, including cup of tea/coffee. Under 16s free. Afternoon tea available 1.30pm -3pm, £7.50 each.

Reservations required. For tickets or to take a stall, call Carol Powell on 01873 860550 or email carolpowell50@btopenworld.com.

FLICKS IN THE STICKS – Gone With the Wind (PG) will be shown in the memorial hall on Sunday starting at 4pm.

ASH WEDNESDAY – Lent begins with a service of holy communion in St Michael’s Church at 10am and evensong in Fore Abbey at 3pm.

VILLAGE LIBRARY – While construction works continue at Horsecroft the village library will remain open as usual every Tuesday 9.30am to noon and every Thursday 2, 4.30pm.

Just follow the signs around the site to the main entrance of Horsecroft.

PRIMARY SCHOOL – Well done to all the children who have managed to make it into school despite the flooding in the village and surrounding area. The community can’t do much about the rain, however, unless the school itself floods it will remain open, but parents review had to be postponed until February 26 because of the bad weather.

Following the recent election Diana Palmer and the governing board have welcomed Clare Campbell this week as the new parent governor.

Gwyn Jones was successful in retaining his position along with Margaret Young. There was a really good response to the election and thanks were given to all parents who took the time to vote.

Parent governors welcome input from all parents of children in the school so please feel free to speak to them.

Winter cricket nets have started at Kingstone High School and will continue until April 13 or when the league starts, depending on the weather every Sunday. There is a charge of £2 per session.

The FA is delivering to schools a football skills programme over six weeks, starting after the mid- term break. All children from years one to six will have a lesson each Friday.

In addition there will be a ball mastery (creative ball skills) session at lunch time and an after school club where skills-based small sided games will be organised. Children will not be on the grass so non-studded football boots or trainers are suitable.

There will be no cost to parents.

Children who are not involved in Superstars Club on Friday afternoons are welcome to sign up for the FA Tesco Club.

Superstars children are welcome to sign up for the lunchtime club if they wish.

JAM PACKED – The next meeting of the club for young people in the baptist hall will be tomorrow (Friday) 7-8.30pm.

Hereford

CHURCH SERVICES – From the West Hereford Team of Churches, Hereford: Tomorrow (Friday): 8.15am morning prayer and eucharist at Holy Trinity Church, Whitecross Road, Hereford.

Sunday: 9.30am parish mass at All Saints’ Church, Eign Gate, Hereford; 9.30am parish eucharist at St Michael’s Church, Breinton 11am parish eucharist at Holy Trinity Church; 1pm holy baptism at Holy Trinity Church; 4pm holy baptism at Holy Trinity Church; 8am holy communion (BCP) at St Nicholas’ Church, Barton Road, Hereford; 11am all age eucharist at St Nicholas’ Church; 6.30pm evensong at St Nicholas’ Church.

Monday: 8.15am morning prayer and eucharist at Holy Trinity Church.

Tuesday: 8.15am morning prayer and eucharist at Holy Trinity Church; 12.10pm low mass at All Saints’ Church.

Ash Wednesday: 12.10pm mass with ashing at All Saints’ Church; 7.30pm mass with ashing at All Saints’ Church; 8.15am morning prayer and eucharist at Holy Trinity Church; 7.30pm eucharist with ashing at Holy Trinity Church; 7.30pm eucharist with ashing at St Nicholas’ Church.

Next Thursday, March 6: 8.15am morning prayer and eucharist at Holy Trinity Church; 10am holy communion at Holy Trinity Church; 12.10pm low mass at All Saints’ Church.

SENSORY APPEAL – Friends of Blackmarston School will be holding a spring concert to raise funds for their Sensory Appeal. The concert will take place at the Hereford Shire Hall on April 4 commencing at 7.30pm. The rich and varied programme will include performances by the Hereford Police Choir, Marches Military Wives, John Kyrle High School musical medleys, soloists and much more.

Tickets are £10 and refreshments will be available. Tickets are available from the school office on 01432 272376 or at the door on the night.

AGE UK CELEBRATIONS – Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire and Dignity are this month celebrating a 25-year collaboration providing funeral planning assistance to older people across the country.

Within that quarter century period the partnership has provided more than 350,000 Age UK funeral plans nationally helping customers in later life to take control of their funeral planning.

Funerals can be expensive, often costing more than £3,000, and costs for them have continued to rise faster than the rate of inflation for the last 10 years. Critical to its success, an Age UK Funeral Plan allows customers to fix their funeral costs at today’s prices and protect against future increases.

For Age UK funeral plan customers whose funeral plan was needed in 2012, over £7.2 million was saved. This equates to an average saving of over £1,000 per customer.

Vanessa Mann, supervisor of Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said “Our collaboration with Dignity has spanned a successful 25 years where we have provided customers with the peace of mind that their funeral planning is taken care of.

“Our customers tell us that paying for their funeral is a significant concern for them, both emotionally and financially. The Age UK Funeral Plan guarantees that the cremation funeral costs covered by the plan are met in full, meaning less worry and financial strain for all involved.”

Any customers that buy an Age UK Funeral Plan before March 30 will get £25 off the price of any of the three plans.

For more information please call on 0800 3287314 or pop into Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Malvern Gate, Bromwich Road, Worcester WR2 4BN DONATIONS NEEDED – Newton Farm Community Association urgently needs the following goods for their charity shop, Wye’s Buys: bric-a-brac, clothing for both adults and children, bedding, toys, books, DVDs and CDs.

Organisers can collect within the city limits so please give them a call. 21/23 The Oval, Newton Farm, Hereford, HR2 7HG, 01432 279116.

Kingsland

FIELD NOTES – An evening of creative magic. Field Notes is a unique collaboration of music and art featuring renowned composer Howard Skempton, textile artist Matthew Harris and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. March 21, 7.30pm, Coronation Hall, Kingsland.

Using old county maps and graphic scores as common starting points, Howard Skempton and Matthew Harris have each created a brand new work for this performance.

Harris’s freestanding textile artwork will transform the space into both a gallery and a concert hall as four of BCMG’s world- class musicians perform Skempton’s new piece, as well as short pieces by other leading composers.

Kinnersley

CHURCH JUMBLE SALE – This well known jumble sale will take place in the church building on Saturday, from 10am-1pm.There is no charge for entry and buyers are welcome to come and find a wonderful bargain.

Newcomers will find the sale adjacent to Kinnersley Castle but on the main road. In addition to something for everyone, organisers will also offer teas and coffees.

You cannot afford to miss ‘the best junk in Hereford.’

Knighton

SINGING FOR FUN – There will be a Singing for Fun session with Marion Rowlett at the church hall, Knighton, tomorrow (Friday) starting at 10.30am.

BINGO – There will be a bingo session in the church hall, Knighton, on Saturday at 7pm.

CHURCH SERVICES – For Sunday: St Edward’s church, Knighton, 9.30am; St David’s church, Whitton 9.30am; St Andrew’s church, Norton 11am; Knighton Baptist church 11am Café Style all age worship service with the Traidcraft stall; Knucklas Baptist church, 6pm led by the Rev Maggie Rich; Knighton Methodist church 11am, led by the Rev F Biseker; Knighton Catholic church, 11am, celebration of holy mass.

COFFEE MORNING – At the latest coffee morning in the church hall, Knighton, £230 was raised towards the running costs of St Edward’s church.

The raffle winners were Cathy Reeves, Mike Conway, Hilary Hayward, Derrick Price and Betty Boundford.

HOG ROAST – There will be a St David’s Day hog roast and musical evening at Whitton community hall on Saturday starting at 7.30pm.

At the event there will be local artists singing and a licensed bar.

Tickets £7.50, children £4.

Proceeds to St David’s church, Whitton.

Leominster

NOTICE OF AGM – The annual general meeting of the Friends of Leominster Library will take place on March 13, at 6pm at Leominster Library.

Offices up for election as follows: minutes secretary, one committee member.

Anyone wishing to stand for office or committee membership should give notice in writing to the chairman, Sue Lindsay, email:sue@ keepnet.net or phone 01568 620668.

(Please note that only fully paid up members of the Friends of Library Leominster are eligible to vote.) In addition there will be a talk, Elinor Kelly, chairman of Ross on Wye Library Users Group will be speaking to members about their progress at Ross Library.

COFFEE MORNING – FOLL also held a very successful coffee morning on February 8 - National Libraries Day – where Peter Holliday put out interesting pictures and old records of Leominster library from South Street, to the present day.

Members also set up a display of vintage books with many coloured plates by Edmund Dulac, a famous illustrator working in London in the early 20th century which were much appreciated by the many people present.

TABLE AND JUMBLE SALE – Will be held on Saturday starting at 11am at the Royal British Legion hall. To book a table please contact Mrs Lloyd on 01568 613279.

Lingen

OPERA FLICKS – £5 on the door includes complimentary glass of wine, Sunday showing will be Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte.

LINGEN GARDENING CLUB – Next meeting and talk on Tuesday starting at 7.30pm. The talk is entitled Edible Plants by Mark Moir. Members 50p and visitors £3.

LINGEN HISTORY GROUP – March 10, 8pm. Diary of a Shropshire Farmer C19th by Martin Davis.

For the first of three spring talks organisers welcome Martin along for his illustrated talk on the diaries of Peter Davis, who was born in the South of Shropshire.

Martin answers these questions: Who was this young farmer, living 175 years ago, about the time Queen Victoria came to the throne?

How did it come about that people now know anything about an ordinary person like Peter Davis’ life and travels? And why should these diaries be of any general interest?

Martin’s book which accompanies this talk will be available for signing on the night. Admission £3.50 on the door. All welcome.

LINGEN EVENTS – For further information on Lingen events please visit www.lingen.org.uk or phone 01544 260865.

Longtown

LONGTOWN AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY – Dr Nigel Baker, senior research fellow at Birmingham University, will speak at the next meeting of the society in Longtown village hall at 7.30pm on Monday. His topic will be the Landscape of Medieval Hereford.

An expert on the urban archaeology of the West Midlands, Dr Baker has been working for Herefordshire Archaeology on town development in the county.

As a follow-up he will lead a tour of the city on May 6. Mr David Harrison will give a talk on Monmouth and the Chartists at the April 7 meeting.

The society’s booklets on schools and farming have been re-printed and will be on sale, at £5 each, at both meetings.

Madley

PARISH COUNCIL – The last meeting was held on February 4 in the parish hall. Terry Griffiths will be taking over as lengthsman from Robert Layton Morris in April and attended the meeting.

A very high standard of entries for the competition to design the recreation field was received and a lot of time and effort had been put into them.

The winner will be announced at the March meeting.

It was noted that Sandy had organised the recent bingo with Iris and thanks were expressed for this.

Updates on highway defects reported were given.

Anyone wishing to report a pothole can do this directly at www.

herefordshire.gov.uk where you can report a pothole by marking it on the map and it will be logged into the system.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday in the parish hall at 7.15pm. All welcome.

Mansel Lacy

TABLE TOP SALE – There will be a table top sale on March 8 in the community hall, from 11am to 3pm. Refreshments available.

Please book early as there will be a large demand. £4 per table.

Contact Cal Edwards on 01981 590625.

Much Birch

VILLAGE MARKET – Much Birch village market takes place tomorrow (Friday) in Much Birch community hall (situated just off the A49 at next door to Much Birch surgery and signed from the road) between 2.30pm and 4.30pm.

Stalls will include: The Squeaky Pig, award-winning suppliers of locally reared rare breed pork, sausage, including gluten free (to order) and bacon. Moor Meals, award-winning, local suppliers of Dexter beef, ready meals and pies.

Llandinabo farm shop and Castle Cheese will be there with a variety of delicious meats and unusual cheeses.

There is also a vegetable stall.

There is a Fair Trade stand and craft stands, which have a large variety of local crafts to tempt you.

Dan will sharpen knives and tools.

Refreshments and take home cakes, the proceeds of which go to Macmillan Cancer Support, are supplied by Chris and Peter.

Please support the producers who bring local food and crafts almost to our door.

If you would like to have a stall, or to find out more about the market, please contact Mark on 01432 278026 or on the day, Kath on 01981 540382.

Ocle Pychard and Much Cowarne

BURLEY GATE VILLAGE HALL - The village hall committee will meet in the hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday.

Anyone with an interest in the work of the hall, and in promoting any future events, is invited to attend.

New committee members and interested parties will also be made most welcome.

THE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER - The community newsletter for February and March has just been published and contains a questionnaire regarding the future of the Burley Gate village shop and post office.

Everyone is urged to complete the questionnaire and to return it prior to March 14.

Meanwhile the current newsletter editor, Martin Field, is stepping down after 13 years and his last issue will be for April and May.

Anyone who would like to take over the job is invited to contact him at the normal address.

PARISH COUNCIL - At the February meeting of the parish council, members of Ocle Pychard group parish council decided not to develop a Neighbourhood Plan.

Bearing in mind the amount of work involved, and the limited returns, they did not feel that the effort would be justified.

If you have any community news, contact: Martin Field at The Old School House, Burley Gate, HR1 3QR, call on 01432 820074, or email via commnews@ymail.com.

Pembridge

QUIZ NIGHT - Saturday is quiz night in support of St Mary’s Church.

It will be held at Pembridge village hall, 7.30pm. Teams of up to six are welcome to come along and enter. Entry is £5 per person includes light supper.

Licensed bar. to book a table phone Meryl Griffith 01544 340381.

CHURCH SERVICES - Sunday 11am, St Mary’s Church, family communion.

Presteigne

BINGO - There is charity bingo at the Royal British Legion club on March 16, 7pm, and the annual bowling club bingo at the Memorial Hall on April 12.

Please put these dates in your diary. More information will appear nearer the events.

FILM SOCIETY - The Film Society will show the film The Great Beauty (15) tomorrow (Friday) at the Assembly Rooms, 8pm.

Admission will be £4.50 for adults and £2.50 for students.

For further information, or for future films, call Alex on 260577 or Pete on 370202 or visit presteignefilms.org.uk 100 CLUB - The football club is holding its 100 club draw for the month of February at the Wine Bar this Friday from 9pm.

Everyone is welcome to come along and watch.

FUN QUIZ - There is a fun quiz at The Radnor Arms in New Radnor on March 7, 7.30pm.

Teams of four cost £10 per team.

There will be a bar and good prizes will be given to the top three teams.

All proceeds will go to The Dragon Fire after-school club.

For further details or to enter your team call Kelly on 260851.

CONCERT - The annual St David’s Day concert will take place on Saturday at the Memorial Hall, 7pm.

This year the Newtown Male Voice Choir will perform.

Tickets are £8, including supper of soup and a roll, and a Welsh cake and can be obtained from Winnies newsagents.

ARTS AND CRAFTS - The monthly arts and crafts fair will take place on Saturday at the Assembly Rooms from 9.30am to 1.30pm.

All the stalls are by local people showing their own work.

WHITTON PLAYGROUP - Whitton Playgroup meets on Tuesday to Friday mornings at Whitton community centre from 9.15-11.45am daily.

The cost is £4 per session for two to four-year-olds.

Children are entitled to 10 hours’ free funding from age three.

Come along and play and learn at the same time.

For further information call Zoe on 01547 560206.

ST DAVIDS DAY PARTY - Come along and celebrate St David’s Day with Dai the Dragon’s Zumba Party with Mel Graham at Radnor Valley Primary School on Saturday from 10am.

Optional fancy dress will take place.

You will have a chance of winning a wonderful Welsh produce hamper. Admission is £3 for adults and £1 for children.

For further details call Shirley Hughes on 262185.

All proceeds will go to The Dragons Club.

CONCERT - There is a concert this Sunday at the Assembly Rooms from 3pm.

John Hymas on viola and violin, and Jeremy Fisher on piano will play a programme of music including the works of Cesar Franks, Brahms and Britten.

Tickets are £10 at the door which will include tea and cakes.

OPERA - There will be a live recording from Glyndebourne on Sunday, 6.30pm.

Tickets are £5 which will include a complimentary glass of wine.

All proceeds will go to Glyndebourne Touring Opera and St Michael’s Church in Lingen.

For more information call 01568 770723.

SERVICE - There is a group holy communion at St Andrew’s Church at 11am.

The preacher and celebrant is the Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales, who will take the service.

Everyone is most welcome.

MARKET - The monthly market will take place on Saturday at the Memorial Hall from 9am-1pm. All the usual stalls will be there along with refreshments available.

VARIETY CONCERT - Presteigne Young Farmers are holding a variety concert this Sunday with guests Knighton YFC.

Doors will open at 6pm with the concert starting 6.30pm.

Admission at the door is £5 for adults and free for under-11s.

There will be a bar and refreshments available.

Stoke Lacy

RACE NIGHT - The Much Cowarne PCC is holding a race night at the Plough Inn, Stoke Lacy, on March 7, 7.30pm.

Admission £5, to include light refreshments.

Anyone unable to attend can still ‘buy’ a horse for £10, with a chance to win £30.

Please call Barry Bufton on 01432 820024 for details.

If you have any community news contact Martin Field on 01432 820074.

Withington

QUIZ NIGHT - Enjoy a fantastically fun quiz evening at Withington village hall (HR1 3PP) on March 15. Start time is 7.30pm prompt.

Teams of up to six can be pre- booked, or made up on the night.

Family teams welcome.

Tickets are £6 each, including a ploughman’s supper (under 16s are £3). Bring your own drinks.

Telephone 01432 850074 for more information. Proceeds go to St Peter’s Church, Withington.

Wellington

MEETING - A parish council meeting will take place next Thursday, March 6, 7.30pm, in the community centre. All welcome.

Woolhope

PANCAKE MORNING - There will be a pancake morning at Woolhope parish hall on Saturday in aid of St Michael’s Hospice and the parish hall from 10am till noon.

Enjoy some delicious pancakes while enjoying a cup of tea or coffee and a chat with friends. There will be a raffle and a bring and buy table so don’t miss this opportunity to have a treat, catch up with friends and help to raise some money for two very worthwhile causes.

Bishopswood WI

THE February meeting of the Bishopswood WI was surprisingly well attended as the weather was horrendous, with the field in front of the hall flooded really badly and the wind blowing the rain sideways. So, when 26 members including two visitors attended, organisers were very pleased.

Members do not have a meeting in January, but usually try to have a lunch out in order to keep in touch. This year 36 went to the Beechwood Restaurant and the Royal Forest of Dean College.

The meeting opened as usual with a rendition of Jerusalem, followed by the business meeting.

Members were reminded of craft club at the hall. The new banner for the institute is coming along well and members intend to finalise the design.

There were also reminders for various events coming up at the village hall, the institute’s 99th anniversary birthday party in March and news of twinned institutes, Moreton-on-Lugg and Bishops Cleeve.

Members then had tea and a celebration of Valentine’s Day with a heart shaped chocolate and a glass of pink fizz which was delicious.

Organisers did not have a speaker for this meeting and had decided it would be nice to bring along the scrapbooks for the institute, which were really interesting, particularly for newer members; lots of very old photographs etc.

There was also a craft tasting session. Mrs Jackson demonstrated a different way to create a rag rug, which was relatively easy to do and very effective, Mrs Mapp had hand made cards to demonstrate and Mrs Eglinton brought materials, patterns and instruction sheets to teach people to crochet.

Members were welcome to watch or have a go. The meeting closed at 4.15pm as organisers were keeping an eye on the weather and were mindful that the roads were getting worse. The next meeting is on March 14 at 2.30pm, the speaker is Averil Kear with the second part of a talk on the Forest of Dean entitled Industrial Dean - Part Two.

Breinton Ringcraft Society

THE judge for the February 19 match was Lynette Knowles. She has owned and shown pointers for 40 years. She chose Lorraine Carter’s Lhasa apso, Labweiller Real Opal for Vowchurch, for Best Puppy and Best in Match. Reserve Puppy was Christine Staff ’s flat- coated retriever, Bonnyhilbrae Ebony Silk. Best Veteran was Jeanette Shepherd’s golden retriever, Tregeseal Tonic of Beaujean, and Best Adult was Pam Wooden’s golden retriever, Salako Chantilly Lace. Reserve Best Adult was Lorraine Carter’s lhasa apso, Vowchurch Viva La Diva. The next match will be held on March 19.

Ringcraft is held every Wednesday 7.45pm – 9pm at Stretton Sugwas village hall. For further details contact Anthony Brooks on 07776150212, loofahsa@ hotmail.co.uk or Jeanette Shepherd on 01544 327117.

Felindre WI

LIGHTFOOT has put together a quiz to help it understand how people absorb information, and to enable it to improve the way it gives advice.

Despite the bad weather Felindre WI turned out in force to be the first quizzers to try their hand at these questions. The teams became very competitive in the closing rounds, and the end result was very close, ending in a tie.

Prizes all-around for the winners.

The women picked useful snippets of information, demonstrated their awesome powers of reasoning and very good general knowledge which, surprisingly, they weren’t confident about.

Coordinator Mandy Brick said: “I was thrilled by the way the evening went and would like to thank Felindre WI for their generous donation to Lightfoot.” If you would like to have a go at answering the questions call Mandy on 01547 528265 or email mandy@ lightfoot.org.uk. For information on Lightfoot visit www.lightfoot.org.uk.

Hereford Wye Valley Inner Wheel Club

MEMBERS filled shoe boxes with gifts for children which were given to Operation Christmas Child, run by Samaritan’s Purse, and delivered to children in Montenegro.

The club’s overseas service organiser Margaret Soutar, helped by husband Rob and her family, put on a fantastic champagne breakfast for members.

This was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning, and £360 was raised.

After funding the cost of transporting the Christmas shoe boxes, members agreed to send the rest of the money raised to Aquabox, to provide clean drinking water for victims of the typhoon in the Philippines.

Members had a very successful stall at the Christmas charity market in High Town in December, when the profits from goods sold, all handmade by club members, will be donated to local charities.

And before Christmas members enjoyed a festive meal at the Bay Horse Inn and a visit to The Courtyard to see the Bolshoi Ballet’s production of Sleeping Beauty.

The 90th anniversary of the founding of the organisation on World Inner Wheel Day, January 10, was celebrated with a social lunch for members and husbands, when donations given will help to fund the club’s involvement in the nationwide Inner Wheel Wheel Project.

To mark this milestone the club plans to buy a specially adapted tricycle for use by pupils at Blackmarston, Hereford’s special needs primary school.

Tins of biscuits were also donated by members on Inner Wheel Day and distributed to Open Door, West Mercia Women’s Aid, Children at Number One and Haven Breast Cancer Care Centre.

The club regularly supports Women’s Aid with gifts of toiletries and welcomed Lesley Leach, the Haven’s community fundraiser, to the January meeting, when she gave an inspirational talk about the help given by the charity to people here in Hereford.

Members had a close win over Leominster Inner Wheel members at Leominster’s Rankin Club in the district skittles competition, and will next meet the Royal Forest of Dean Club for round two.

Philatelic Society

THERE was a good attendance for the society’s annual auction of members’ spare materials on February 5.

A total of 18 members attended the auction and most went away with new items for their collection.

Included in the sale were stamps donated to St Michael’s Hospice, and the sum of £128.45p was raised for its work to help people in need for palliative care.

The next meeting will be on March 5 when there will be displays of postcards or nine sheets of stamps by members.

The society meets at St Martin’s Parish Centre, Ross Road, Hereford at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month.

New members are always welcome.

For details of the society and their meetings contact their secretary Frank Bennett on 01432 354917 or email him via frank.bennett@hereford4.freeserve.co.uk.

Huntington-Hereford WI

FOR January’s meeting, Huntington-Hereford WI members were transported to India thanks to a talk by secretary and WI advisor Brenda Drake, following her recent trip to the ACWW conference and touring holiday with a group of other delegates.

This month, members were given an insight into Sweden by speaker Lena Dyche, a native of the country. Lena’s talk with slides covered many aspects of the country and the famous people the world has come to know.

The members had fun trying to recall them, with Abba being the one everyone knew, along with film stars Ingrid Bergman, Greta Garbo, Dolph Lundgren, and tennis star Bjorn Borg and world heavy weight boxing champion Ingemar Johansson.

Kington U3A

THE next social meeting for Kington U3A will be on April 10, 2pm, at our usual venue of Kington Football Club. The title for this meeting is Photographs of Japan and South Korea and will be given by Don Syme. An interesting afternoon with a well- known local speaker.

All are welcome to listen to speakers and learn of new interest groups. There is a charge of £1 for members and £2 for non-members to include refreshments. For further information about Kington U3A , please contact the secretary on 01544 231401.

Leominster U3A

AT Leominster U3A’s February meeting Angela Southall whisked members to Peru, showing impressive Spanish era architecture, the famous Nazca lines, magnificent condors and the Inca settlement of Machu Picchu, ending with pictures of birds and animals of the Galapagos Islands.

An urgent plea for a replacement treasurer was made, as well as for more men to stand for election to the committee to preserve a balance. New members are welcome to a coffee morning tomorrow at 10am at the Moravian hall, followed by a group leaders meeting at 11am.

The AGM on March 18 will feature a bookstall and displays by interest groups. At the following meeting on April 15, Cameron Addicott will talk on the world of organised crime. Visitors are welcome, cost £2.

Llanbister WI

THE president Barbara Gayther welcomed 14 members to the February meeting. There were apologies from Marion Thomas.

Olwen Bowen is to attend the St David’s Day celebrations at Crossgates on Saturday and Barbara Gayther agreed to attend the women’s conference in Malvern on March 14. The speaker for the evening was WI member June Pettitt who gave a very interesting talk titled Home is Where You Make It. She spoke of her campervan travels and brought in some of her equipment.

Leominster Vintage Club

LEOMINSTER Vintage Club wishes to apologise for cancelling the February meeting due to weather conditions. Members had a great night with Brimfield Club playing skittles at Wellington, even though they were down on numbers.

Members should be aware the AGM is March. Please put forward your nominations.

The speaker will be a representative of Hereford and Worcester Animal Rescue as she was unable to come in January. There will be a social afterwards for people to have supper and a chance to catch up.

For information contact Sandra on 07935296036.

Marden Gardeners Association

AT a recent meeting Dr Tony Hughes took members on a journey through a portion of the Italian Dolomites.

On this occasion he and his wife had timed their trip to catch the alpine flowers in full display. They traversed rugged mountain ranges rising up from meadows, carpeted with alpine flowers of many colours and saw gorgeous plants of all shapes and sizes growing, apparently, out of rock on the higher slopes.

To members’ amazement there was an abundance of orchids and even some yaks introduced by an enterprising farmer.

However, to get to see some of the wonderful views and flowers this did entail a large amount of hill walking, but was well worth the effort.

During the next meeting on March 11, Mr David Griffiths, well-known local horticulturist from Bodenham, will take members through greenhouse management.

His talk is suitable for people with and without greenhouses as it also focuses on winter preparation ready for the spring. The greenhouse is a very useful garden tool but often under-utilised and poorly maintained.

Members should look forward to learning a lot more about productive gardening.

A first reminder about the spring show to be held, as usual, in the community centre at Marden School.

Due to the mild winter gardeners should all be blessed with a good spring show of bulbs and other early plants so why not have a go and enter one or more of the categories.

The show is open to all residents of Marden and surrounding areas and is an enjoyable village occasion. Members are particularly interested in inviting young people to take part, so lets see what can grow in pots or a small garden patch.

Schedules will be available shortly from the committee members and they look forward to seeing lots of entries.

Visitors and new members to the gardening club are always very welcome.

If you would like to join in for a taster evening, members meet every second Tuesday of the month in the community centre at 7.30pm.

There will be a small charge for non-members to help defray costs.

More information on the club and it’s activities can be obtained from the secretary, Len Day on 01432 880657.

Much Birch WI

IN February members were entertained by Mrs Jane Bailey with a talk entitled The Northern Lights: Where the Skies Dance.

This was an extremely informative, entertaining insight into the aurora borealis – the reasons for the phenomenon and the its results.

Mrs Bailey was so enthusiastic about her subject and members were all drawn in by the slides which made it all look quite amazing.

National Council of Women

MEMBERS heard from Julia Morton, of Orchard Origins, based at Herefordshire Nature Trust, of the inspiring work being done in partnership with Mind, in improving people’s well-being through traditional orchard management.

Herefordshire has a wealth of traditional orchards, in which the branches start at shoulder height and in which the trees are coming to the end of their lives.

These are being replaced by Bush orchards, where the trees grow on dwarfing stock for easier management and harvesting.

Mercifully, some farmers are beginning to plant orchards in the traditional way, which may come in time to replace the particular habitat only the old orchards now maintain.

Knowing a significant number of us suffer, at some time, from a mental illness, the Nature Trust obtained Lottery funding for Orchard Origins. Working with nature; learning, and in some cases teaching, maintenance and pruning methods; then harvesting and finally making juice and cider and chutneys from the apples has helped so many people through their depression and given a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

The produce and products are sold at farmers’ markets, but cannot replace the Lottery funding when it comes to an end.

See herefordshirewt.org/orchard_ origins for more information.

Speaker on April 2 at Hampton Bishop village hall will be John Bothamley of Hereford Civic Society.

The National Council of Women is open to all women. It is an independent, non-party political organisation established in 1895 and is the oldest women’s organisation in the United Kingdom.

It was affiliated to the International Council of Women in 1897 and we still work nationally and internationally on issues of concern to women.

In 2000 NCW was given special consultative status at the United Nations, which enables them to send representatives to sessions such as the Commission on the Status of Women, held in New York every March. More information on www.ncwgb.org or call 01432 264366.

South Herefordshire Cottager Garden Society

THE South Herefordshire Cottager Garden Society talk last month was by Chrissie Chang, an RHS teacher, and her subject was Potagers, which she reminded members was merely French for a vegetable patch.

The potager has a lot going on in a small space and should feed the belly and the soul with a combination of vegetables and flowers.

She suggested that you should only grow things you like, or were expensive to buy, or were unusual.

Some vegetables, such as rainbow chard, were also attractive to look at and also pleased the soul.

The speaker for the next meeting on Saturday at Walford village hall at 2pm is Julie Ritchie who runs Hoo House Nursery.

They have been offering perennials and alpines for more than 25 years and she will be talking about easy alpines and low growing perennials.

New members and visitors to meetings are very welcome to come along and see and hear what the society is all about.

Please contact Tinker Parsons by telephone on 01989 561050 for information.

Trumpet and District Agricultural Society

THE Trumpet and District Agricultural Society will be holding a comedy night on March 8, 7.30pm at The Green Farm Felton, permission of Mr and Mrs Simcock. Tickets are £10 to include sausage and chip supper.

There will also be a bar available and draw in aid of club funds.

The roots of The Trumpet Agricultural Society go back more than 60 years, to the Second World War.

Home guard members were not only busy practising wartime doodlebug and blackout drills, but also hatching a plan to form a society whose match was to become the biggest one-day draw for ploughmen.

Today, some of the best competitors in Britain know full well that to win at Trumpet carries a top honour.

Come along and learn more about the society.

Tickets are available from June Green 01531 670608.

Vaga Probus Club

THE Vaga Probus Club meeting was held on February 11.

The talk was given by Phil Smith on the Leadership Trust, Penyard House. Phil, whose father was a former soldier, noticed during his period of military service how the qualities of leadership varied by being genetic in some and needed to be taught in others.

On discharge from the forces he decided this was too important an issue to be neglected and thus set up the Leadership Trust at Penyard House in 1975.

On his father’s retirement Phil stepped into his shoes and has been the Leadership Trusts development manager for ten years.

It has now developed into the largest provider of leadership training in the UK with over 170 nationalities having undergone leadership training.

An achievement of which Phil can be justifiably proud.

The Leadership Trust, at Penyard House, is situated on the periphery of Weston under Penyard about two miles southwest of Ross-on- Wye, and is believed to date from the 18th century.

It is owned by an educational charitable trust which has predominately used the property as a training venue since1986, and worthy of note is the visit made by the Princess Royal in 2011, signifying its 25th anniversary.

The site was relaunched as a hotel in 2011, providing a picturesque location for corporate and leisure guests, set in well-maintained gardens.

It has a particular emphasis on hosting weddings and private functions.

It also has a forthcoming fitness centre which is due toopen to the public.

All this is set in about nine acres of sprawling parkland and grounds.

Local schools are also able to benefit from its facilities. When Weston Primary school was recently flooded, it was offered site facilities for free, with use of the lecture theatre at their disposal.

The children were said to really enjoy the novelty of classes at the site.

Also John Kyle students have benefited from work experience tuition given, which is a great helping hand to future citizens.

There were many questions and dialogue from Probus Club members regarding the meaning and interpretation of leadership, mainly due to members experiences, connected with their previous businesses and professional occupations, and sparking off detailed debate in defining leadership.

Phil dealt with this contested debate in a disciplined and professional manner, outlining the benefits of such tuition.

He produced a list of over 250 companies and organisations, many being major well-known concerns, who have sent their management teams and directors to the leadership trust to improve their relationships and efficiencies.

This lead to improvements in productivity, proven by the feedback and testimonials received.

To give an example of the degree of success, more than 1,300 people per year have received training.

In spite of this national and international recognition, Phil was concerned very few local businesses and organisations had made applications for training.

This is a pity when such facilities are available, particularly at negotiated rates, where improved efficiency and profitability can be obtained.

The membership felt such training and awareness of leadership skills would benefit the local community, recommending people get more information about the course at leadership.org.uk Recent examples of free training sessions include those offered to the women’s Olympic hockey team.

The outcome of which, after various exhausting training sessions, resulted in their winning of a bronze medal.

This is indeed an example of the wide spectrum of specialist leadership training to the benefit of all and indeed a good PR exercise.

Phil was warmly applauded for his most interesting talk and for his degree of professionalism in pioneering the Leadership Trust and fostering the growing understanding in industry of the benefits of effective leadership.

The course is of particular note as its on your doorstep.

Workers Educational Association

THE Hereford branch of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) has been celebrating its seal of approval from Ofsted, the official education inspection body.

The news comes as the WEA is seeking to recruit more students in a bid to get Britain learning.

Local volunteers organise courses, day schools and outings mainly in the spring and autumn term to suit local interest.

Last autumn nearly 200 students attended Hereford branch’s courses.

Planning is already underway for the 2014-15 season.

Founded in 1903, WEA is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult education, delivering 9,500 part-time courses each year in England and Scotland.

With the active support of over 400 local branches, 3,000 volunteers, 2,000 part-time tutors and 60,000 members, the WEA provides high quality, student-centred and tutor- led education for adults from all walks of life.

They also maintain a special mission to provide educational opportunities to adults facing social and economic disadvantage.

Through curriculum themes of employability, health and wellbeing, community engagement and culture, the WEA gives students the confidence to learn new skills, live healthier lives, engage in society and broaden their horizons.

The courses are created and provided through our regional offices and volunteer-led branches, often in partnership with local community groups and organisations.

You do not need any previous knowledge or qualifications to join most of their courses, only a willingness to share with others your curiosity, ideas and experience.

Hereford branch offers a wealth of courses such as art appreciation, sonnets, art and culture of China and history of Herefordshire to name just a few on offer.

Enrolment is still available for a course on river systems in Wales and the borders plus an opera day school. For more information contact 01981 540769.

Also, coming soon in February and March are the spring workshops held at the Museum Resource Centre in conjunction with Herefordshire council with subjects including river life, Hereford gaol and the Tupsley murder, seals and seal making from the middle ages, the history of fastenings and more.

For further information about these workshops contact 01432 880545, visit the website at www.westmidlands.wea.org.uk or email herefordbranch@wea.org.uk.