Presteigne

REMEMBRANCE WREATH LAYING -- Mayor Tony Lancett said he hoped that the Presteigne town councillors would attend the Remembrance ceremony at Presteigne Cenotaph, and that Norton councillors would attend that at Norton. The planning application for a War Memorial Plaque with names of the fallen was awaiting the decision of the Radnorshire planning committee. Councillor John Wilding asked that if the decision were favourable, news could be conveyed promptly so that, for the sake especially of the local families, the plaque could be fixed in place before Remembrance Sunday. To this County Councillor Banks readily agreed.

WILD BIRD GARDEN -- Of paramount importance to the late Kathleen Moss throughout her life was the care and preservation of birds and other wildlife. She and her friend and teaching colleague, Elin Gutch, another prominent naturalist, had lived in Presteigne since 1973, and their last home was Fold Farm Cottage. Kathleen Moss was a popular figure in the local community, she and Elin Gutch had founded the Radnorshire Branch of RSPB, and many young people had learned much about birds through her encouragement and nature walks. She and the late Elin Gutch purchased land adjacent to their house to be set aside as a bird garden, a project very important to her. She set up a trust to maintain the bird garden after her death, which occurred last year, her nephew becoming one of the trustees. Unfortunately he did not survive her long and died in 2001. Now his family wishes to dissolve the trust, since the garden has already become badly overgrown and needs proper maintenance, and then to purchase another piece of land elsewhere in Mid Wales as suggested by the RSPB, to be a memorial bird garden. Two local men who are also trustees, former younger ornithologists of Miss Moss's group, would like the Presteigne bird garden to continue, and are prepared to maintain it themselves for the foreseeable future. The town council considered a planning application for building on the garden site, which was accompanied by letters explaining both points of view. Councillors believed it was fitting that wishes expressed in the will of Kathleen Moss should be honoured, especially in view of the service she had given to the local community over many years. The letters would be forwarded to the planning committee for their consideration.

BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE --Response from donors at the Blood Transfusion Service sessions was a definite increase overall, reported the sister in charge afterwards. She thanked all for their attendance and hoped they would continue to support the twice-yearly sessions so well. She added that the earlier in the day they could arrive the shorter would be their waiting times; of course many could only come later, after they finished work.