Presteigne

WENTS MEADOW -- Councillors have been looking at ways and means to safeguard its upkeep: one solution would be to devote say 25 per cent of the annual earnings of the town's recycling scheme to the project. Some letting for hay or silage on the second field would be possible also. Essential maintenance would include grass mowing, hedge cutting, any repairs to gates or barn, and the electricity supply box had still to be relocated. Councillor Eddie Taylor suggested that an association of Friends of the Garden might undertake maintenance of the garden itself. He added that he would like to see the youngsters, who worked so hard to create the Wents Meadow facility, coming along sometimes to help keep it tidy. The Mayor Councillor Tony Lancett summed up the general feeling of the council that Wents Meadow should be properly maintained for a few years before they considered any further development of it.

CYCLE GUIDE -- After a tourism season that suffered many setbacks during the spring and summer, the prospects for next year could be much improved if the awaited East Radnor Cycle Guide, now with the printers, is launched in the next few months. Chris Dartnell, who runs Wheely Wonderful Cycling holidays with his wife Kay, has composed the guide; he had already written popular guides for the South Shropshire area over tried and tested routes. The initiative for the East Radnor Cycle Guide was launched locally by Lisa Bedford, community development officer, speaking about the project to various local bodies. At the October meeting of Presteigne and Norton Town Council it was reported that donations were now identified to cover the £4,000 cost of production of the guide. Already paid were £1,500 from Powys County Council, Knighton Town Council £500, Presteigne Chamber of Trade £500, and Presteigne and Norton Community Trust £500. Still awaited were £500 from Cycle Touring Club Cymru and £500 from Presteigne and Norton Town Council, which was authorised without delay. Presteigne and Norton Community Trust (chairman Councillor Howard Owens) has agreed to hold in their bank account any funds received from the sale of the Cycle Guide once on the market. It is hoped that the launch of the guide will be staged so as to focus some well-deserved publicity on East Radnorshire's tourism possibilities.

PRESTEIGNE WI -- For several months earlier this year the foot and mouth restrictions put all Women's Institute meetings on hold, and meetings gradually began again as the situation eased. Presteigne WI resumed their meetings after mid summer and are now in full swing again. At their October meeting, president Diane Baker announced that they had contributed a total of 15 shoeboxes filled with baby clothes, toiletries and toys, to the Powys-Radnor Federation appeal for baby boxes for Bosnia refugee camps. These were now on their way to Bosnia. Members wished to express their thanks to the many friends in Presteigne who had helped them to fill these boxes. Members then spent an enjoyable hour making their own Christmas cards, using materials supplied by Diane and Ethel. Even those who insisted they were no good at handicraft were amazed at their efforts. Presteigne WI meets on the fourth Wednesday in the month at 2.30pm in the Assembly Rooms Greenroom. New members and visitors are always welcome.

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING -- Presteigne WI members raised a total of £100 at their coffee morning and bring and buy held in aid of Macmillan Nurses on October 18. They offer sincere thanks to all those who had coffee with them and for the donations received since.

HISTORIC GARDEN -- The beautiful Edwardian gardens of Silia House were listed a few years ago by the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust. They stand in a magnificent situation beyond the Warden, overlooking the town and the Lugg Valley. The present owners, Geoff and Wendy Johnson Brett have dedicated their time and energies for some years to restoring the gardens, caring for its superb collection of trees, and replanting shrubs. More recently they have become active members of the trust's Brecon and Radnorshire branch, Geoff as secretary and Wendy as press officer. Wendy has reported on the branch's recent event held at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells, when Jan Shivel of the Wellsprings Fellowship gave an illustrated talk on the history of wells throughout Britain but especially those in Mid Wales. Many are pre-Roman and even Celtic. Churches and hermitages were often built close by wells, to offer support to those who sought their healing properties. The Wellsprings Fellowship, sometimes in collaboration with CADW, clears and recovers public wells and is establishing a map of known sites, of which many have been overgrown and lost for many years. Branch secretary Geoff Johnson-Brett will gladly give more details of the programme of the Brecon and Radnorshire Branch of the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust (01544 267255). The trust is dedicated to preserving and recording our Welsh heritage of historic gardens. The local chairman is Robin Whalley. The branch annual meeting is due to be held on Friday, February 15, 2002 at 7pm at Tredustan Court, Talgarth, by kind permission of the owners Mr and Mrs Moody.