Despite the inclement weather the Border Counties Vintage Club Ltd still managed to put on a successful BBQ and presentation evening on Wednesday, 5th July at the Chestnuts, Great Doward, Whitchurch, by kind permission of Derek Williams of E & I Williams Concrete Products.

The Club held its annual Steam & Vintage Show at Monmouth Showground for the second time on May Bank Holiday Sunday, where the general public flocked to see the biggest ever selection of vintage & classic vehicles, steam & traction engines and a vast array of collectibles. A wide selection of trade and craft stands satisfied the most arduous retail addict.

At the BBQ, Mrs Joan Davies, Madam Chairman, presented cheques to the value of £3,200.00 to local charities, Theatre Ffynnon, Children's Opportunity Trust, The County Air Ambulance, Bridges, Monmouth, Cross Ash Under 5s Playgroup, Forest Emeralds Jazz Band, Crucorney Young Farmers, 1st Royal Forest Scouts and the Fire Service Benevolent Fund.

After the presentations, Club Members & Guest enjoyed classic burgers & hot-dogs all cooked by club members. This years show proved a enormous task to stage with all the legislation that now governs any organization that puts on an event where the public gather. The task is becoming more like a full time occupation rather than a hobby to fill in the evenings.

Anybody wishing to join the Border Counties Vintage Club Ltd can do so by contacting Mr Colin Davies on 01989 565461 (6pm - 9pm) or by coming along to one of the club's monthly meetings, held at the Old Court Hotel, Whitchurch on the first Wednesday of each month (no meeting in August) where an interesting diary of talks & members evenings are held.

The photos below show the cheques being presented at the Annual Barbecue and some exhibits in the vintage museum at E.I. Williams, Stonemasons, The Doward.

Local metal detectorist, Richard Mayo has recently found a coin on farm land between Ross and Monmouth which he needs help identifying. Local shop keeper, Richard has been metal detecting for many years but has only just started getting back into the hobby after a three year break to open his High Street delicatessen shop.

The coin appears to be a trading token of either 17th or 18th century. On one side it says, 'John Hill of', and on the reverse, ''Ross Mercer'. Richard has been told that a 'mercer' is a trader, or merchant but in what? Where was his shop and when did John Hill walk the streets of Ross?

The site is very interesting, with finds ranging from the Tudor period right up to last century. Other finds have included buckles, coins, thimbles, buttons, strap ends and stacks of pottery.

If anyone can help with the identification of the coin or John Hill, please contact Richard Mayo at Truffles. Richard is always on the lookout for new sites to go detecting on, so if you have wondered what is under your farm, field or garden, Richard would be pleased to hear from you.

Do you have a message page on your local website, for people to reply to any genealogical enquiries? If you could give me any feedback I would be extremely grateful, as I am in New Zealand until April / May of 2007.

A relation of the Newman family emigrated to New Zealand, but I am not sure which one! The Newman family are Henry J Newman and Lucretia Lucy (nee Le Grys) Newman, living and managing the Temperance Hotel, now the Forest View Hotel in Symonds Yat.

Their children were: Raymond, Douglas, Louie and Ivy Newman.

Any help or contacts would be greatly appreciated. I have already been in contact with the Hereford and Gloucestershire Records Offices as well regarding my enquiry.

Kind regards
Alison Tessier

If you are able to help Alison, please email and I will pass on the information.

Over fifty children and their families braved Haugh woods on Friday evening to find their way around a 'Where Wild Things Play' story trail, depicting the local legend of Maud and the dragon.

The trail was mapped out by eight bird boxes which tell the story. The boxes were created by local school children and Ledbury artist Jeanette McCullough. Along the way the children were challenged to find all sorts of dragon evidence, from dragon eggs, crimson eyes and dragon droppings to bows and arrows of their saviour Garston the archer. Triumphant at the end of their trail the children created an enormous dragon mud mural to celebrate.

Where Wild Things Play, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, sets up activities and events all around the county for families to explore the beautiful nature on our doorsteps. This trail at Haugh will stay up throughout the summer holidays and sheets to guide you round are available from local shops, Hereford and Queenswood Tourist Information and Herefordshire Nature Trust. There are also trails in Ross and across the Lugg Meadows and don't miss the Autumn apples trail at Bodenham.

For details of other events contact Jo Polack at 'Where Wild Things Play': 01432 356 872 wildplay@herefordwt.cix.co.uk

The Savoy Theatre, Monmouth, which has had a history of live performance since 1794 has just announced a new exciting programme of theatre and music.

The Bell Inn, as it was known in the 18th Century, had an Assembly Room for which local magistrates had granted a licence for entertainment.

In 1850 the venue was re-launched by J.F.Rogers as The Theatre Royal and by the end of the 19th Century, with a surprising, growing trend in roller skating the theatre was reconverted into The Rinkeries.

In 1910, with the coming of movies it was redeveloped yet again and opened as the new Living Picture Palace and Rinkeries, thereby becoming Monmouth's first cinema.

During this century the venue has passed through many hands until being safely restored by the Savoy Trust, using a generous grant from the WDA. The Savoy continues as a popular local cinema and with new seating, sound and lighting installed can now play host to concerts of an International standard plus local and visiting theatre productions.

Jan Ayers, who was born in Monmouth is pleased to be working with the Savoy Trust and has been part of programming the 400 capacity venue for this Autumn. Opening the live programme on August Bank Holiday Saturday will be Breaks Co-Op from New Zealand. The band are Radio 1`s Zane Lowe, Hamish Clark and Andy Lovegrove and are playing all major UK Festivals this summer. Seth Lakeman has just confirmed a warm-up show on 1st September, before his appearance at Bunkfest. Glenn Tilbrook, Midge Ure, Show of Hands, The James Taylor Quartet, Bic Runga and Swansea`s very own The Storys (seen recently in Worcester, supporting Elton John) will all perform at the venue as part of their National Tours. Many have singles and albums in the charts. Well-known favourites The Hamsters, Queen on Fire, Limehouse Lizzy and a Beatles 40th Anniverary show by Sgt Peppers Lonely Dart Board Band also promise to bring spectacular rock shows to a stage that has never before been used to its full potential! Johnny Coppin and band will perform his special and much loved Christmas Show - Keeping The Flame. The Savoy Players present Outside Edge in October and the Savoy Youth Theatre perform Dazzle in November. Also the Welsh National Screen Archive is showing "Reels on Wheels" on 1st November. There promises to be something for everyone and details of concerts can be seen on the 'What's On?' page of Wyenot News.

Tickets are already locally on sale in Monmouth. Call 01600 713701 or 01600 713007.

Ross-on-Wye Weather Station is located by the tennis courts and bowling green at 'Crossfields' and is one of the important stations around the country which regularly sends data to the Meteorological Office. This is why Ross-on-Wye is sometimes mentioned on the BBC weather reports. It is currently still a manually monitored station and readings are taken twice per day by husband and wife team, June and Rex Swallow.

This year, a 'Summer Spectacular' will be taking place on the Rope Walk site which previously hosted Ross International Festival. (Full details of which can be found by clicking here.)

Wyenot News has tickets to each of the three 'Summer Spectacular' concerts, which would normally cost £35 per pair to give away. Six readers will win a pair of tickets to one of the shows. If you and a partner would like a chance to go to one of the concerts for free, all you need do is email the answers to the following questions. Entrants to this competition must be aged 18 years or over. All of the answers can be easily looked up in back issues of Wyenot News.

What type of mammals were photographed swimming in the River Wye at Wilton earlier this year:

a: hump back whales?
b: beavers?
c: otters?

What is the surname of June and Rex, the couple who monitor Ross-on-Wye Weather Station:

a: Swallow?
b: Sparrow?
c: Peregrine Falcon?

TV presenter, Chris Tarrant recently visited the White Lion Inn and Broome Farm. What is the first name of his wife:

a: Enid?
b: Ingrid?
c: Tracy?

Which famous historical character who died 201 years ago once visited Ross-on-Wye?

a: Ludwig Van Beethoven?
b: King Cnut?
c: Admiral Lord Nelson?

Please click here to email your answers. (Wyenot News is absolutely 100% against spam, so neither your email or postal address will not be harvested, passed on or added to any mailing lists.) A draw from entries received will take place at The White Lion Inn on Saturday, July 29th at 5:30 pm and a list of winners will be published in the following week's Wyenot News. Please state your name and postal address (where you want the tickets sent), along with your first and second choice of concert. Winning tickets are subject to availability. First names drawn will have the first choice of concert.

These concerts are not arranged by Wyenot News and tickets are distributed in good faith. Wyenot News will not accept responsibility for any cancellation or postponement of concerts. Wyenot News will not accept telephone entries to the competition. No correspondence will be entered into regarding this competition. Those wishing to purchase tickets should contact the organizers of the events at www.summersoundsspectacular.com.

If you have a local news item or story of local interest which you would like to appear on Wyenot News you are very welcome to submit it by email, telephone or by post.

Please advise as early as possible if you would like me to photograph your local event so that I can put it in my diary. This service is offered strictly on a first come, first served basis.

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