Local Musician, Barrie Moore has started teaching Year 1 pupils at Brampton Abbotts Primary School the violin or cello by the Suzuki method.

A recent grant has been awarded which will enable all year 1 children to take up one of the instruments until they finish primary school. The idea is to help form a secondary school orchestra in the future.

All children learning will have a custom built instrument, in a colour of their choice on which to learn and parents and staff are also invited to learn.

In the photo, Barrie Moore, Director of Malvern and Ross Suzuki gives pupils Liam, Charlie and Bayleigh their first lesson.

What can you do when everything goes wrong?

On the eve of day the tree blew down, I was suffering, (along with the rest of the Ross population) with a nasty cold. Tina had a toothache and feeling quite depressed, we shut the office and opened a bottle of whisky we were given for Christmas. (Thanks, Marilyn!) This helped quite a bit and we played some 'music' together just to try and forget about life for a while. I use the term 'music' loosely as I can't sing, I certainly ain't pretty and my legs are just about the only part of me that is 'thin'. I didn't think of playing that song at the time - should have done.

The session was filmed and here are just three of the low-lights If you are manic enough to download it, it's a 16Mb windows media file. It should stream pretty well if you have broadband.

Dennis Humble, General Manager of EnviroAbility explained that the Ross Shop Mobility partnership is sending letters to all the local Parish Councils asking for a contribution towards Ross Shop Mobility, but stressed that it is the Parish Councils agreement to support the project that is more important than the amount they contribute.

Martin Neicho whose role it is within EnviroAbility to actively seek the funding for projects said, 'We know some funders that could sponsor the project would be influenced and encouraged if all Parish Councils showed their commitment to the project'.

Continued . . .

Many organizations and people around Ross are attempting to take positive action to ensure that our ageing population are enabled to retain as much independence and quality of life as possible. For many people getting to town is not the main problem; it is how they get around once they are there. There are several areas of Ross-on-Wye which are inaccessible to individuals with limited mobility.

The new Shop Mobility project aims to Improve access to services for older people and those with limited mobility, reduce social exclusion / isolation and enhance equality of opportunity for people with access difficulties.

Dennis said, 'EnviroAbility and all the partners involved in the new project are so convinced that this is a necessity that we have invested many resources and are going all out to raise the necessary funds.' This service has been available in both Hereford and Ledbury it will be a new service for the people of and visitors to Ross. The provision of Motorized wheelchairs / scooters will support people unable to use local shops and other amenities, that those people with mobility take for granted. The service will create new jobs and opportunities for disadvantaged groups.'

Dennis would like to reassure all residents that after some recent bad publicity concerning pavement vehicles, Shop Mobility Ross will insure all the vehicles and provide training to all new users and existing users if they wish to be involved. Partner organizations involved that wish to turn this into a reality include; Community First, WRVS, Age Concern Herefordshire Voluntary Action and Ross Lions.

Do you have a few hours to spare to help Shop-mobility to provide this valuable service? Shopmobility are a new service and need volunteers who would like to get involved. Any financial contributions will help towards providing the service. Donations of wheelchairs or scooters that are no longer needed would also be gratefully received.

After a successful run in Goodrich, the Goodrich Arts Society is taking their production of Alan Ayckbourn's Time and Time Again to the West End - the west end of Ross that is.

The production will run at the Phoenix Theatre from 24th to the 27th of January. The play is set in the garden of a suburban house of the Bakers which adjoins a recreation field where football and cricket is played as the seasons unfold, both of which play a large part in the action of the play.

Time and Time Again centres round Leonard who, when not talking to the garden gnome Bernard, catches the eye of Joan the fiancée of sport mad Peter. Leonard's sexually frustrated brother-in-law Graham Baker also makes a move towards Joan. When Graham catches Leonard and Joan kissing in the garden pond, Graham and his wife Anna decide that Peter must be told of the relationship. However Leonard's attempt at telling Peter the truth takes an unexpected turn.

The cast includes Andy Petersen, Glen Cawdeary and Lucy Davies, all of whom appeared in the GAS productions of Ayckbourn's Table Manners and Living Together. Also in the cast are Barbara Isle and Tim Morris who both appeared in the last Goodrich production of Fish Out of Water.

For those of you who are pushed for time, yet keen to see a performance will welcome the introduction of the new Theatre Dinner initiative now being offered by the Royal Hotel, in conjunction with The Phoenix Theatre. For those not acquainted with the area, The Royal Hotel and The Phoenix Theatre are neighbours. Tables are available from 6:00 PM and anyone wishing to make a reservation should call The Royal Hotel on Ross (01989) 565105. Please note that Theatre Dinners are only on offer when there is a production at The Phoenix Theatre.

The strange weather we have been experiencing of late has brought spring early again this year. Daffodils have been flowering at the home of Derek Williams of E & I Williams at the Doward since December.

The photograph of evening primrose (bottom picture) was taken at Goodrich on Friday.

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