Voglauer, Europe's largest hotel furniture design and manufacturing company is setting up their first European offices in a converted granary building in Ross-on-Wye. This move by the Austrian, family owned company to the building at the Hildersley Business Park will create three new jobs, with further expansion planned.

The conversion of the granary into offices at Hildersley, which is managed by proprietors Martin and Liz Boynton was made possible with the help of a 'Redundant Building' grant of almost £54,000. Redundant Building grants which are administered by Herefordshire Council are provided by the Rural Regeneration Zone and Advantage West Midlands for the conversion or refurbishment of redundant buildings, bringing them back into productive business use or enhancing their current business use. Grants of up to 25% of conversion costs are available to eligible companies in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.

Mrs. Joyce Thomas, M.B.E DL performed the opening ceremony of the Hildersley Business Park on Friday, 1st June. She said: 'I am delighted to be here today. As one of the Herefordshire councillors, I supported this application when it came before the council because I saw the merit that the changes would bring to Ross and we see this happening today. Ross-on-Wye has a history of its links internationally - Wolf Tools, Rehau and its twinning links with France and Germany. I am therefore delighted that Voglauer, a family owned firm from Austria is going to be setting up its overseas office and showroom here in Ross-on-Wye.'

Mrs. Thomas went on to say that she had known Martin and Liz Boynton for many years. She and Liz serve on a governing body of a village school and she knows how committed both Martin and Liz have been to supporting this community. Mrs. Thomas marvelled at the scheme, saying that it showed just what can be achieved by people and organizations working together and this was a wonderful example of how farms and farmers have diversified, bringing new opportunities to rural areas.

Mrs. Thomas thanked everybody involved and gave her best wishes to all concerned, then declared The Hildersley Business Park open.

I just found your site looking for car boot sales information. I live at Malvern. I must congratulate you on a terrific well presented site, a site that the people of Ross should be proud of. I am "retired" but am still active, although disabled, trying to earn a little extra to put towards holidays etc. Once again well done.

Many thanks,

Terry Morse.

Dear Editor. Just to say how much I like your site. It was brought to my attention by Brian Morgan who used to own Riversdale Hotel Symonds Yat West and now lives in Worthing. We used to live on Sawpitts Lane on the Great Doward, having moved there in 1986 after getting fed up with the pressures of work in Motor Manufacturing. Unfortunately due to my wife's ill health, we moved back to Bedfordshire in 2001 to be near our family. After 15 very happy years in the Wye Valley, big mistake and we wish we still lived in the area. Great to be able to keep in touch with what's going on in our favourite place to live. Good luck and Best wishes.

Diane and Brian Hilton.

I was at Ross Grammar School from 1946 and found your newsletter through Margaret Morgan. I used to live at Whitchurch and after a period in the Army and the Royal College of Music,c came to the CBSO in Birmingham where I stayed for 40 years (intending mind you to stay for only 6 months.) It was with great sadness I heard of Frank Drabble's recent death. He was just about the most popular master in my time along with 'Jasper West.'

I have been around the world at least twice, but it is always a marvellous feeling to visit Ross and all the old haunts of my school days. I read with interest your newsletter and think it is just about the easiest to navigate and so well put together with absolutely brilliant photographs. Well done! It is such a pleasure to have a peek at what is going on in and around Ross. Please keep it going.

Kind regards,

Phil Head.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Lea School is setting the pace in Recycling in the County following a successful initiative by Head Teacher Linda Townsend.

Efforts by pupils at Lea in recycling plastics, glass, and food waste have been so successful that the Herefordshire Council were called in to reduce the size of the bin that sends waste to landfill by 50 per cent! Lea School, which already has a silver award for being environmentally friendly are awaiting assessment for a Green Flag.

Seen here with Members of Lea School Eco Group, who are responsible for encouraging all pupils to recycle, are Head Teacher Linda Townsend and Herefordshire Councillor Harry Bramer.

Gorsley Goffs Primary school are also working towards a sustainable school and lifestyle which involves educating the children about the benefits of being environmentally friendly and involving parents as well as the local community. At lunch and break times, composting monitors collect recyclable or compostable waste from classrooms, which has resulted in a 50% reduction in waste going to landfill.

Mr. Richard Humphrey, Head Teacher said,' I am extremely pleased with the immediate beneficial effect of the action plan and gaining the EcoSchools Bronze Award - the first step to becoming a Green Flag School. All the staff and children are committed to making it a success.

Thanks go to the parents on the committee and those actively supporting this permanent change towards sustainability. The children are having great fun learning about recycling and composting, especially Charlotte and Niamh, in charge of the wormery!

It is very important to educate both the children and adults of the school about the importance of protecting the environment for the future well-being of the young people of today.'

Ross Town Council have organized a series of brass band concerts at the bandstand for the summer and these began on Sunday afternoon with Gloucester Excelsior Band entertaining local people and visitors alike. The concerts will be taking place weekly, every Sunday afternoon between 2:00 and 4:00 PM Why not take a picnic down to the bandstand this coming Sunday, when the musical entertainment will be provided by Ross Town Band? The concerts are free but a collection will be made to help local charities.

It is nice to see the bandstand being used regularly. For details of further Sundays at the Bandstand, please see the 'What's On?' page.

Nesting bees
10,000 bees decided to take up residence in the car park at Fonteine Court Retirement Homes recently. Look to the skies everyone. Their friends may be heading to a car park near you!

Fish and Chip Lunch
Who says you have to be three sheets to the wind to enjoy fish and chips. Here is where our Residents tucked in recently to a collective Fish and Chips Lunch. Judging by the response, we will be having many more of them in the future.

(Hope they bought them from Tudorville Chippy - best chips in town, by far! Just a personal observation from somebody who lives on takeaways and fast food establishments. Ed.)

DO YOU HAVE A STORY FOR WYENOT NEWS?

If you have a local news item or story you can submit it here
or call Alan or Tina on 01989 763217

There is no charge for publishing either news items or What's On Events
This is a Free Service for the local community!

Wyenot News, 1, Hillview Road, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. HR9 7EY

If you would like to order prints from Wyenot News photographs, please click here.

Prints are only available for photographs taken by Wyenot News (Not of those which have been sent in by readers).

Prints of 'people' photographs are only available to those directly involved in the news event covered. i.e. I do not sell prints of people to the general public.