Westons Cider, deep in the Herefordshire countryside, is proud to celebrate its 125th Anniversary this year. Henry Weston, great grandfather of Helen Thomas, the company's Managing Director, moved to the Bounds in Much Marcle in 1878 and continued the tradition of using fruit from the farm orchards to make cider and perry. The development of commercial cider making began in 1880.

To celebrate the occasion, Westons has launched a specially created Anniversary Cider, '1880', which scooped a Gold Medal at the International Beer Competition last week in London.

Last Saturday, 30th May saw the highlight of this year's festivities when Bill Wiggin, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Leominster, commissioned a special gate in the Henry Weston Garden. This was followed by the launch of the Westons 125th Year Anniversary Book. Many people contributed towards the book, including Westons oldest customer, Lucy Powell from the Three Tuns, Hay-on-Wye and Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hereford and founder of the All Party Parliamentary Cider Group. Paul was among the invited guests to help celebrate the day.

The afternoon featured a 'Flavours of Herefordshire' cookery demonstration at the award winning Scrumpy House Restaurant and a chance to tour the Cider Mill. Throughout the day there were plenty of chances to sample '1880'.

At the end of the afternoon, a cheque for £1,026, from funds raised at the reopening of the 'Rare Breeds' Farm' was presented to the Air Ambulance. It was hoped that the Air Ambulance would fly in to collect the cheque but unfortunately it was called out to an emergency at the due time.

All photographs of this event are available for viewing in the gallery.

The Gloucestershire Police Male Voice Choir and the John Kyrle High School Jazz Band performed in a joint concert at the school last Friday evening. The concert was in aid of the Brain Tumour Research Fund in memory of Matthew Beddard, a pupil of the school who died earlier this year. The evening was not only successful musically, but also as a charity event, raising over £700.

It was the first time the Gloucestershire Police Male Voice Choir, conducted by George Taylor, had performed in Ross-on-Wye. They sang a varied repertoire, from the moving operatic song Nessun Dorma to famous songs from the more modern musicals of Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. The JKHS Jazz Band conducted by their Head of Music, Debra Blake, performed a number of 1940's big band classics and a medley from Chicago. Debra, who has been a guest artist at a number of the choir's previous concerts also sang two operatic arias. It was a moving concert not only because it was a fund-raising event for a cause very close to many there, but also as it was the final concert for a number of the senior sixth form students playing in the band.