Betzdorf, the twin town of Ross, is a small city which lies in the north of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Betzdorf City has a population of about 10.800 people but the community as a whole, which includes the villages Alsdorf, Gruenebach, Scheuerfeld, Wallmenroth has a population of 16.000. Betzdorf grew large between the years of 1890 and 1910 due to the railroad and took on 'City' status in 1953. In nearby Siegerland, the iron industry had become an important part of the region and as a result, the railroad became a major means of transportation for Betzdorf. Many new people arrived and the community grew.

The idea of twinning Ross-on-Wye and Betzdorf began in 1978. The Mayors of Betzdorf and Ross began to exchange visits and meet people. Three years later, in 1981, they establish associations and four years later, the twinning of the towns became official. Since 1982 the associations have met annually, either in Betzdorf or in Ross-on-Wye.

The schools of Betzdorf and Ross-on-Wye also exchanges students every year. When students from Ross arrive in Betzdorf they visit the Mayor, Michael Lieber and talk about what is new in Ross.

Below are some photographs of Betzdorf, or if you would like further information you could visit www.betzdorf.de

A rallying call is being issued to people in Ross-On-Wye to help man the decks at a Sue Ryder Care shop. Willing volunteers are needed to help with a variety of tasks, from merchandising to helping customers find the perfect vintage piece and steaming clothes ready for display. The shop also sells furniture, so people who can assist with moving larger items or who have an eye for potential antiques would also be welcomed.

Sue Ryder also welcome donations of good quality furniture. A self-employed driver is being sought who could pick up donated stock in the surrounding area. The new recruits will be joining a friendly team of staff and volunteers who are dedicated to helping the Broad Street shop and to raise as much money as possible for the charity's care services.

Like all of the charity's four hundred shops on the British High Street, the Ross-on-Wye store raises vital funds for the specialized work of the charity's seventeen care centres throughout the UK. The centres provide palliative and neurological care for people living with a range of conditions including Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington's Disease and Acquired Brain Injuries.

Shop Manager Glynis O'Donnell said: "We would love to hear from anyone interested in volunteering, whether they can spare a couple of hours once a month or a full day once a week. There is an opportunity to suit everyone. It is very rewarding to know that our work here in the shops helps to make a real difference to the lives of so many people. People can pop in anytime for an informal chat and find out more about volunteering from our staff."

Anybody wishing to know more about volunteering can contact Glynis on 01989 762158. For further information about Sue Ryder Care visit www.suerydercare.org

Wayward parishioners and eccentric parsons will be taking centre-nave at St Mary's, Ross-on-Wye on Sunday 2 April. New Theatre Works' touring production of Heart & Stone, by local playwright Peter Roberts, is an epic of passion, pain, laughter and heartbreak across the centuries.

'We're bringing theatre back to its mediaeval birthplace with a combination of site-specific performance and an engaging story-line," explained NTW founder Ellie Parker. "There certainly won't be any snoozing in the pews!'

Heart and Stone, directed by Estelle Van Warmelo dramatizes core issues of faith, love and truth embodied in the lives of four people as they rehearse their community play in a West Midlands church. Acting out the building's vibrant history, from Black Death to the Blitz, they celebrate daily life in the parish, its festivals and follies. But for the curate Anna, her arty sister Jo and their partners, the show also becomes the focus of deeply private history and hard-won convictions. Beneath the banter of their dress-rehearsal they have crucial choices to make.

'I hope the play attracts those who would enjoy the personal drama of the contemporary story, as well as people contemplating questions of belief or the role of the church in the community today,' said Peter Roberts, whose plays have been frequently performed on BBC Radio 4 and in major regional venues. 'There is plenty of music and humour too!.'

The tour has been produced by New Theatre Works in partnership with the Diocese of Hereford. 'We're currently exploring new ways of placing our ancient buildings at the heart of the community," added Wendy Coombey, Community Partnership and Funding Officer. 'We've already made a start with several church buildings already acting as village meeting places.

Tickets for the St Mary's show cost £6.00 and can be purchased from the Ross Ministry Team Office, Church Street, Ross on Wye or The Courtyard Arts Centre, Hereford. Tel: 0870 1122330. Some tickets will be available on the door (subject to availability). There will be a free post-show discussion. Heart & Stone are touring thirteen churches across Herefordshire and Shropshire from Friday 24 March to Sunday 9 April. For the full tour schedule visit www.newtheatreworks.co.uk. The tour is supported by Arts Council West Midlands, the Elmley Foundation and Herefordshire Council. New Theatre Works is resident at The Courtyard, Herefordshire's Centre for the Arts.

Ross based amateur theatre company, Bare Bones must surely be one of the county's most active groups. Taking their productions to communities throughout the county, they open soon with their twelfth production in the eighteen months since their formation. Their youth section presented 'Our Day Out' by Willy Russell in mid-February and on 25th March the adult group open 'The Cemetery Club' by Ivan Menchell at Upton Bishop's Millennium Hall before taking it to Monmouth, Bartestree and Fownhope.

In the interim they present no less than three entries in the Hereford County Drama Festival at The Courtyard Theatre between 15th and 18th March. Their touring production, "The Cemetery Club" is a Jewish American comedy very much in the style of Neil Simon. Three elderly widows, long time friends, together visit their husband's graves each month. Then Sam, the local butcher, appears on the scene to attract the attention and affection of one member of this trio to the dismay of the other two. Will the newcomer break up this 'cemetery club'? Or will other events shape their future? The witty dialogue is wonderfully entertaining in a play of great emotional variety. Laughter with a tear in it's eye.

Details of where you can see The Cemetery Club can be found on the 'What's On?' page of this web site.