Wyenot News has found the perfect solution to solving the problem of global warming by becoming a 'Carbon Neutral Company'. Over the years I have personally made quite some 'Carbon Footprint' by flying the world but have tried to make amends. For every long haul flight I have ever taken, I don't mow the lawn for five years. For the shorter European and domestic flights, I don't trim the hedge for six months.

So far, this method of keeping the balance has proved to be extremely successful. I have managed to get away with doing anything whatsoever in the garden for the past seven years without Tina nagging me - and I still have two return trips to Los Angeles, one return trip to Dhahran plus ten Stuttgart, fourteen Paris, a day return trip to Dusseldorf, two Brussels and a few Athens trips to make amends for.

The Gods must be smiling down on me with this one. This year, the resulting natural flora in my lawn came out in the 2007 Ross in Bloom colours of red, white and blue, allowing me to celebrate 50 years since the visit to Ross-on-Wye of HM Queen Elizabeth II without lifting a finger.

Is there a Ross in Bloom Award for the most Carbon Neutral Garden? They may look like weeds from a distance but close up - they are beautiful. And they are all hidden away behind a magnificently tall hedge.

Town Clerk, Denise Mason and Councillor Phil Cutter, along with their other halves and Phil's son, Christopher, were invited by HM Queen Elizabeth II to a garden party at Buckingham Palace last week, which they all enjoyed very much. On her return, Denise wrote an account of her experience.

Everything was so well organized, the waiting to get in was a doddle with policeman making jokes with those queuing. Being a total Monarchist, I was overwhelmed to be standing in the Queen’s house and joining her in the garden! Even my other half felt it was something special.

We entered the Palace through the front gate and went through part of the ground floor (thick carpets, marble statues and huge paintings and loads of footmen) out to the garden where there was a huge marquee, where footmen with earpieces and talking into their arms (very MI5) oversaw the serving of cakes and sandwiches, ice creams and tea. There were two bands playing and seats dotted under the trees and around the tea marquee.

The Queen and Prince Phillip’s arrival was announced by one of the bands playing the National Anthem as she joined everybody on the lawn. It was impossible to believe you were in the middle of a very noisy London as it was so tranquil. An oasis of calm.

When we left by the front entrance, tourists were clamouring to take photos, which felt a bit surreal as they obviously had no idea what was going on, just a bundle of people leaving the Palace.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day – not to be missed and probably never to be repeated.

West Mercia Police Authority is celebrating 40 years of policing in Herefordshire and it is urging children to come forward and help with their enquiries! They are looking for posters to promote aspects of police work in the communities of Herefordshire and are giving prizes for the best entries.

If you are between 3 and 11 years of age then you too could become part of the special birthday celebrations taking place at Leominster police station this Autumn. It is not just 40 years of local policing which is being celebrated, but the opening of Herefordshire’s brand new police station in Leominster, offering a unique opportunity to look round an operational police station which will be working with communities in the County.

The police are looking for some original designs about the following topics:

Police and Communities Together (PACT)
Antisocial Behaviour
Policing, Past and Present.

Your posters can be in paints, pencils, felt-tips or crayons but should be no bigger than an A4 size of paper. Prizes will be awarded in three age categories: 3 - 5 years, 6 - 8 years and 9 - 11 years. Put your name, age, address and a contact number on the back of your poster and post it to the address below to arrive no later than Saturday, 25th August.

The best entries will be displayed at the new police station during an activity packed Open Day which takes place on Saturday, 8th September and the lucky prize winners will be announced and prizes awarded on the day.

Posters should be sent to the event organizers: Eden Solutions at Flat 1, 329 Kings Acre Road, Hereford, HR4 0SL.

As regular readers will know, I have been following the progress of the four baby swallows nesting in the new pergola at the White Lion Inn over the past few weeks. It is nice to see that two of the hatchlings fledged last Wednesday and the other siblings on Thursday.

Thank you again to Julie Andrews for her photo of a fox, which she says, 'crept up on me, not me on it whilst I was stood shoulder high in nettles'.

Last week I said that Julie 'is a friend whom I have never met'. We met last Thursday evening for the first time. It had been a beautifully sunny day, so we arranged to meet at 6:30 PM and go photograph some wild life. At 6 o'clock the sky began to blacken and by 6:45, after we had walked to the river, through the mud, the Heavens opened and so we abandoned our mission for the sake of keeping the cameras dry. Nice to meet you though, Julie. At least I now know who you are. The sloe gin is great, by the way! Thank you for that. Haven't drunk it all yet - just tried one glass.

Ross Baptist Church will again be looking for donations to be sent out to Romania this Summer. Last year the church sent a lorry full of clothing, tools, furniture, medical supplies and toys to a number of orphanages in Romania. The church is working closely with Hope Carriers Trust, a Christian charity based in Hereford which transports aid to the country.

There will be a van in the church car park at the bottom of Hill Street for all donations from Monday, 30th July until Friday, 3rd August from 10am - 4pm, and again on Tuesday, 31st July from 7pm-9pm.

Tim Shelley, Team Leader of Ross Baptist Church said, 'Last year we were overwhelmed by the generosity of our local community and we are hoping to send out even more aid to children and families struggling in Romania. We are extremely grateful to Gwalia who are kindly helping us with this initiative'.

If you would like further information on what to donate please contact the church office on 01989 566966. Pictured with Tim are two helpers from the church, John and Margaret Corbett.

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