Over the years many people have asked the question as to why the 'Ross Gazette' has remained in its broadsheet format rather than move with the times to a more easily manageable page size. That question is about to be answered with a new, smaller, more reader friendly size from the edition of 6th April.

Many traditionalists may well mourn the passing of the traditional broadsheet but the new 'Ross Gazette' will still contain all of your news and information and advertisers will be able to submit adverts of a standard size, in line with other papers.

The 'Ross Gazette' will still welcome your news stories, sports reports, local events and letters, are happy to a send photographer along for your photo opportunities and will continue to welcome suggestions for issues to investigate. In fact, the general content will remain unchanged. The paper will be easier to read. That's it!

Wyenot News would like to wish the 'Ross Gazette' well in this endeavour to give readers what they have asked for and hope that readers will continue to support their traditional Ross-on-Wye newspaper, which has been produced every week without fail since January, 2nd 1867.

Pictured below, staff at the 'Ross Gazette' show last week's issue of the traditional newspaper, along with a copy from the World War II years and a 'Ross Recorder', another of the Gazette's publications, which uses the same page size as the new look publication. Left to right they are Sue Johnson, Barbara Dix, Jo Scrivin, Chris Robertson - Editor and Sue Kirby. Pauline is unfortunately conspicuous by her absence but she was out of the office when I took the photograph. I will take another photo which includes Pauline on the 6th April.

Happy Anniversary to Dave and Jacqui Newman of the White Lion at Wilton, who celebrated the end of their first year at this lovely riverside pub on Tuesday, 21st March. The congenial hosts, along with Jacqui's daughter Rhianne have made many friends during this time and have not only increased their local trade who regularly enjoy the range of beautifully kept real ales on offer, they also have regular visitors from outside of Ross who enjoy staying at the homely inn, looking forward to a great home-cooked breakfast.

Accommodation is being booked up fairly rapidly this season and Dave and Jacqui are looking forward to welcoming visitors to their beer and cider festival, to celebrate the summer solstice on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th June, where there will be live performances by folk and blues musicians.

Dave has also been instrumental in bringing the local otters to the attention of the public and many people visit the White Lion hoping to catch a glimpse of these beautiful creatures playing on the rocks outside of the beer garden.

Jacqui and Dave would like to thank their regular customers for their support during their first year in Ross-on-Wye and along with their team of friendly staff look forward to many more happy years at the White Lion.

St. Joseph`s Roman Catholic Primary School in Ross organized a spring-clean with a difference this week when they managed to fill hundreds of bin-liners with second hand clothes and textiles. The donated goods will not only be recycled for people living in poverty in Eastern Europe and Asia but will earn 25 pence per kilo for school fund-raising.

The scheme, which has become popular with schools and nurseries across the country is run by East Midlands based charity "Bag2school". Schools can take part by requesting to be included in the scheme. Bags and leaflets explaining how the collection works are delivered a month before the collection date and everybody has a month to get busy clearing out and collecting. Pupils, parents and staff at St Joseph's collected three hundred and fifty bags. Out of those, over two hundred were collected single-handedly by Treena Wilcox and Pam Wheeler, a mother daughter, with son/grandson Dewi at the school. They live in the Forest of Dean and from Christmas onwards, they collected goods for recycling throughout their local community and through the church.

'Everyone has been really busy clearing out since Christmas and the 'Bag2school' scheme has been a really good incentive to Spring clean' said the school's Head, Maria Bord 'We were quite relieved to see the lorry arrive and take them away this week as the pile of bags has been growing by the day!'

A community consultation took place in a marquee at Lea Primary School on Tuesday, 14th March where the those served by the school were able to have their say about the services they would like to see available in the Lea.

Whilst the adults discussed village matters, children were able to enjoy stories, songs, face painting and many other activities.

Pictured below at the event are Sarah Heeran, Ema McCloud, Iris Price, Joyce Thomas MBE DL, Stuart Simpkins, Steph Bayley of Greencroft Children's Centre, Hereford, Bethany and Nicky Rawlings, Sophie Simpkins, Connie Mcload, Annabel Heenan, Moana and Carol Graham.